Warm Jalapeño Popper Dip

5 from 3 votes

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An indulgent, hot, cheesy, and creamy dip, perfect for game-day gatherings. Much easier than making jalapeno poppers!

Hot Jalapeno Popper Dip from Katie Workman/ themom100.com. Photo by Evi Abeler

This is the dip version of jalapeño poppers, with all of the mild heat and creamy cheesiness, much less of the work, no frying involved, but all of the comfort food satisfaction. I can’t think of a better way to kick off a game-day gathering (except maybe Air-Fried Buffalo Chicken Wings or Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip).

When I find myself at a bar with friends, thinking about what indulgent snacky things to order with our drinks, jalapeño poppers are one of the most tempting offerings on the menu. Jalapeño peppers stuffed with cream cheese and other melty cheeses, slightly spicy, super cheesy, absolutely delicious. But I’m not all that interested in making them at home. I am, however, very interested in making this dip, and my friends and family are also very interested in eating this dip!

Hot Jalapeno Popper Dip in a green baking dish.

I remember when I first heard about jalapeño poppers. My friend Deb, who was an amateur bodybuilder at the time, explained to me what they were, wild-eyed, holding onto my arm, as though she was telling me about an Egyptian tomb she had uncovered after years of searching. “They’re jalapeño peppers! The whole pepper! And they are stuffed with cheese, and they are FRIED, the cheese melts everywhere, and they are the best freaking thing…ever. I can’t believe people don’t know about them!” This is my memory of it, and I am quite sure it is 99% accurate. The year was about 1991.

SO, with a nod to Deb, who showed me the light, and with appreciation (and a partial assignment of culpability) to whoever stuffed the first jalapeño with cheese, I offer up this Warm Jalapeño Popper Dip recipe. The thick panko and cheese topping provides a nice, crunchy contrast to the very creamy dip.

Woman sprinkling panko topping over jalapeno pepper dip.

An indulgent, hot, cheesy, and creamy dip, perfect for game-day gatherings. Much easier than making jalapeno poppers!

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Ingredients

  • Panko breadcrumbs – Provides a lot of crunch in the topping of this dip.
  • Parmesan cheese – Grated Parmesan adds yet another cheesy layer to this decadent dip.
  • Cream cheese – Use block cream cheese here, not whipped or creamy.
  • Sour cream – Adds so much creaminess.
  • Chopped green chilesCanned chilies are mild, and I love the combo of soft canned chilis and fresh jalapeños in this dip.
  • Jalapeno peppers – Once seeded and minced, these provide mild heat throughout the dip.
  • Garlic powder – Adds some nice flavor to the dip.
  • Shredded cheese – I like to use a mixture of sharp cheddar or Mexican blend cheese and a milder, even meltier cheese, like Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese.

How to Make Warm Jalapeño Popper Dip

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees: Prepare a baking dish.
  2. Make the topping: Combine the panko and the Parmesan.
  3. Make the dip: Mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, chilies, minced peppers, garlic powder, and the cheeses. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and sprinkle with the Panko mixture.
  4. Bake for about 25 minutes until hot, browned, and bubbly.

Tips

  • The seeds of the jalapeños are where most of the heat is, so the number of peppers used here should not scare you. You can use less if you like, or more, or allow some of the seeds to sneak in for additional heat. This is really not all that hot, though.
  • As with many of my rich and indulgent recipes, you have the option to use low-fat dairy products – I used full-fat, baby.
  • Serve with celery sticks (HA! Got you! Oh, you should have seen your face). I mean, yes, offer some carrots and celery on the side, BUT also serve with tortilla chips, corn chips, baguette slices, crackers, and sure, some vegetables if you feel like it.
  • The panko and cheese topping is quite thick, but I love the textural contrast between the topping and the creamy, warm dip.
  • You can rewarm the dip in the oven for 10 minutes if it starts to cool and thicken up.

Storage and Leftovers

Leftover dip will last for 4 days in a container in the fridge. Reheat it in the oven or in the microwave. Leftover dip became the filling for an amazing grilled cheese sandwich.

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5 from 3 votes

Warm Jalapeño Popper Dip

An indulgent, hot, cheesy, and creamy dip, perfect for game-day gatherings. Much easier than making jalapeno poppers!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 10 People

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 8-ounce cream cheese
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles
  • 4 jalapeno peppers (seeded and minced)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 9- or 10-inch baking dish (preferably a pretty one – you’ll be serving the dip in it). You can also use cooking spray to coat the dish (kind of like having a Diet Coke with your fried chicken, which I also do).
  • In a small bowl, combine the Panko and the Parmesan, and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, chilies, minced peppers, garlic powder, and the cheeses until well blended using an electric mixer or a spoon (points for exercise!). Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and sprinkle with the Panko mixture.
  • Bake for about 25 minutes until hot, browned and bubbly.

Video

Notes

  • The seeds of the jalapeños are where most of the heat is, so the number of peppers used here should not scare you, though you can use less if you like, or more, or allow some of the seeds to sneak in for additional heat. This is really not all that hot, though.
  • As with many of my rich and indulgent recipes, you have the option to use low-fat dairy products – I used full-fat, baby.
  • Serve with celery sticks (HA! Got you! Oh, you should have seen your face). I mean, yes, offer some carrots and celery on the side, BUT also serve with tortilla chips, corn chips, baguette slices, crackers, and sure, some vegetables if you feel like it.
  • The panko and cheese topping is quite thick, but I love the textural contrst between the topping and the creamy warm dip.
  • You can rewarm the dip in the oven for 10 minutes if it starts to cool and thicken up.
  • Leftover dip became the filling for an amazing grilled cheese sandwich
  • Leftover dip will last for 4 days in a container in the fridge. Reheat it in the oven or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 219kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 49mg, Sodium: 297mg, Potassium: 119mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 551IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 275mg, Iron: 1mg
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About Katie Workman

Katie Workman is a cook, a writer, a mother of two, an activist in hunger issues, and an enthusiastic advocate for family meals, which is the inspiration behind her two beloved cookbooks, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook.

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