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Perfect Super Bowl Snack: Easy Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers

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These Easy Air Fryer Football-Shaped Jalapeño Poppers are cheesy, spicy, and shaped like tiny footballs for the ultimate game day snack. Made in under 10 minutes in the air fryer, they’re a crowd-pleaser that looks impressive but is secretly easy to make.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 large fresh jalapeños
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled (about 6 strips)
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (for breading)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep the Jalapeños: Wash and dry your jalapeños. Using a sharp knife, cut off the stems and then slice the jalapeños into 1/2-inch thick rounds. You’ll get about 4-5 rounds per jalapeño, depending on the size. Use a small spoon or a melon baller to carefully scoop out the seeds and white ribs from each round. Pro tip: wear gloves for this step!
  2. Cut the Football Shapes: Take each jalapeño round and press your football-shaped cookie cutter through the center. You’ll get a perfect little football shape. Don’t worry if some of the edges are a little uneven – the breading will cover that up. Save the leftover jalapeño scraps for another use.
  3. Make the Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, chopped green onions, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix until everything is well combined and smooth. Taste it and adjust the seasoning if needed.
  4. Fill the Poppers: Using a small spoon or a piping bag (a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off works great), fill each jalapeño football with the cream cheese mixture. Don’t overfill them – you want a nice mound, but not so much that it spills out during breading. Smooth the tops with the back of the spoon.
  5. Set Up Your Breading Station: Get three shallow bowls ready. In the first bowl, add the flour. In the second bowl, beat the two eggs with a tablespoon of water. In the third bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, and cayenne (if using). Mix the panko mixture well.
  6. Bread the Poppers: Working one at a time, take a filled jalapeño football and coat it lightly in the flour. Shake off any excess. Then dip it into the beaten eggs, letting any extra drip off. Finally, press it into the panko mixture, making sure it’s fully coated on all sides. Place the breaded popper on a baking sheet or plate. Repeat with all the poppers.
  7. Preheat the Air Fryer: Set your air fryer to 375°F (190°C) and let it preheat for about 3 minutes.
  8. Air Fry the Poppers: Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place the breaded jalapeño poppers in a single layer in the basket, making sure they aren’t touching. You’ll likely need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer. Spray the tops of the poppers lightly with cooking spray. Air fry at 375°F for 6-8 minutes, or until the breading is golden brown and crispy and the filling is hot and bubbly. Watch them closely towards the end.
  9. Rest and Serve: Carefully remove the poppers from the air fryer using tongs. Let them rest on a plate for 2-3 minutes before serving. This lets the filling set slightly so you don’t burn your mouth. Serve them warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

Don’t skip the flour step – it helps the breading stick. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the air fryer. For milder poppers, scrape out all the white ribs. You can prep the poppers up to the breading step a few hours ahead and keep them in the fridge. For gluten-free, use gluten-free flour and panko. For a vegetarian version, skip the bacon and add sautéed mushrooms and onions.

Nutrition

Keywords: jalapeño poppers, air fryer jalapeño poppers, football shaped jalapeño poppers, super bowl snack, game day appetizer, easy appetizer, spicy snack, bacon cream cheese jalapeño poppers

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