Jalapeno Popper Dip (or Spread)
This jalapeno popper dip is an easy appetizer recipe. You can make it a day in advance and serve it with crackers or chips. Or, use it as a spread to make pinwheels, sandwiches, or wraps. It has all of the flavors of bacon-wrapped jalapeno wrappers but served up as a cold and creamy dip instead.
Table of contents
Despite not yet watching one football game this year, I’ve been all about the game-day recipes like homemade mozzarella sticks and dips of all sorts like this jalapeno popper dip I’m sharing today.
It was, in fact, the bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers I shared last June and the pimento cheese I share just a week or so ago that led to this easy dip. I took the best from the poppers and mixed it up like I mixed the pimento cheese dip so, in the end, you have a dippable/spreadable appetizer that’s perfect for game-day snacking.
This jalapeno popper dis is a make-ahead, cold and creamy dip that’s great for crackers but also as a spread. More on that in a minute, but first…
Jalapeno Popper Dip Ingredients
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Diced jalapeno
- Cilantro
- Lime zest
- Monterey jack cheese
- Bacon
How to Make Cold Jalapeno Popper Dip
- If your cream cheese is softened, add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix with a spatula until combined.
- If you forget to soften your cream cheese (like I do pretty much all the time), just cut it into cubes and mix it with the sour cream in the food processor. It’s a lot easier than trying to mix cold cream cheese by hand. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, and ta-da, the jalapeno popper dip is done.
- Cover the bowl and chill it for at least for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop. Better yet, make the dip a day before you want to serve it.
- I like to let it stand at room temperature for 10 or 15 minutes before serving so the cream cheese softens a bit.
It’s Not Just a Dip! Other Ways to Serve It
Yes, you can serve this jalapeno popper dip with sturdy chips or crackers, but there are other ways to use it, too! I love multi-functional recipes that serve a few different purposes…
- Use it as a sandwich spread: toast your bread and top it with some of the spread, and pile on the turkey, cheese, and sliced avocado.
- Spread the dip on tortillas, roll them up, chill them, slice, and call them jalapeno popper pinwheels – another great game-day snack.
- Toast a bagel (or slices of bread), top it with the spread, add an egg and enjoy a jalapeno popper breakfast sandwich.
- Grab some celery sticks, fill them with the spread and enjoy them as a healthy-ish snack.
- Make a sandwich wrap: spread the jalapeno popper dip on a tortilla, add your favorite lunch meat, some lettuce, and other veggies, wrap and enjoy.
Happy game-day snacking 🏈
More Appetizers and Snack Ideas
I love a great game-day snack – here are a few more appetizer recipes in case you’re looking for more ideas…
- Pimento Cheese Dip
- How to Make a Cheeseboard
- Deviled Eggs with Bacon & Chives
- Sweet and Spicy Meatballs
📣 Do you love this recipe? I would love to know! Leave a comment below the recipe along with your recipe star rating.
Jalapeno Popper Dip
This jalapeno popper dip is an easy appetizer recipe. You can make it a day in advance and serve it with crackers or chips. Or, use it as a spread to make pinwheels, sandwiches, or wraps. It has all of the flavors of bacon-wrapped jalapeno wrappers but served up cold and creamy as a dip instead.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened (see note)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded
- 3 slices cooked and finely chopped bacon
- 1 large jalapeno pepper (stem, ribs, and seeds removed), finely chopped (see note)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- Zest of 1 lime
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream and cheese. Add the chopped bacon, chopped jalapeno, cilantro, lime zest, and salt. Stir until well combined.
- Chill the dip for a few hours before serving so the flavors can develop. Let it stand a room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so it softens and is easier to spread. Serve with chips, crackers or small bread slices.
Notes
- It’s a lot easier to mix the dip by hand if the cream cheese is at room temperature. If I forget to leave mine out, I just cut cold cream cheese into cubes and mix it with the sour cream in the food processor.
- You want approximately 1 1/2 to 2 ounces of jalapenos, so if yours are small you may need a few more.
Nutrition
- Calories: 179
- Sugar: 1.9g
- Fat: 16.3g
- Carbohydrates: 2.9g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 5.7g
The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
You forgot to include the Monterey Jack cheese in the recipe. How much? I did a quarter cup
I’m so sorry about that! I used a 4-ounce block and shredded it which will be about 1 cup.
Made this for a football party and it was a big hit! Delicious flavor and your prep time instructions were perfect, thank you for your accuracy on that to help me plan.
We did also use it as a spread on french dips and wowza was that ever good. Will definitely make this again.
My friend’s sister made this for a baby shower dip and it was so delicious I had to ask her for the recipe! I’m now bringing this as my appetizer dish for thanksgiving. It’s so good! I love the fresh jalapeño in it.
So glad you love it!
I was craving jalapeño poppers but it was a pool day so I was excited when I found this recipe. It was a hit! So flavorful and delicious. We paired with jalapeño kettle chips as well as the strawberry jalapeño crisps from Trader Joes. New fave dip!