Bacon Pepper Poppers

Garden peppers stuffed with cheese & wrapped in bacon — jalapeño for a bite, Anaheim for a milder crowd

~24 · 20 min

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12 jalapeños (or 6 Anaheims — see the note)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
2 scallions, sliced · 1 grated garlic clove
½ tsp smoked paprika · salt · pepper · a spoon of garden hot sauce (optional)
12 strips bacon, halved (a half per popper) — thin-cut crisps best

What you need

12 jalapeños (or 6 Anaheims — see the note)

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded

2 scallions, sliced · 1 grated garlic clove

½ tsp smoked paprika · salt · pepper · a spoon of garden hot sauce (optional)

12 strips bacon, halved (a half per popper) — thin-cut crisps best

Prep the peppers (gloves on). Halve lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and white ribs — that's where the heat lives, so a clean scrape tames a jalapeño to friendly. Wear gloves and don't touch your face.
Mix the filling. Stir the softened cream cheese with the cheddar, scallions, garlic, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and a spoon of hot sauce if you want a kick. Soften the cream cheese first or it won't stir smooth.
Stuff. Pack each pepper half with filling, level with the edges — overfilled ones bubble over and burn.
Wrap in bacon. Wind a half-strip of bacon around each, tucking the end under or pinning with a toothpick. Thin-cut bacon crisps in the time the pepper needs; thick bacon won't.
Bake on a rack. Set the poppers on a wire rack over a sheet pan and bake at 400°F, 25–30 min, until the bacon is crisp and the peppers are tender. The rack lets the fat drip and the bacon crisp all the way around instead of stewing in grease.
Crisp & rest. If the bacon needs it, hit them under the broiler 1–2 min at the end. Rest 5 minutes — the filling is molten straight out of the oven.

Steps — tap one to keep your place

1. Prep the peppers (gloves on). Halve lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and white ribs — that's where the heat lives, so a clean scrape tames a jalapeño to friendly. Wear gloves and don't touch your face.

2. Mix the filling. Stir the softened cream cheese with the cheddar, scallions, garlic, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and a spoon of hot sauce if you want a kick. Soften the cream cheese first or it won't stir smooth.

3. Stuff. Pack each pepper half with filling, level with the edges — overfilled ones bubble over and burn.

4. Wrap in bacon. Wind a half-strip of bacon around each, tucking the end under or pinning with a toothpick. Thin-cut bacon crisps in the time the pepper needs; thick bacon won't.

5. Bake on a rack. Set the poppers on a wire rack over a sheet pan and bake at 400°F, 25–30 min, until the bacon is crisp and the peppers are tender. The rack lets the fat drip and the bacon crisp all the way around instead of stewing in grease.

6. Crisp & rest. If the bacon needs it, hit them under the broiler 1–2 min at the end. Rest 5 minutes — the filling is molten straight out of the oven.

Low salt — salt at the end and taste as you go; broth, cheese, and canned goods already bring salt.