If you love the spicy, creamy, cheesy goodness of jalapeño poppers, these jalapeño popper cups are about to become your new obsession. They're crispy, savory, and packed with flavor - plus, they're easy to make and even easier to devour!
As Tex-Mex flavors gained popularity across the United States in the 1980's, jalapeño poppers quickly became a beloved party staple - bringing the perfect mix of heat, creaminess, and crunch to appetizer tables everywhere! This jalapeño appetizer recipe gives the classic popper a twist; we tuck that irresistible spicy, cheesy filling into a flaky puff pastry cup, making them easy to serve, mess-free, and ideal for entertaining without utensils.
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Ingredients
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
- Fresh jalapeños. Choose firm, glossy peppers with no soft spots. We remove the seeds but feel free to leave them in for more of a kick in each bite.
- Cheese. Shredded, white cheddar cheese brings a sharp, tangy flavor while full-fat cream cheese adds richness. Let the cream cheese soften at room temperature for easier mixing.
- Crispy bacon. Cook the bacon until it is golden and crispy. Use thick or thin sliced, then dice or crumble into small pieces so it distributes evenly in each pastry cup.
- Puff pastry. Use frozen, store-bought puff pastry sheets. Thaw according to package directions, but keep it cold while working to ensure flaky layers.
Substitutions
This recipe is flexible - feel free to make these jalapeño popper mini cups your own with your favorite jalapeño popper flavors. Some ideas are:
- Cheese. Swap the white cheddar cheese for pepper jack, yellow cheddar, goat or a combination of different cheeses. Make sure to use cheese that melts for that creamy, delicious texture. We recommend keeping the cream cheese as the base for that smooth, creamy texture.
- Bacon. Use crispy prosciutto, turkey bacon or omit the bacon entirely for a vegetarian popper cup.
- Puff Pastry. We like the crispy layers of puff pastry but you can substitute crescent roll dough, pie dough, wonton wrappers, or phyllo cups in a pinch. Each will result in a different texture but still taste great.
- Jalapeños. While the jalapeños don't overpower these bites, if you're not a fan of spicy, use a milder green pepper like Anaheim or poblano. If you want even more heat, leave the seeds in the jalapeño, use serrano peppers, or a combination of the two.
Remember to wash your hands - multiple times - when done handling hot peppers.
For more detailed information on jalapeño heat levels and handling tips, check out our
Jalapeño Breakfast Casserole post.
Equipment
- Rolling pin to roll the puff pastry dough to a larger, thinner rectangle.
- Hand mixer to easily mix the cheeses together - this can be done with a sturdy spoon.
- Round cookie cutter that is ¾ to 1 inch larger than the diameter of your mini muffin cup to give you enough pastry to go down the sides and bottom of the muffin cup. NOTE: If your pan is especially deep, you will want to use a slightly larger cutter. This can be done with a cup or they can be cut into squares if no cutter is available.
- A mini tart shaper is our secret tool. We don't usually like single purpose tools, however, this tool is perfect for pressing the puff pastry circles into the mini muffin pans. The small rounded end is the perfect size for the mini pans while the larger end works great for a larger muffin pan. There are many different sizes and kinds of tart shapers to choose from. This was our favorite tool for forming our mini pastry cups.
- You can also use your fingers to press the puff pastry circles into the sides and bottom of the muffin cup. This works fine but takes longer and requires us to pay more attention so we don't press too hard or poke holes in the pastry.
- A shot glass also works. Press the bottom of the shot glass into the pastry circle to form the cup. Our least favorite tool since a normal shot glass was a little too large for the mini muffin pans.
How to make Jalapeño Popper Cups
Prep the jalapeños
We recommend wearing gloves when working with hot peppers. Wash your hands - multiple times - when done handling hot peppers and DO NOT touch your face or eyes.
Start by removing the stems and deseeding the jalapeños. Cut the the stem off the peppers, slice them in half, and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds from the pepper halves (image 1 & 2). Slice each half into thin strips, rotate the strips 90 degrees and cut across the strips to get a small diced pepper (image 3 & 4). Set these aside until ready to mix filling.
Make the filling
Add cream cheese and shredded white cheddar cheese to a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to combine the cheeses until well mixed (image 5 & 6). The hand mixer makes this step much easier, but this can be done with a heavy spoon and some elbow grease.
Add the diced jalapeño and crispy, diced bacon to the cheese mixture. Stir with a spoon until evenly combined. (image 7 & 8).
Form puff pastry cups
Place one sheet of the thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured cutting board. Use a rolling pin to roll out to a rectangle about 12 x 10 inches (image 9 & 10).
Use a cookie cutter that is about 1 inch larger than the diameter of the bottom of your muffin cup (image 11) . This allows enough dough to form your pastry cup down the sides and across the bottom or the muffin cup.
Place the circle over the buttered muffin cup and press into the muffin cup using your hands, a shot glass, or the tart shaper (shown above and our favorite option). Notice how the pastry is not super thick and fits nicely in the mini muffin pan. (image 12, 13 & 14). Continue with the remaining puff pastry and circles.
Assemble and bake
Use a small spoon or cookie scoop to fill each appetizer cup. It's okay if the filling is a little higher than the top of the pastry cup, it'll melt and bake down in the oven (image 15). Once all the pastry cups in the muffin pans are filled, place in a pre-heated 400°F oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the cheese is melted. (image 16).
Use a small spoon to help remove the pastry cups from the muffin pan. Run the spoon around the edges of the pastry, slide it under the cup and lift it out. Since the pan was buttered, they should lift right out (image 17 & 18). Place on a cooling rack if making in advance or straight onto a serving platter. Serve these warm.
TIP: We like lifting these pastry cups out of the muffin pan versus flipping the pan upside down. Flipping the pan upside down tends to damage the edges of the cups.
Make ahead tips
While these can be made, start-to-finish, in just 40 minutes, there is some prep you can do ahead to save time:
- Filling. Mix up to 2 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Assembly. Cut and shape the puff pastry cups, fill with the jalapeño-cheese mixture, and refrigerate up to 1 day before baking.
- Freezing. You can freeze baked or unbaked but note that cream cheese and jalapeños may release moisture when thawed, which can affect the crispiness.
- To freeze unbaked. Form pastry cups, add filling, and freeze in the muffin tin until frozen. Remove from the muffin pan, transfer to an airtight container, and freeze for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding 3-5minutes to the bake time.
- To freeze baked. Cool completely and freeze in a single layer in an airtight container. Reheat in the oven before serving for best texture.
Saving Leftovers
The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
If you are within the FDA recommendations, these jalapeño popper cups will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes until crispy and hot. We don't recommend microwaving them which can make the pastry soggy.
Other jalapeño recipes
Some FAQ's
No problem, you can use a glass that is the right diameter. You can also cut into squares for a more rustic look like in our Mini Puff Pastry Egg Bites.
Absolutely, just omit the bacon or substitute your favorite vegetarian substitution (mushrooms, tempeh, tofu).
The jalapeños don't make this overly hot, but everyone has a different sensitivity to peppers and spice levels. For more information on hot peppers, visit our Jalapeño Breakfast Casserole for a Crowd post.
In general, if you're worried about the spice level, use a milder pepper like Anaheim or poblano. If you want more heat, don't deseed the jalapeño, use serrano peppers, or a combination of the two.
📖 Recipe
Jalapeño Popper Cups - Easy Puff Pastry Appetizer
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 30-36 cups 1x
Description
If you love the spicy, creamy, cheesy goodness of jalapeño poppers, these jalapeño popper cups are about to become your new obsession. They're crispy, savory, and packed with flavor - plus they're easy to make and even easier to devour!
Ingredients
- 3-4 fresh jalapeńos (will depend on size of peppers)
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 4 ounces white cheddar cheese, fine shredded
- 3 ounces (1 cup) crispy bacon, chopped (about 10 strips)
- 1 box frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed according to package instructions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Lightly butter the bottom and sides of 24-36 mini muffin cups.
PREP THE JALAPEÑOS
- De-stem and de-seed the jalapeños.
Don't touch your face or eyes - gloves are recommended for this step. - Set aside until assembly.
MIX THE FILLING
- Add cream cheese and shredded white cheddar cheese to a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer or a heavy duty spoon to mix until well combined.
- Add diced jalapenos and crispy, diced bacon to the cheese mixture and stir until well mixed.
- Set aside until ready to assemble. This can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
MAKE PUFF PASTRY CUPS AND ASSEMBLE
NOTE: Puff pastry should be thawed according to package directions but kept cold while working to retain the flaky layers. If it starts getting warm, refrigerate for 10 minutes before resuming.
- Place 1 sheet of thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured board and use a rolling pin to roll dough into a rectangle about 12 inches x 10 inches. You want the pastry thinner than when it comes out of the box.
- Use a biscuit cutter that is 1” larger in diameter than the bottom of your muffin cups and cut out puff pastry rounds. We used a 2 ½ inch biscuit cutter.
- Gently place one round over a muffin cup and press into the cup using your fingers, bottom of a small shot glass, or a tart tamper (our favorite). Repeat with all of the cut circles.
- Roll, cut, and form the cups with the other puff pastry square.
- Once all the pastry cups are formed, use a small scoop or spoon and fill the pastry cups with jalapeño cheese mixture. It’s fine to have the cheese cup full and even a little heaping on top - the cheese will melt and it will shrink down a little.
- Place in a 400°F oven for 10-15 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven, transfer the individual pastry cups to a serving platter and serve warm.
Notes
Substitutions. Swap the white cheddar for pepper jack, yellow cheddar, goat cheese, or a mix of other cheeses that melt easily. Use turkey bacon or omit the bacon for a vegetarian option. In a pinch you can use crescent roll dough, pie dough, wonton wrappers, or phyllo dough cups instead of puff pastry. The flavor and texture will be different but still good.
Make ahead of time. Make filling up to 2 days in advance. Assemble cups up to a day before baking. Store in airtight containers in the fridge.
Use a spoon to remove the pastries from the tins. While still hot, run the spoon around the outside of the pastry, scoop under the cup, and lift the cup out of the muffin tin.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pastry cup
- Calories: 43
- Sugar: 0.3 g
- Sodium: 53.9 mg
- Fat: 3.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.9 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 8.8 mg
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