Pimento Cheese Jalapeño Poppers
Pimento cheese and bacon take these party-ready jalapeño poppers to the next level.
Servings: 24 poppers
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 4 ounces diced pimientos drained
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic finely minced or grated
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Pinch cayenne pepper plus more to taste
- 12 jalapeños
- 12 strips bacon halved (see notes)
Instructions
- In a bowl, stir together mayonnaise, pimientos, shallot, cayenne, and salt. Fold in cheese. This can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until ready to use, for up to 3 days.8 ounces cheddar cheese, 2/3 cup mayonnaise, 4 ounces diced pimientos, 1 to 2 cloves garlic, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, Pinch cayenne pepper
- Preheat oven to 400°F or prep grill.
- Halve jalapeños lengthwise and remove seeds and membrane. Fill each cavity with pimento cheese, smoothing the top. (You will not use the entire batch.)12 jalapeños
- Wrap a piece of bacon around each jalapeño half. It works best to wrap on the diagonal, slightly overlapping itself and stretching the bacon as needed to keep the ends on the bottom. Secure the bacon with a toothpick.12 strips bacon
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or grill 10-15 minutes.
Notes
- I use half strips of bacon for these, but you can use whole strips of bacon if you like. You will need 2 packages (24 slices) to make the entire batch of poppers.
- If you prefer to not use bacon, top the poppers with breadcrumbs instead, pressing gently to adhere.
- Store any leftover pimento cheese in the refrigerator.
