These spicy and zesty Cheesy Bacon Ranch Jalapeno Poppers make the perfect two bite appetizer for any game day celebration.

Jalapeno poppers come in all shapes and sizes. I haven’t consulted wikipedia on the subject yet, but I think the traditional jalapeno popper is breaded and deep fried. The thought of that sounds absolutely tantalizing, but also a lot of work. Plus, boiling grease scares me – a fear that I hope to someday get over. Thus far, I have only made wrapped jalapeno poppers, jalapeno popper potato bites, and jalapeno popper chicken flautas – all baked and of course made with bacon.

A good popper starts with fresh jalapenos. I have no idea how to know whether they are spicy or mild until I cut into them and find out when my fingers start to burn. If you can tell whether one is spicy before you cut into it, please let me know.

The second component to a popper is the cheese. This particular version uses both cream cheese and cheddar.

Then, to make your popper unique, you must add a little pizzazz. Like I said before, I never leave out the bacon. But this time, I added some ranch dressing mix. That addition really kicked up the flavor and added that zing that my taste buds were craving. If you love the flavor of ranch, be sure to check out these ranch inspired game day recipes here!

Ingredients

8-10 medium jalapeno peppers halved with stems and veins removed
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons Ranch Seasoning Mix
8 ounces bacon okay to use ends and pieces, cooked & crumbled
2 green onions thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups sharp cheese shredded and divided

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium sized bowl, mix together cream cheese, seasoning mix, bacon, green onions, and half of the shredded cheddar. Mix well to combine.
Fill each well of the halved jalapenos with the mixture and then top with additional shredded cheese.
Place on baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or just until the tops start to turn golden brown and the cheese mixture starts to bubble.
Serve warm.

Questions about the nutrition information?Check out my Nutrition Disclaimer