If You Don't Make Jalapeño Poppers In Your Air Fryer, You're Missing Out

Spicy, crispy, and tinted with a decadent creaminess, jalapeño poppers are a crowd-pleasing appetizer that you can enjoy on football Sunday or an average Tuesday afternoon. But how you make jalapeño poppers is just as important as when you eat them. While there are a few different ways to prepare them, the ultimate jalapeño popper cooking method is air frying.

Making jalapeño poppers in the air fryer is a time and ingredient-saving alternative to traditional deep-frying or oven-baking methods. For starters, they work twice as fast as conventional ovens, making them ideal for jalapeño poppers on the fly. Unlike deep-fryers — which require substantial amounts of oil — all you need is a little spritz of oil when cooking these spicy hors d'oeuvres in the air fryer, thereby conserving your premium frying oil. Plus, the 360-degree heat circulation facilitates an irresistibly crunchy char on all sides of the poppers, lending to a mouthwatering crunch in every bite.

We know what you're thinking — what if you need to cook a large batch of jalapeño poppers? Although air fryers have less space than ovens, they can finish cooking in as fast as five minutes, ensuring that you can turn over as many poppers as you need in a short period of time.

Air fryers are revered for their easy-to-use functions, making them ideal for foodies new to the kitchen and well-seasoned chefs alike. However, even air fryer recipes come with guidelines, and keeping a few tips in mind while using them to make jalapeño poppers will better your chances of yielding a perfect batch.

Avoid using a wet batter when air-frying jalapeño poppers. Unlike deep frying — in which the high temperature of the oil solidifies to form a crispy outer coating around the food — a wet batter won't effectively cook in the air fryer, so you're more likely to wind up with a mess than some high-quality jalapeño poppers. But don't fret, you can still achieve that deep-fried crunch with the help of a little oil and some panko breadcrumbs.

It's not uncommon for the must-have cream cheese at the center of jalapeño poppers to ooze out during the air-frying process. Luckily, there are some ways to prevent the cream cheese from melting inside the poppers and breaking out like lava. Adding a generous layer of breadcrumbs to the stuffed jalapeño popper acts as a barrier that contains the cream cheese. You can also stuff the peppers with frozen cream cheese, so that the cheese melts more slowly. Finally, avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket to prevent uneven cooking, and cook the jalapeño poppers in batches if necessary.

Jalapeño poppers flaunt a busy flavor profile, but that doesn't mean you can't zhuzh them up. From herbs and seasonings to condiments, there are many ways to add a subtle yet transformative flair to jalapeño poppers.

Incorporate dried herbs and seasonings into your breadcrumbs to give the first bite of crunch a flavor-forward goodness. Garlic and onion powder will give the poppers a satisfyingly savory touch, while smoked paprika provides a layer of smoldering warmth. The zippy tang of dried cilantro is a tried-and-true jalapeño pairing, oregano can give the poppers a bold aroma, and basil brings a kiss of peppery garden freshness to the dish.

Give jalapeño poppers a touch of sophistication by drizzling them with honey. Its delicate, floral sweetness harmonizes seamlessly with the fire of the pepper and the creamy cheese. Prepare an herb-tinted homemade ranch dressing to complement the air-fried crunch of the poppers with its smooth, creamy consistency. If ranch isn't your thing, guacamole, pico de gallo, or queso are also excellent dips that will liven up your dish and soothe the sting of the pepper.

Whether you keep them plain and classic or dress 'em up in flavorful fixings, as long as you're cooking jalapeño poppers in the air fryer, you'll have an efficient, crispy, and easy snack that everyone will love. Bonus points for wrapping them in bacon!