Creamy-Crunchy Jalapeno Popper Dip
This is not your average jalapeno popper dip recipe, with additional must-have seasonings, loads of creamy cheese and plenty of jalapeno peppers. It’s a tray of jalapeno poppers rolled up into an exciting, crowd-pleasing dip.
I have made a lot of jalapeno popper dips in my life. I mean, a LOT. It’s a simple go-to recipe that you can whip together quick and easy for any type of party.
And it’s popular. How could it not be?
You have cream cheese in there, along with cheddar cheese, and jalapeno peppers, one of the best chili peppers on the face of the planet. I will forever shout out the awesomeness of jalapeno peppers and declare my love for them. I LOVE JALAPENOS!
The thing about jalapeno popper dip, though, is everyone makes them. You can’t really blame them.
Truly, it IS that good, but most people seem to make the same recipe. The key is to vary it up a bit and find that exact recipe that you love and prefer.
This is THAT recipe for me.
I’ve got my own ratios down and also a couple of key tips to help you get your next jalapeno popper dip to that creamy-crunchy level you’re looking for. If you love jalapeno poppers, you’ll love this dip.
Let’s talk about how we make it, shall we?
Jalapeno Popper Dip Ingredients
- FOR THE JALAPENO POPPER DIP BASE
- 1 8- ounce package cream cheese softened
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream or crema
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 4 fresh jalapeno peppers, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- OPTIONAL SEASONINGS (THOUGH HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- FOR THE TOPPING
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 cup panko
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 jalapeno sliced into rings
How to Make Jalapeno Popper Dip – the Recipe Method
Mix the Popper Dip Base. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, Parmesan, chopped jalapenos and garlic.
Optional Ingredients. Add optional seasonings if desired, though highly recommended. Stir it all together to combine.
Into the Dish. Spread the seasoned cream cheese mixture into a large baking dish.
The Topping. For the topping, combine melted butter with panko, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Stir it up and spread over the popper dip mixture. Top with jalapeno slices.
Bake the Popper Dip. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees, until the panko topping is golden brown.
Serve. Remove and serve with tortilla chips. If you’d like, top it off with extra spicy red pepper flakes, fresh green herbs, chopped green onions or more.
Boom! Done! Jalapeno popper dip is ready to serve, my friends! I know you’ll love this stuff. So tasty, extra creamy, with that wonderful crunchy topping with the crispy panko. And a nice level of spiciness. Such a great recipe. Perfect for any party, super bowl gathering, you name it.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Mayo + Sour Cream for Extra Creaminess. One key item – use both mayonnaise and crema our sour cream. I prefer crema, as it has less of that tang, but they are both very good options. But! Don’t forget the mayo as well. I’ve made this with ONLY mayo and ONLY sour cream/crema, and it is still good, but the combination of both mayo and sour cream/crema is the best.
- Crumbly Topping. The top crumbly layer is very important. Do not overdo the butter. You want just enough to moisten the panko bread crumbs so they will maintain that outstanding CRUNCH factor. Sure, you can use regular bread crumbs and it will still be quite YUM, but the extra crunch introduced by the buttery, garlicky panko-Parmesan topping is SO MUCH better. Oh yeah!
- Use a Shallow Dish. Bake the dip in a shallow baking dish. You can of course use a larger, deeper dish and use all of the ingredients for a single dip, but I prefer to use a couple of shallow dishes and keep the popper dip layer thinner, to less than an inch. This way, every bite you take will have that much more of that crunch you are looking for. Gotta have that top level of crunch with every creamy bite!
- Seasonings and Spice Factor. And, lastly, you need extra seasonings., my spicy food loving friends. I use a zesty blend of cumin, paprika, cayenne powder, onion powder and Mexican oregano. It will seriously put your dip over the top. You’ll have just the right amount of heat but with a huge blast of flavor. And, of course, as the name indicates, we’re using jalapeno peppers for this recipe. You can absolutely include other peppers if you’d like, so if you want some extra heat, toss in a habanero pepper or even a ghost pepper.
Go popper dip!
Patty’s Perspective
I was super excited when I saw this come out of the oven. It looked so different from other jalapeno popper dips I’ve seen online or at parties. Mike really elevated this one. It isn’t just mayo and a few things stirred together. Once I dug in, I realized it not only looked amazing, it tasted amazing. It activated all my senses. The crunch was so awesome. I kept asking what ingredients were in it to give it so much oomph. You’ve got to try this out. A little goes a long way, as it’s quite decadent. It’s definitely going to be a crowd-pleaser at your next party.
Check Out Some of My Other Popular Spicy Dip Recipes
Jalapeno Popper Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 8- ounce package cream cheese softened
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream or crema
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 4 jalapeno peppers chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
OPTIONAL SEASONINGS (THOUGH HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
FOR THE TOPPING
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 cup panko
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 jalapeno sliced into rings
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, Parmesan, chopped jalapenos and garlic.
- Add optional seasonings if desired, though highly recommended.
- Stir it all together to combine.
- Spread it into a large baking dish.
- For the topping, combine melted butter with panko, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Stir it up and spread over the popper dip mixture.
- Top with jalapeno slices.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Remove and serve with chips.
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