Difficulty: Easy
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 120 minutes
Total: 2 hours 30 minutes
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
24 Ritz crackers (about two-thirds of a sleeve)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 fresh jalapeños, sliced into thin rings (seed for less heat, if desired)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
BBQ rub, to taste
BBQ sauce, for glazing
2 tbsp chopped chives or green onions
INSTRUCTIONS
Spread the cream cheese mixture on a cracker, add a jalapeño ring, add a small amount more cream cheese and top with a second cracker to form a sandwich. Smooth any overflow at the edges.
Place the sandwiches on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up.
Cut each bacon strip in half. Wrap one half around a cracker sandwich, then wrap the second half in the opposite direction to fully enclose it.
Sprinkle the outside of each bundle with a little extra BBQ rub.
Smoke or grill at 250 F to 275 F for 1.5 to 2 hours, until the bacon is crisp and fully rendered with no translucent or rubbery spots. For an oven or air fryer, cook at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes instead.
Brush with BBQ sauce during the last 10 to 15 minutes to let it tack up and caramelize.
Let rest for five minutes before serving.
Description
What Are Jalapeño Cream Cheese Bacon Bombs?
Jalapeño cream cheese bacon bombs take everything people love about a jalapeño popper and wrap it around a buttery Ritz cracker instead of a whole pepper. A cream cheese and cheddar filling sits between two crackers with a ring of fresh jalapeño, then the whole bundle gets wrapped in bacon and cooked low and slow until the bacon crisps up and the filling turns warm and melty. It is a bite-sized appetizer built for tailgates, potlucks and backyard cookouts, and it disappears fast.
Why Kountry Boys Bacon Makes the Difference
A recipe this simple lives or dies on the bacon. Kountry Boys Original bacon is a standard cut, thin enough to wrap tightly around each cracker sandwich and crisp up fully during the smoke without leaving a fatty, chewy edge. A 12-ounce package gives you enough for a full batch of 12 bombs with strips to spare for trimming, so there is no guesswork on how much to buy before you fire up the smoker.
How to Make Jalapeño Cream Cheese Bacon Bombs
Start with the filling: softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, chopped chives and a pinch of BBQ rub, mixed until smooth. Spread it on a Ritz cracker, add a jalapeño ring, cap it with a second cracker and smooth the edges. A short chill in the fridge firms the sandwiches up so they hold their shape once the bacon goes on. Each bacon strip gets cut in half and wrapped around the sandwich in opposite directions, fully enclosing the cracker before it hits the smoker.
For the best results, smoke the bombs low and slow at 250 F to 275 F for 1.5 to 2 hours, or bake them at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes if you would rather use the oven or an air fryer. Either way, cook until the bacon is fully crisp with no soft or translucent spots left, then brush with BBQ sauce in the final 10 to 15 minutes so it has time to caramelize. If you want to build your own blend instead of a store-bought rub, Hey Grill Hey’s sweet heat BBQ rub is a good starting point for the sweet and spicy balance that pairs well with this recipe.
Serving and Pairing Ideas
Jalapeño cream cheese bacon bombs hold their own on a game day spread, but they are even better next to other bite-sized appetizers. Add a batch of sausage shrimp bites to round out the table with a mix of smoky, creamy and savory bites that all cook fast and travel well to a potluck or tailgate.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover bacon bombs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in a 350 F oven or air fryer for five to seven minutes to re-crisp the bacon rather than using a microwave, which leaves the bacon soft.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these ahead of time? Yes. Assemble and wrap the bombs up to a day in advance, then keep them covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook.
Can I bake these instead of smoking them? Yes. Bake at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes as an alternative to the smoker or grill method.
How spicy are jalapeño cream cheese bacon bombs? Mild to medium. Removing the seeds and membrane from the jalapeño rings cuts most of the heat while keeping the flavor.