Cheesy Jalapeño Popper Dip

This Jalapeño Popper Dip recipe is cheesy, easy to make in advance, and a crowd pleaser. The spice level is very customizable to your preference and this recipe is super easy to make. It's the perfect appetizer for any holiday party - prep it the day before then bake it right before. Easy, cheesy, and delicious!

What You'll Need for this Recipe:

• Jalapeños - Fresh jalapeños had spice to the recipe! But you can easily adjust the spice level. Also try this recipe for Cranberry Jalapeño Dip.
• Cream Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• Garlic Salt, Pepper, and Dried Parsley
• Italian Bread Crumbs
• Butter

How to Make the Jalapeño Popper Dip:

1. Broil the Jalapeños. Preheat the broiler. Cut the jalapeños in half and remove the whites and seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Broil them for 1-2 minutes, until the skins blacken and bubble. Remove from the broiler. When cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the outer skin, then dice the peppers. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
3. Mix the Dip. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese and sour cream (by hand or using an electric hand mixer). Add the cheddar cheese, ¾ of the Parmesan, the diced jalapeños, garlic salt and pepper. Mix well.
4. Mix the Topping. In a separate medium bowl, mix the bread crumbs, melted butter, the remaining Parmesan cheese, and the parsley.
5. Prepare Dip for Baking. Spoon the jalapeño dip mixture into an 8x8-inch baking dish or a medium cast iron pan. Spread in an even layer. Sprinkle the bread crumb topping evenly on top.
6. Bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until hot, bubbly around the edges and the bread crumbs are golden brown. If the bread crumbs are getting too brown before the cheese dip is hot and bubbly, loosely cover with foil.
7. Serve and Enjoy! Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with tortilla chips.

Can I control the spice level?

As written, this dip is not super spicy. I would say a mild-medium spice level, because we remove the whites and seeds from the jalapeños. If you like spice, you can leave some of the seeds in!

Can I make this dip in advance?

Yes! The dip can be made ahead the day before, kept in the fridge, and baked right before serving.

Do I have to bake it in a cast iron skillet?

Nope! I love using my cast iron skillet, but you can use a different baking dish or pan. I recommend an 8x8 size to keep the bake time the same. But if you use a different size, just adjust the cook time accordingly! You could even bake it in little ramekins for individual jalapeño popper dips that are single serving - so cute!

My other FAVORITE dip recipes:

• Caramelized Onion Dip
• Roasted Red Pepper Dip
• Smoky Chipotle Salsa
• Pineapple Salsa

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