Craving some frozen jalapeño poppers made in the air fryer? They are one of the tastiest appetizers out there, so you are definitely not alone!
Crispy on the outside and spicy hot and creamy on the inside, these air fryer frozen jalapeño poppers are so easy to make.
Serve them as an appetizer or as a casual snack with the big game – just don’t forget the marinara dipping sauce!

Recipe Tips
If you’re a bit unsure just how to make frozen jalapeño poppers in the air fryer, read through these recipe tips so that you get it right the first time!
- There is no need to add any extra oil to frozen jalapeño poppers since the breading usually contains enough oil to get crispy!
- There’s a difference between jalapeño poppers with a cream cheese filling and jalapeño bites which may have mozzarella cheese and jalapeño chopped up into it. Since the fillings are different, your cooking may vary.
- Watch your jalapeño poppers near the end of their cooking time because the hot filling has a tendency to burst through the breading when it gets really hot.
We use this air fryer for our recipes and it has been great.

Step by Step Instructions
For step-by-step instructions on how to cook frozen jalapeño poppers in the air fryer, have a look at the few process photos in this section.
Otherwise, skip to the bottom of this post to find the full recipe card and all the necessary information. It’s super easy so don’t worry!

First, reheat the air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
When the air fryer is hot, add the frozen jalapeño poppers. Be sure to leave some space between them so they can get crispy.

Cook the poppers for 8-9 minutes total. Flip them over halfway through.
Watch carefully towards the end of the cooking time since these frozen poppers can pop open and spill their cheese filling quite easily. If it happens anyway, it’s not a big deal – they will still be delicious.
Since every air fryer is slightly different and there are various brands for jalapeno poppers, the total cook time can vary a little bit.

Once golden brown on the outside and hot inside, remove the jalapeño poppers from the air fryer and let them sit for around 2 minutes since the inside can be very hot!
Serve the poppers on their own or with a dipping sauce such as marinara.
Storage Tips
You can store any leftover jalapeño poppers in a sealed container in the fridge. They will lose their outer crispiness but they are still good to eat.
To reheat them, pop the poppers back in the air fryer for a few minutes or microwave them. The microwave version will heat them fast so watch them carefully!
Related Recipes
If you liked these crispy poppers, here are some other great air fryer appetizer recipes!
- Frozen Taquitos in Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Coconut Frozen Shrimp
- Breaded Pickles in the Air Fryer (Frozen)
- Air Fried Frozen Garlic Bread
- Air Fryer Frozen Battered Mushrooms

Air Fryer Frozen Jalapeño Poppers
Ingredients
- 8 frozen jalapeño poppers
- marina sauce or similar for dipping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
- When the air fryer is preheated, add the frozen jalapeño poppers. Be sure to leave some space between them.
- Cook the poppers for 8-9 minutes total. Flip them over halfway through. Watch carefully towards the end of the cooking time since these frozen poppers can pop open and spill their cheese filling quite easily (if it happens anyway, it’s not a big deal – they will still be delicious). Since every air fryer is slightly different and there are various brands for jalapeno poppers, the total cook time can vary a little bit.
- Once golden brown on the outside and hot inside, remove the jalapeño poppers from the air fryer and let them sit for around 2 minutes since the inside can be very hot!
- Serve the poppers on their own or with a dipping sauce such as marinara.
Notes
- Again, the cream cheese filling can split the breading open when it gets really hot so keep an eye out for this.
- You might also find frozen jalapeño bites – these are breaded bites with a mix of mozzarella cheese and Jalapeño pepper inside. Since the filling of these jalapeño bites is different than the cream cheese, the cooking time might vary.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.