Frozen jalapeño poppers in the air fryer are a simple and tasty appetizer that’s perfect for game day or anytime you’re having a casual get-together.
Crispy on the outside and spicy and creamy on the inside, they are great on their own or with a dipping sauce like marinara.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also try making our homemade jalapeño poppers.
Recipe Tips
- There is usually no need to spray the frozen jalapeño poppers with extra oil since the breading typically 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 as the filling. Since the fillings are different, your cooking time may vary.
- Don’t overcrowd your air fryer. There should be some space between the poppers so they can cook and crisp evenly.
- Watch your jalapeño poppers near the end of their cooking time because they have a tendency to burst open.
Get Weekly Air Fryer Inspiration
Join 2000+ air fryer fans getting fresh ideas in their inbox every week!
You can unsubscribe anytime. No spam. For more details, review our Privacy Policy.
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, reheat the air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
When the air fryer is hot, add the frozen jalapeño poppers. Be sure to leave some space between them so they can crisp evenly.
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.
The exact cooking time can vary depending on your air fryer and the brand of jalapeño poppers you’re using.
Once golden brown on the outside and hot inside, remove the jalapeño poppers from the air fryer and let them sit for about 2 minutes (the inside will be very hot).
Then 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 for up to 3 days. 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 Fryer Frozen Garlic Bread
- Air Fryer Frozen Battered Mushrooms
Air Fryer Frozen Jalapeño Poppers
Ingredients
- 8 frozen jalapeño poppers, or however many you can fit
- marinara sauce or similar for dipping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
- When the air fryer is preheated, add the frozen jalapeño poppers. Be sure to leave some space between them.
- Cook the poppers at 360 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) for 8-9 minutes total, flipping them 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 of jalapeno poppers, the exact cook time can vary.
- Once golden brown on the outside and hot inside, remove the jalapeño poppers from the air fryer and let them sit for about 2 minutes, since the filling can be very hot.
- Serve the poppers on their own or with a dipping sauce such as marinara.
Video
Notes
- Most frozen jalapeño poppers contain enough oil in the breading to crisp without additional oil spray.
- 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.
