Keto Jalapeno Poppers
Published July 20, 2019 • Updated March 6, 2026
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These keto jalapeno poppers are bacon-wrapped, stuffed with cream cheese and Lit'l Smokies, and always the first to disappear at every gathering I bring them to.
I’ve been making these for every party, game day, and random Friday night since 2018. Four ingredients: jalapenos, cream cheese, Lit’l Smokies, and bacon. The assembly is straightforward, but what sets these apart is the cook. Most recipes tell you to crank the oven to 400 degrees for 20 minutes. I go the opposite direction: 250-300 degrees for 2-3 hours. That low-and-slow approach renders the bacon until it shatters when you bite through it and breaks down the capsaicin in the peppers so people who normally avoid spice eat three or four without flinching.
The filling is cream cheese and a cocktail sausage inside each pepper half. I use cold block cream cheese, never whipped. Whipped melts out everywhere (I learned the hard way, and a reader named Kim reported the exact same problem). Cold cream cheese holds its shape at low temps and stays tucked inside so the bacon isn’t sitting against liquid. If you like that smoky cream cheese flavor, try my smoked cream cheese recipe on its own.
The bacon wrapping takes the most hands-on time. I get an assembly line going for a full batch: cut all the peppers, scrape out every seed and rib, fill each half with cream cheese and a sausage, then wrap and toothpick. With two people, 24 poppers takes about 15 minutes. Solo, budget 25-30. Once they hit the oven, there’s no flipping, no basting, no babysitting.
These work as a keto appetizer next to a jalapeno popper dip for a full spread, or pair them with buffalo chicken dip to cover all the bases. 27 grams of fat per three poppers makes them one of the most filling low carb snacks I know. Whenever my family falls off track, a tray of these gets us back on.
One brand detail I’ve picked up: Hillshire Farms Lit’l Smokies run 2 grams of carbs per 5 links. Eckrich is 1 gram per single link, which adds up fast. I’ve been buying Hillshire exclusively since I checked the labels side by side. For a cleaner option, check the organic section for sausages without corn syrup.
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Ingredients
12 jalapenos -
8 ounces of cream cheese
-
24 Lit’l Smokies beef sausages
-
24 strips of bacon
-
toothpicks
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat
Preheat oven or grill to 300 degrees.
Cut the jalapenos
Cut the top off of all the jalapenos. Slice each jalapeno lengthwise.
Remove the jalapeno internals
Using a spoon or jalapeno corer, remove all the ribs and seeds from the inside of each jalapeno. Rinse the jalapenos under cold water to make sure all the ribs and seeds are removed.
Add the cream cheese
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese into each jalapeno half.
Now the smokies
Place a Lit’l Smokie sausage on the cream cheese of the jalapeno.
Wrap it
Tightly wrap each jalapeno with bacon.
Toothpick it
Secure the bacon wrapped jalapeno with a toothpick.
Add poppers to baking sheet
Place the poppers in a rimmed baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven or grill for at least an hour, but ideally 2.5 to 3 hours. The longer jalapeno poppers cook, the less spicy they will be.
Let them cool
Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these in an air fryer?
I've tested them at 370 degrees for 10-12 minutes and they come out great. The bacon crisps up faster than the oven method and the peppers hold more crunch. My only issue is capacity: I can fit about 6-8 at a time, so for a party batch I still use the oven. For a quick weeknight portion, the air fryer is faster and just as good.
How do I keep the cream cheese from melting out?
I use cold block cream cheese straight from the fridge, not whipped. Whipped is softer and melts out during the cook. I also stuff each half firmly and wrap the bacon tight so it holds everything in place. The toothpick helps too. After switching to cold block, I haven't had the melting problem since.
Can I freeze these before baking?
I do this for holiday prep all the time. Assemble everything unbaked, lay them on a parchment-lined sheet pan, and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and they keep for up to 3 months. When I'm ready to cook, they go straight from the freezer to the oven at 300 degrees with about 15-20 extra minutes on the cook time. No thawing needed.
Can I use a different cheese instead of cream cheese?
I've tried goat cheese and it works well (a little tangier, which I actually prefer sometimes). Shredded cheddar or pepper jack mixed into a softened cream cheese base gives you more flavor layers without losing structure. For dairy-free, I've used Kite Hill almond cream cheese and it held up fine at low temps. Whatever you pick, make sure it's cold and firm when you stuff the peppers.
What can I use instead of Lit'l Smokies?
Any small fully-cooked sausage works. I've used andouille cut into small pieces and it adds a nice smoky heat. Diced cooked chicken is another option if you want leaner protein. Just make sure whatever you use is already cooked before it goes in the pepper, since the sausage is only warming through during the bake.
How should I store leftover poppers?
I keep mine in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, I spread them on a sheet pan and put them in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes. The oven is better than the microwave because it re-crisps the bacon. I've also reheated them in the air fryer at 350 for 5 minutes, which is even faster and gets the bacon crunchier.
Can I make these without the sausage?
I've made batches with just cream cheese and they're still solid. The sausage adds protein and a smoky layer, but the cream cheese and bacon combo holds its own. My family splits on this: I prefer them with the Lit'l Smokie inside, but my husband likes the cream-cheese-only version because you get more cheese per bite.
Tried maybe three or four jalapeno popper recipes before this one. The Lit'l Smokie tucked inside is what none of the others do (just cream cheese gets old fast), and these are the ones I keep coming back to now.
The sausage is what makes it. Plain cream cheese versions taste fine once, but there's nothing to come back for.
My son kept stealing these off the tray before they made it to the table, and he doesn't even like jalapenos. Something about the cream cheese and Lit'l Smokies together must dial the heat way back (or he was just determined). Made a second batch last week and let the bacon go a little longer at 300. Got that full crisp. Should've done it that way the first time.
Ha, the non-jalapeno fans always end up eating the most. And yes to the longer time at 300 - that's how the fat fully renders instead of just the outside crisping fast while the rest stays chewy.
Tried probably six or seven versions of bacon-wrapped poppers before landing on this one. The Lit'l Smokies are what seal it - every other recipe I've made has cream cheese sliding out by the time you bite in, but the sausage holds everything together. I pull mine at 25 minutes instead of 30; the bacon gets too crisp otherwise.
25 is right. Thin strips burn fast. The Smokies are why the cream cheese stays put, every other version I tested had it sliding out by the first bite.
Batch six and I still can't get the cream cheese stuffed far enough back before the Lit'l Smokies go in, but they vanish so fast nobody notices.
Butter knife against the cut edge moves it back way faster than a spoon. Six batches gone that quick, I'd call it a success.
Made a double batch Sunday to have snacks for the week, ate three in the car before they made it inside. Wasn't sure the cream cheese would stay set after reheating. It does. Four stars because coring takes actual time, but already planning another batch.
Three in the car is a solid start. Coring is the one part I don't have a great shortcut for, but a melon baller gets it clean faster than a knife if you have one.
First time making these and I was not prepared for how well the bacon seals everything together at 300. Can you make a batch the day before and reheat, or does it get rubbery?
Totally doable the day before. Reheat on a sheet pan at 350 for about 10 minutes and they come back fine. Microwave is where rubbery happens.
Mixed a little shredded cheddar into the cream cheese before stuffing and the filling gets this gooey pull that the plain cream cheese version never had.
The stretch is the whole point. Cream cheese sets up too firm on its own, cheddar stays loose.
So I mixed about two tablespoons of shredded cheddar right into the cream cheese before stuffing and I genuinely cannot go back to plain. The filling gets this pull that's almost gooey, and the cheddar fills in around the smokie so nothing slides around when you bite in. I also accidentally had the oven at 325 instead of 300 and thought I wrecked them but the bacon crisped up in like 20 minutes and the edges where it overlaps got this lacquered, almost crackly texture that I keep thinking about. I was fully prepared to serve sad poppers and instead this happened. Making another batch on Sunday with pepper jack in the mix just to see what changes.
Two tablespoons is where I land. 325 explains those lacquered edges, the extra heat gets to the overlap first. Pepper jack Sunday, yes.
First time making these and I removed all the ribs, not just the seeds, which kept the heat level manageable. The cream cheese holds the Lit'l Smokie in place better than I expected at 300 degrees, and the bacon wrapped tight with a toothpick. Have you tested these on a grill? Curious whether the bacon crisps up differently than in the oven.
Yeah, tried it once. Bacon crisps fast on the grill but the fat drips and causes flare-ups. Indirect heat works better, or a cast iron pan over the flame. Oven's more predictable.
Got a watch party Saturday and I'm already planning ahead so I'm not scrambling the day of. Was going to stuff and wrap everything Friday night, refrigerate overnight, then bake them off before people show up. Does the bacon go weird sitting against the cream cheese that long? I've had uncured bacon turn kind of mushy doing similar prep-ahead stuff before. Also wondering if baking from cold affects oven time at all.
The cream cheese stays tucked inside the pepper so the bacon doesn't really sit against it - not the same moisture contact you're probably thinking of. Cold from the fridge, add 3-5 minutes and start checking at 25.
First time making these and I'm worried about the heat. If I scrape out the seeds and ribs, will they actually be mild enough for people who can't handle spice? Bringing them to a game day thing and don't want to set anyone's mouth on fire.
Removing the seeds and ribs cuts the heat way down. Most people who say they can't handle spice are totally fine with them after that. The jalapeno itself is still there for flavor, just not the burn.
Brought these to a Super Bowl party last weekend and they were gone in about 15 minutes. Three people asked for the recipe and one guy who doesn't even do keto kept coming back for more. The bacon gets crispy enough that you can pick them up without a plate.
The non-keto guy coming back multiple times is the real test. I let mine go a few extra minutes sometimes to get that bacon really crispy
Can I make these in my air fryer?
You can, but they are very spicy. Cooking them longer and at a lower temperature helps to lessen the heat from the jalapenos.
Thanks so much for this recipe - these were delicious and so easy to make! I only left them in for an hour, but that was just right for me.
An hour is right. Once the bacon crisps up, they're done. Push past that and it gets chewy.
I made these last night. DELICIOUS!
The all-caps is warranted. I always make two trays because one never makes it through the night.