Cream Cheese Pepper Poppers

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At theblogmom.com, you get your Cream Cheese Pepper Poppers first, because no one likes wasting each other’s time.

See the notes at the end for tips, tricks, and adaptations for Cream Cheese Pepper Poppers.

This recipe was originally found on ifoodreal written by Olena Osipov.

Yields: a gazillion sweet peppers / Prep Time: 15 minutes / Cook Time: 10 Min Total Time: 25 minutes

What You Need To Know

These Cream Cheese Pepper Poppers are my new favorite side dish to make. They are perfect for a summer or fall get together. I also love to include them on my charcuterie boards. They bring some great color to the board and provide a veggie that people actually want to eat. I’m already planning on having them at my Thanksgiving spread.

Right now I’m on a veggie kick, so I love that these offer some (albeit very small) health benefits. My favorite thing about making this recipe is how fast it takes. The most tedious part is slicing the peppers and spreading the filling into the peppers. You can avoid this by purchasing peppers that are longer in size; if there are more small ones, it’s going to take you longer to stuff them.

Tips and Tricks

Anytime you bake peppers, there becomes a texture preference that gets involved quickly. When I cook my vegetables, I like them to have a bit of crunch and still hold their shape. The same goes for peppers. If you prefer to have peppers that are slightly browned on the bottoms, softened and smoother, for sure cook them longer or at a slightly higher temperature.

The Best Ingredients To Make Cream Cheese Pepper Poppers

When I’m making these, I really become picky about the ingredients. Kroger sells the best produce, and they also have a private selection brand of seedless peppers. Those are a win because it saves you time when slicing the peppers.

I like to buy fresh chives in the produce section as opposed to the dried spice you can get. The flavor and color detail make a difference.

Obviously, I’m going to tell you to grate your own cheese. You’re going to get less preservatives and a richer flavor. And honestly, it really isn’t that much longer to grate cheese on your own.

Yes, You Can Reheat Cream Cheese Pepper Poppers

Every time I make these, Bert demands I make him extras. Typically I have a dozen or so hanging out in a covered dish in the fridge to enjoy for a few days afterwards. Although, rarely will they actually last that long. I don’t recommend reheating them in the microwave, because they just do not taste the same.

Instead, invest in a toaster/convection oven. You won’t be sorry! I put a little bit of water in the bottom tray, add four or five peppers to the grate and I promise you they taste just as good as they did the first time you baked them.

If You’re Baking For a Crowd

Lukewarm or cold peppers is not the way to go for these, IMO. This becomes a bit tricky when it comes to making them for a crowd or baking and then delivering to a party somewhere other than your home.

The nice thing is you can make these ahead of time to where the only step left is just to bake them. I’ve prepped them early in the day and placed them on a baking sheet. Then I covered them and kept them in the fridge until I was ready to bake them.

I’ve literally pulled them out of the oven and walked out the door with them immediately to go to wherever the meal is being held. Another option is showing up at the dinner party/event early (if there’s a kitchen with an accessible stove and a friend willing to let you do that) and baked them at the place.

Adaptations

Of course, I’m going to substitute salt and pepper for Slap Ya Mama seasoning anytime I can. If you like your food to have a bit of Cajun spice to it, for sure that’s the way to go. *As an Amazon Affiliate, I can earn a small commission off of products at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclosure here.

The original recipe calls for adding more chives to the tops to garnish. Honestly, the chives and cheddar cheese mixed into the peppers give enough of a color variety to make it pretty without that step.

If you’re anything like me or Bert, the first time you try a recipe your immediate question is always “but what would it taste like if you added bacon to it?” Serious side note, early in our marriage there was a night that we made bacon brownies. They were honestly pretty good.

Naturally after my first time making them, we asked that question again. Now I add cooked crushed bacon if I have some on hand. Do yourself a favor and don’t just go for store bought bacon bits; the preservatives in them are so fake!

Before You Go,

Be sure to share your own experiences in the comments!