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Air fryer pull apart jalapeño popper rolls are a quick and easy jalapeño appetizer with Pillsbury pizza dough or crescent dough. Boasting tasty ingredients like two kinds of cheese, jalapeños and hot sauce, these are perfect for spicy food fans. You are going to love these spicy jalapeño pigs in a blanket and I warn you one is never enough with this easy air fryer appetizer!
Air fryer pull apart jalapeno popper rolls only take half an hour from start to finish and that includes the cooking time too. They’re perfect if you’re having a party.
Other snacks you might like to whip up include crispy puff pastry garlic cheese twists, tasty coastal medley trail mix, and yummy antipasto skewers.
Why You’ll Love It
Quick and easy to make: All you need to make these spicy bites are a spare half an hour and a few simple ingredients.
Such tasty flavors: Spicy chilies, rich cream cheese and cheddar, crisp pizza dough, and a spicy, creamy dipping sauce make this such a flavorful recipe.
Easy to tweak: You can adjust how spicy or otherwise this is, use different cheese, enjoy a different dipping sauce or make any other changes you wish.
Jalapeño Popper Roll Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Jalapenos: Take your pick from red or green.
Cheese: Cheddar cheese and cream cheese are perfect in these appetizers.
Spices: I used black pepper and chili powder for extra “bite”!
Pizza dough: A handy shortcut for the pastry wrapper.
Ranch dressing: The basis of the dipping sauce.
Sriracha: Hot sauce to spice up the dipping sauce.
How to Make Air Fryer Poppers
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Fill the jalapenos: Slice the jalapeños in half after discarding the stems and seeds. Mix the cream cheese with chili powder and shredded cheddar. Use this mixture to fill the jalapeño halves and then sandwich them back together.
Wrap them in dough: Unroll the dough and make 16 strips with it. Wrap each stuffed pepper with a strip of dough.
Get them ready for air frying: Brush melted pepper over each of the poppers and then arrange them in a Bundt pan and add the rest of the melted butter.
Air fry the poppers: Cook them in the air fryer.
Make the dipping sauce: Combine the ranch, sriracha and hot sauce.
Cool slightly and serve: Let the poppers cool for 15 minutes or so, then serve with the dipping sauce.
Substitutions and Variations
Make them milder: For a milder flavor, you could omit the chili powder, sriracha and/or hot sauce. Although jalapeños are nowhere near as hot as some peppers I’ve tried, some can be a little spicy, so this isn’t really a recipe for those who can’t tolerate any spice at all.
Different seasonings: I find a pinch of garlic powder is really tasty when combined with the cream cheese and cheddar in the filling, or maybe some onion powder. Or why not some of each?
Low carb/keto version: Swap the pizza dough or pastry for bacon!
Serving Suggestions
With other appetizers: Serve other tasty appetizers, perhaps million dollar deviled eggs, bacon wrapped tater tots or some of these chilled appetizers.
On a charcuterie board: Add some of these to your next charcuterie board or antipasto board.
How to Store Jalapeno Poppers
Store: Keep these refrigerated in a sealed container or Ziploc bag and use them within 3 days.
Freeze: The best way to freeze them is on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Once the air fryer pull apart jalapeño popper rolls are frozen, you can transfer them into a Ziploc freezer bag without worrying they will stick together.
Thaw: Defrost them overnight, then warm them back up when ready to serve.
Reheat: Wrap them in foil and then give them 10 minutes or so in the air fryer to warm them back up. If you don’t use foil they might burn a bit, so it’s best to wrap them first.
Top Tips
Be careful handing chilies: I will warn you first of all to either wear gloves when prepping this air fryer appetizer recipe or to remember not to touch your face at all. You will have chili on your fingers!
Room temperature dairy: Using softened cream cheese is preferable, as it mixes more easily.
Cool slightly before serving: These will be piping hot from the air fryer and you don’t want anyone to burn their mouth, so let them sit for about 15 minutes before serving.
Jalapeño Pigs in a Blanket FAQs
Not keen on spicy peppers? Well, although jalapeños are one of the mildest options, they can still be too spicy for anyone who can’t tolerate spicy dishes. You could use mini peppers in these jalapeno popper rolls instead, and those come in long or round shapes. Bell peppers are too large for an air fryer appetizer recipe, so consider mini peppers which are completely mild (like bell peppers).
Just because you’re cutting the carbs doesn’t mean jalapeño pigs in a blanket is something you have to turn down. In fact, swap the Pillsbury pizza dough or crescent dough for bacon and you’re good to go! If you want to use bacon you will probably need to use toothpicks to hold the bacon in place. Also, the cooking time will be a little more. If I made the keto version I will increase the temperature to 400 degrees F and give them a hot blast at the end. This gets the bacon nice and crispy.
Air Fryer Jalapeño Popper Rolls Recipe
Air Fryer Pull Apart Jalapeño Popper Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 jalapeños
- 16 Ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 Cup cheddar cheese, shredded, at room temperature
- 1 Teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Teaspoon chili powder
- 1 Can pizza dough, or use Pillsbury or crescent roll sheets
- ¼ Cup butter, melted
- nonstick cooking spray, as needed
For the Dipping Sauce:
- 1 Cup ranch dressing
- 1 Tablespoon sriracha
- 1 Teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Poppers:
- Cut the stems off of the jalapeños and slice the chilies in half. Discard the seeds.
- Combine the softened cream cheese shredded cheddar cheese pepper and chili powder in a bowl and mix well.
- Fill both jalapeño halves with the cream cheese mix. Use a spoon to level the cheese and then sandwich the 2 halves back together.
- Unroll the pizza dough sheet on a cutting board and cut into 8 rectangular sections.
- Next, cut in half to make 16 strips, each about 1 x 3 inches.
- Wrap each jalapeño with the dough strips.
- Lightly spray a Bundt cake pan with nonstick spray.
- Brush each jalapeño with melted butter.
- Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F.
Air Fry the Poppers:
- Arrange wrapped jalapeños in the pan. Pour remaining melted butter over the dough.
- Place into the air fryer and cook for 15 minutes.
- Let them cool for 10 to 15 minutes while you whip up the sauce.
Make the Dipping Sauce:
- Whisk the ranch dressing, sriracha and hot sauce together to make a delicious dip.
- Serve the popper rolls hot with the dipping sauce on the side.
Notes
Room temperature dairy: Using softened cream cheese is preferable, as it mixes more easily.
Cool slightly before serving: These will be piping hot from the air fryer and you don’t want anyone to burn their mouth, so let them sit for about 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Air fryer pull apart jalapeño popper rolls make a delicious and easy appetizer. The combination of jalapeños and cream cheese, along with the tasty crust, make these so good that one is never enough!
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
Crafting this dish was a joy, and the taste was divine!
Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends too!
Served this as an appetizer in our recent gathering at home. Everyone is raving about it!!
Oh these came out incredible. I used extra chilies.
I love jalapeno poppers! yum!