
Smoked stuffed jalapeno peppers are the ultimate taigate appetizer for your next gameday. Cheesy spicy bacony goodness!!
These Stuffed jalapeños are perfect for making ahead of time so all you need to do is smoke then for about 90 minutes and you have one of the greatest bites of food on this earth.
Sometimes playfully referred to as Atomic Buffalo Turds or ABT’s you won’t find a better appetizer for gamely or your next backyard bbq


How to Make Smoked Stuffed Jalapeño Peppers
- Put on latex gloves and cut the top half off the pepper leaving the stem on peppers in half. Dice up the top halves of the jalapenos and set aside to mix in with the cheese mixture. Next use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds and the inner white membrane of the jalapenos.
- Mix the cream cheese, shredded cheddar, Cotija, bbq sauce, dry rub and chives along with the diced jalapeno tops leftover until fully combined.
- Stuff the peppers with the cheese mix and wrap with a full slice of bacon. Secure with a toothpick. Refridgerate for 30 minutes
- Preheat Smoker to 250 Degrees F.
- Place the stuffed jalapeno peppers on the smoker and dust with dry rub. Cook for about 90 minutes until bacon is fully cooked.



Ingredient List:
For exact amounts see printable recipe card below
- Jalapeño Peppers, fresh large
- Bacon, Thin Cut
- Cream Cheese, Softened
- Shredded Cheddar
- Cotija Cheese
- BBQ Sauce
- BBQ Dry Rub
- Chives, Diced Fresh

Tips and Variations:
Cheese: I like to use a melty cheese like cheddar and a dry cheese like Cotija to add texture and a nutty flavor. If yo can’t find Cotija you can substitute parmesan or even queso fresco. You can also use a cheddar jack blend if you prefer.
Pro Tips: Dont over stuff the jalapeños with the cream cheese filling. Make a few extra if you have leftover filling. Also don’t wrap the bacon too tight around the jalapeño as it will shrink during cooking.
Feeding a Crowd: If you have a lot of people coming over you can cut the jalapeños in half and remove the stem and double the amount of stuffed peppers. Use less filling and only a ½ slice of bacon. Cooking time will be closer to 75 minutes.
Cant Take the Heat: If you don’t like spicy foods or you have kids coming over you can make this same recipe with mini bell peppers and then everyone can enjoy them.
Healthier Version: If you want to cut the calories down on this recipe you can use fat free cream cheese and fat free cheddar along with a sugar free bbq sauce. The calories and fat will be cit by over 50% and I actually was blown away how good this version was.
Oven/ Air fryer Version: Preheat the oven or air fryer to 300 degrees F and cook for about 20-25 minutes until the bacon is golden. The higher heat may cause them to blow out a little so they may not be as pretty but they’ll still be delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions
Similar but the main difference is that jalapeño poppers are breaded and deep fried for a crispy exterior whereas stuffed jalapeños are grilled or smoked and wrapped with bacon.
Since there is no raw meat inside the stuffed jalapeño you only need to cook them until the bacon is done. This takes about 90 minutes at 250 degrees F.
Make sure to remove not only the seeds but any of the white ribs inside the jalapeño as well. You can also rinse them in water.

More Spicy Recipes!!
- Habanero, Onion, and Green Pepper Stuffed Flank Steak
- Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joe’s on Martin’s Potato Rolls
- Buffalo Chicken Fatty
- Pulled Pork Soft Tacos With Sriracha Coleslaw
- Bang Bang Shrimp Dip

Smoked Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers
Equipment
- Toothpicks (optional)
Ingredients
- 12 Jalapeno Peppers
- 12 Slices Bacon Thin Cut
- 8 oz Cream Cheese Softened
- ½ cup Shredded Cheddar
- ¼ cup Cotija Cheese
- ¼ Cup BBQ Sauce
- 1 tsp BBQ Dry Rub
- ¼ cup Chives, Diced Fresh
Instructions
- Put on latex gloves and cut the top half off the pepper leaving the stem on peppers in half. Dice up the top halves of the jalapenos and set aside to mix in with the cheese mixture. Next use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds and the inner white membrane of the jalapenos.
- Mix the cream cheese, shredded cheddar, Cotija, bbq sauce, dry rub and chives along with the diced jalapeno tops leftover until fully combined.
- Stuff the peppers with the cheese mix and wrap with a full slice of bacon. Secure with a toothpick. Refridgerate for 30 minutes
- Preheat Smoker to 250 Degrees F.
- Place the stuffed jalapeno peppers on the smoker and dust with dry rub. Cook for about 90 minutes until bacon is fully cooked.
Lisa Cowan
Hubby said “Best jalapeno popper I’ve ever eaten”! They’re GREAT!
TJ Rae
Looks great! Im Excited to start using my smoker. Have you ever tried strawberry cream cheese?!? I know it sounds weird, but if you leave a few seeds in for some heat. It’s a wonderful flavor combo!
Culinary Lion
I love the combination of spicy and sweet. Strawberry and jalapeño sounds awesome