A baked variation of the traditional cocktail snack, these sweet and spicy jalapeno poppers are sure to please!

Ingredients: Candied Whiskey Bacon

  • 8 pieces bacon (2/3 package)
  • ½ cup whiskey
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, divided
  • ½ – 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)

*I used ¼ tsp in each part of the recipe; so, I used ½ tsp total

Ingredients: Baked Jalapenos

  • 12 jalapenos, halved lengthwise with insides removed
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese (or cheddar)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 Tbsp panko bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • Cilantro (optional to garnish)

Tools & Timing

  • 2 (or 3) cookie sheets
  • 2 Wire racks
  • Parchment or wax paper
  • Aluminum foil
  • Small pot
  • Heat proof whisk
  • 2 Medium prep dishes
  • Tongs
  • Electric beaters
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Small, sharp knife
  • Plastic grocery bags or gloves for your hands (recommended)
  • Timing:  about 50 minutes
  • Yield: 24 jalapeno halves

Background

This candied bacon is a hodgepodge of various recipes I have used over the years to create different types of candied bacon – so fun to add to various savory and sweet dishes!

The jalapenos were inspired by a recipe for “Baked Jalapeno Poppers” in Cooks Illustrated: cheese recipes. I changed the ingredient list to create a sweeter variation.

Step-by-step

Prep your Candied Whiskey Bacon

*Set out your cream cheese and your egg to come to room temperature.

  1. Preheat oven to 350 and line first baking sheet with foil. Cover another cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper and place a cooling rack on top.
  2. Measure ½ cup of your brown sugar, packing it, and ½ of your cayenne pepper into a small bowl. Whisk them together and set aside.
  3. Measure another ½ cup of packed dark brown sugar WITHOUT PACKING and the rest of your cayenne pepper into a small pot. Add your whiskey. Set it on the burner and turn heat to medium high.
  4. Bring your whiskey mixture to a boil, whisking occasionally (this happens in about a minute). Once mixture boils, reduce heat to medium.
  5. Simmer for 3 minutes, whisking occasionally, so the mixture can reduce (concentrating our lovely flavors). After 3 minutes, remove from heat.
  6. Using tongs, dip a piece of bacon into your hot whiskey reduction – use the tongs (and I also use an extra spoon or fork) to swirl the bacon piece in the whiskey reduction. Place onto prepared baking sheet. (Note: I usually end up folding my bacon pieces in half so they fit better.)
  7. Work to coat all pieces of bacon, leaving a bit of space between each piece when you place them on the baking sheet.
  8. Once all pieces of bacon are coated and on the sheet, sprinkle them with 2/3 of your brown sugar mixture (reserve the rest for when you flip your bacon) and place baking sheet into the oven and set your timer for 10 minutes.
  9. Prep your jalapeno halves now: make sure to wear plastic gloves (or plastic bags from the grocery store) on your hands. Using a small, sharp knife, slice the jalapenos lengthwise. Remove the seeds and any inner ridges (leave the stems on) – see notes on prepping jalapenos below!
  10. At 10 minutes, flip and baste your bacon (you can use a pastry brush or turkey baster). Sprinkle with the rest of your sugar and cook for another 5-10 minutes, checking to make sure your bacon doesn’t burn (mine took the entire 20 minutes, but every oven is slightly different).
  11. Once done, transfer to wire rack (on your other prepared cookie sheet). Let cool.

Once bacon is cooling:

  1. Increase oven temperature to 500.
  2. Carefully remove aluminum foil from first baking sheet and place second wire rack onto the sheet (if baking sheet got syrup on it, you can always use a new baking sheet).
  3. Sprinkle your prepared jalapeno halves with a bit of salt and place them, cut side down, onto a clean wire rack on your baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes.
  4. As the jalapenos begin to bake, whisk together cream cheese, maple syrup, panko bread crumbs, egg yolk, and your shredded cheese into a bowl using your electric beaters.
  5. Once your jalapenos have baked for 5 minutes, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 450.
  6. As they are cooling, cut your bacon into small pieces – I find it easiest to do this with kitchens shears, but you could also use a sharp knife. Mix your bacon pieces into your cream cheese mixture, reserving about 1/3 of the  pieces to garnish the top of your jalapenos.
  7. Once the jalapenos are cool, fill them with your cream cheese mixture and garnish with extra bacon pieces.
  8. Place filled jalapenos back onto the baking rack and, once all of your jalapenos are stuffed and garnished, return the baking sheet to the oven.
  9. Bake for 9-11 minutes (the filling should be lightly brown).
  10. Let cool 5 minutes before serving (option to garnish with some fresh chopped cilantro).

Serve and Enjoy

Notes on Jalapeno Prep

  • When I cut jalapenos, I lay down a few paper towels in a clean sink – then, when I am emptying the seeds and center portions, I can easily dump them here and easily clean them all up after I’m done.
  • Touching the juice of the jalapenos can cause irritation for some people; this is why I recommend that you wear plastic bags on your hands. I use the ones in which I purchase produce!
  • I find that starting my cut at the bottom of the jalapeno and then cutting up helps me to start to release the main seed portion – I usually cut around the jalapeno first, then angle my knife to cut under the main seed growth near the stem.
  • If at first you don’t succeed – not to worry! Remember, we are filling these…so if they aren’t perfect, no one will know!
  • Be sure to scrape away all of the seeds – these are supposed to be super hot! Yikes!
  • Make sure to thoroughly clean up and wash your hands afterwards – you don’t want to accidentally rub your eye later and burn yourself with jalapeno juice!