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Jalapeño popper pull-apart bread combines the spicy, cheesy flavors of jalapeño poppers with the delicious, shareable experience of pull-apart bread. It’s a crowd-pleasing appetizer that’s ready in only 35 minutes!
Why I Love This Recipe
- It’s the best of both worlds. It melds the creamy, spicy essence of jalapeño poppers with the comforting texture of soft, freshly baked bread.
- It’s shareable. This pull-apart bread is perfect for sharing and encourages everyone to gather around and chat while enjoying a delicious appetizer.
- Simple, yet flavorful. This recipe is seriously tasty, and the best part is that it doesn’t even require any fancy ingredients. You can easily find everything you need at the grocery store.
Ingredients
- Bread: A large, sturdy loaf (like sourdough or French bread) works best for holding the fillings.
- Cream cheese: Softened cream cheese creates a creamy base for the filling.
- Shredded cheese: I used Mozzarella and a Mexican-blend cheese, but you could also use cheddar or Monterey Jack.
- Jalapeños: Fresh jalapeños diced for that spicy kick. Remove the seeds for a mild spice level or leave them in for some more heat.
- Spices: Garlic and onion powder for more depth of flavor.
- Butter: Melted, to brush over the top for a golden, crispy crust.
- Green onions: For garnish. It also adds loads of freshness and color.
How to Make Jalapeño Popper Pull-Apart Bread
To transform the loaf into this masterpiece, I cut the top of the bread into a grid using a sharp knife and stuffed cream cheese seasoned with garlic and onion powder into the crevices. Then, I stuffed the bread with sliced jalapeños, shredded mozzarella, and a Mexican-blend cheese and baked it in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.
To get the crust super crispy and delicious, I removed the pull-apart bread from the oven, brushed the top with melted butter, and baked it for another 5 minutes. I garnished it with some sliced green onions and dug in!
Bread has never tasted this good!
Tips
- Cutting the bread: When slicing the bread into a grid, be careful not to cut all the way through. This keeps the loaf intact while creating spaces for the cheesy filling.
- Distributing the filling: Use a knife or spoon to generously stuff the cream cheese mixture into the bread cracks, ensuring every bite has a burst of flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Serve it warm, right out of the oven, for the best experience. It’s perfect as an appetizer or as a side dish with soup or salad!
While the recipe makes about 8 servings, a group of 6 hungry people can definitely eat the entire thing in one sitting. Just ask my family.
Recommended Tools
- Bread knife. This one is perfect for precise slicing.
- Baking sheet. These will never rust and are great for everyday use.
- X-large cutting board. The perfect size for slicing bread!
Storing and Reheating Instructions
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, wrap in foil and warm in the oven until heated through and cheese is melty.
More Appetizers
Jalapeño Popper Pull-Apart Bread
Ingredients
- 1 large loaf sourdough or French bread (or two small loaves)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 large jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. With a serrated bread knife, cut a grid into the top of the loaf, being careful not to cut through the bottom of the bread.
- In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese, onion powder, and garlic powder with a handheld mixer or a fork.
- Stuff the cream cheese into the crevices of the bread, followed by the diced jalapeños and the shredded cheese.
- Transfer the bread to a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
- Brush the top of the bread with the melted butter and bake for another 5 minutes. Garnish with green onions, and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was absolutely delicious!! Good thing it’s just enough work that I don’t want to do it all the time. 😅
Haven’t made this yet but just reading about it makes my mouth water! Yesterday, however, I did make your recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup and it was just amazing! And maybe while the game is on and you are entertaining your little one, grab a paper and pencil and work on your genealogy and family history. It will be a gift for her one day!!
Hi Judy! Thank you so much, we’re glad you enjoyed our Chicken tortilla soup. When you try this recipe let us know how it goes!
I made this just as you suggested, except I used minced garlic instead of powdered. It was festive-looking and quite flavorful but so terribly messy to eat! The cream cheese, when warmed inside the bread, squished out onto my fingers, then my hand, then my sticky fingers put it all around my drink glass. I could not enjoy the bread for having to constantly wipe my fingers and hand. It was work instead of enjoyment. If I made this again, I would not stuff cream cheese in, but would put only a very light smear onto the bread.
Hi Ramona! Thank you so much for the feedback. We will take this into account when moving forward.
I made this over the weekend and it was delicious! Planning on making it for the Super Bowl.
I’m so happy you liked it!
I love appetizers, and this one looks incredible! I’m sure it wouldn’t last long in my house!
Thank you so much, Melissa!