
Jalapeño Popper Cups are very easy, popular appetizers ideal for those holiday get togethers – only a half dozen ingredients!
These Jalapeño Popper Cups are very easy, popular appetizers with a half dozen common ingredients. Just assemble and bake and you have something yummy and convenient.
The phyllo cups come in packages of 15 and are found in the freezer section of most grocery stores. The ones in the photo are Athens Mini Fillo Shells – Spinach; they are actually green. This product was discontinued a few years ago but Athens still makes the regular mini fillo cups. They also used to make tomato fillo shells which were bright red. So if you look at some of my Christmas recipes from years ago, you’ll some red and green phyllo (or fillo) cup appetizers. I guess they didn’t sell well, but they sure were pretty. I still have some in my freezer, so I’m using them this holiday season.
This is brain dead simple to make. One thing that makes a difference in the result is the cheese you use. In the photo, I used Kroger Extra Sharp Cheddar. I like the flavor that sharp or extra sharp gives you, but this this kind of cheese does not melt smoothly. In general, sharper cheeses have less moisture and do not melt as well as mild cheeses; but some brands of sharp cheese do melt very well. I suggest using Cracker Barrel or Sargento Sharp or Extra Sharp Cheddar. But people love this appetizer whether the cheese melts smoothly or not. It affects appearance and texture but not taste.
This is also a recipe that’s easy and fun for kids to make – just assemble, pop in oven, bake and serve. If you’re taking them to a party, you can also pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds so you can serve them hot.
Everybody loves these – hope you try them out this season!
- 15 frozen miniature phyllo tart shells
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded & minced (~ 1 oz each, ¼ cup minced)
- 2 tsp hot pepper sauce
- Bacon bits (~ 2 strips, cooked & chopped)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Stir together cream cheese, shredded cheddar, minced jalapeño, and hot pepper sauce.
- Fill each phyllo cup to heaping, top with bacon bits, and place on cookie sheet (or in mini muffin pans).
- Bake 15-20 minutes or until starting to brown.
- Serve hot. (May be microwaved 30 seconds to reheat.)
- Serve & enjoy!
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