This jalapeno popper pastry braid is a unique take on jalapeno poppers that combines a rich, zesty, cheesy jalapeno popper filling with golden, flaky puff pastry, creating a savory pastry recipe perfect for any party or just because!
We grew up in California, and now we live in Texas. Both states are absolutely full of delicious Tex-Mex flavor, so it should come as no surprise that we absolutely love jalapeno poppers. We don’t stop at traditional poppers, though. Oh, no. We love to get creative with classics, and over the years, we’ve made all kinds of variations, like our jalapeno popper pigs in a blanket, popper pull apart bread, and even jalapeno popper stuffed manicotti.
We have so much fun creating new, inventive ways to enjoy that classic flavor, and now we’ve made a new one with this pastry braid. It combines that buttery, flaky flavor of pastry dough with a cheesy, spicy filling. It’s actually one of our favorite variations on this party classic, and we think it will be yours, too.
Why You’ll Love This Jalapeno Popper Pastry Braid
- Classic Filling: This savory pastry is stuffed with classic jalapeno popper filling, so it has all that classic flavor we love.
- Basic Ingredients: Every ingredient used in this recipe is basic and can be found in your kitchen or local grocery store.
- Easy: This is an easy recipe that only takes a few minutes of prep and about 30 minutes in the oven.
- Delicious Flavor Combo: The spicy, smoky, cheesy filling works incredibly well with the buttery pastry.
Ingredients
- Puff Pastry: The buttery flavor and golden, flaky texture of puff pastry works so well with the spicy filling.
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese creates the creamy base for the filling.
- Jalapenos: Jalapenos bring the heat!
- Bacon: Bacon gives the filling smoky flavor.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder and Cajun seasoning give the filling another layer of bold flavor.
- Cheddar Cheese: Cheddar cheese is the classic addition that gives the filling its bold cheesiness.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact measurements.
Flavor Variations
- Style: You can make this a braided pastry or cut it into rectangles and make open-faced varieties.
- Extra Spicy: Leave the jalapeno seeds intact for more heat.
- Cheese: Try using other bold cheeses like Mexican, taco blend, or pepper Jack for different flavor varieties.
- Chorizo: Replace the bacon with cooked chorizo for an even twistier take.
How to Make Jalapeno Poppers Puff Pastry
1: Step 1: Cook the bacon until crispy. Then, place it on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess grease.
2: Step 2: Add the jalapenos to the same pan and cook until tender. Set aside to cool.
3: Step 3: Beat the cream cheese until fluffy in a medium mixing bowl. Then, add the seasonings and beat again. Add the onions, crumbled bacon, and cheddar and stir to combine.
4: Step 4: Place the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and roll it a few times to even it out.
5: Step 5: Spoon half the filling down the center of each puff pastry, leaving 1 ½ inches of space at each end.
6: Step 6: Cut two slits at each end to create a 1-inch flap and fold it over to keep the filling from leaking out of the ends.
7: Step 7: Cut off the top and bottom of the sides to make angles, then cut slits down the side to create flaps. Fold the flaps over in a braid pattern.
8: Step 8: Brush the pastry braids with egg wash, transfer them to a prepared baking sheet, and bake at 350 until golden brown. Enjoy!
Storage
Refrigerate this pastry for up to 4 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, wrap whole pastries in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil and freeze for up to a month. You can also wrap individual slices in plastic and freeze them in freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags.
Defrost the pastries overnight in the fridge if frozen. Then, serve at room temperature or warmed.
What to Serve with Jalapeno Popper Braid
Just like traditional poppers, this braided popper puff pastry can be paired with your favorite sauces like ranch or BBQ. You probably already have thought of serving it at parties, but we also love to make it a spicy, butter part of breakfast or brunch with dishes like mini chicken biscuits with honey butter, sausage and egg breakfast casserole, and cranberry cinnamon rolls.
Tips
- Let the bacon cool before crumbling it. It will be at maximum crumbliness at that point.
- Fully soften your cream cheese for easy mixing and the smoothest filling.
- Be sure to remove all the seeds from the jalapenos, as they are the hottest part.
- Leave about ¼-inches of space between the filling and your diagonal cuts to ensure the filling stays inside the pastry.
FAQ
Soggy popper filling is the result of too much moisture in the filling. This usually happens if the jalapeno membrane – which contains excess moisture – hasn’t been completely removed.
Egg wash on any baked good isn’t necessary for the baking process. Rather, it gives the top of the bread or pastry a golden color and a bit more flavor. While you don’t have to use an egg wash, it is recommended.
You can microwave pastries at 30-second intervals until hot or you can bake them at 350 until heated through. Both methods work, but baking will make the pastry crisp again, whereas microwaving won’t.
Try This Jalapeno Popper Pastry Braid Today
This jalapeno popper pastry braid is full of zesty popper flavor, looks beautiful, and is so much easier to make than you might think. It’s perfect for movie nights or parties, and everyone always asks for more. Give this a try, and we guarantee you’ll make it a permanent part of your appetizer rotation.
More Delicious Jalapeno Appetizer Recipes
If you try this recipe and love it, please be sure to leave a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and comment! You can also pin it to save it for later. Also, you can follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Remember to “like” or “follow” us on all social media.
Jalapeno Popper Pastry Braid
Ingredients
Jalapeno Popper Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 jalapeños, seeds and stems removed, diced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ¼ cup green onions, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama seasoning
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 5-6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
- 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Pastry
- 1 box puff pastry sheets, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Jalapeno Popper Filling
- In a frying pan over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and place on a paper plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess grease.
- In the same pan, add jalapeños. Cook until jalapeños are tender. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
- Sprinkle in seasonings and beat until mixed well.
- Add jalapeños, green onions, crumbled bacon, and shredded cheese to the cream cheese mixture. Stir until fully combined.
Pastry
- Gently open up the mostly thawed puff pastry sheet and roll a few times until square on a lightly floured surface.
- Spoon half of the popper filling mixture down the center of each puff pastry, leaving about 1 ½ inch free from filling at each end.
- Cut two slits at each end of the pastry about 1 inch long and fold over the top of the filling and secure to prevent mixture from leaking out while baking.
- Next, cut off the top and bottom side pieces at an angle and continue to make cuts into the pastry along each side making sure not to cut too close to the filling.
- Once the ends have been secured, start folding each piece over each other like a braid and secure.
- In a small bowl, whisk together egg and water.
- Brush egg wash over both pastries, place on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
- Let the bacon cool before crumbling it. It will be at maximum crumbliness at that point.
- Fully soften your cream cheese for easy mixing and the smoothest filling.
- Be sure to remove all the seeds from the jalapenos, as they are the hottest part.
- Leave about ¼-inches of space between the filling and your diagonal cuts to ensure the filling stays inside the pastry.
