Jalapeño Popper Dip (with Puff Pastry Jalapeño Popper ‘Bites’)
This is Wine & Dip, Super Bowl edition. I have yet to successfully watch 5 minutes straight of football, but I love snacks. So that means I love the Super Bowl. This cheesy heat packed jalapeño popper dip platter is exactly what you should be munching on when you watch those guys throw that ball (or let’s be real, when you watch Usher do his thing at the halftime show).
Pair this spicy dip-filled appy with an off-dry (or semi-sweet) white wine. Common whites that come in off-dry styles are Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, or Chenin Blanc. I paired this with the Moraine Estate Winery Cliffhanger White - a delicious Alsace-style blend of Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer from beautiful Bristish Columbia. It is full of acidity to cut through the creamy mouthcoating dip and the sweetness helps to temper some of that spice to keep you coming back for more. If you’d rather just have the dip and poppers on their own, that’s totally fine! As Usher would say, “let it burn”.
Alternate Wine Recommendation: Loosen Bros Dr. L Riesling
Jalapeno Popper Dip (and Puff Pastry Jalapeno Popper 'Bites')
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 large jalapeno, finely chopped (remove half the seeds)
- 1 cup (8oz block) cream cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 cup chopped bacon
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Optional toppings: 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, thinly sliced blanched jalapeno peppers, 1/4 cup chopped bacon.
- 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed but cold)
- Jalapeno popper dip
- 1/2-1 cup bacon, chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 16 1-2 inch cubes of mozzarella
- 1 large jalapeno, sliced into 16 thin slices
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium heat then add garlic. Stir and cook for about 1 minute, then add jalapenos. Cook for 2-3 minutes to soften.
- Add cream cheese, sour cream, and garlic powder. Mix until melted and well incorporated.
- Add chopped bacon and shredded cheese and stir until ingredients are well incorporated and cheese is melted.
- Optional: Add 1/4 cup mayonnaise for some extra richness.
- Transfer hot dip to your favourite dip baking dish. Top with more shredded cheddar (and/or mozzarella if you have it), bacon crumbles, and very thinly sliced blanced jalapenos (see notes for details).
- Broil for 2-4 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve immediately with a glass of off-dry white wine!
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
- Lay thawed puff pastry dough flat and gently roll out to flatten. Slice into 16 even squares.
- Add a dollop of Jalapeno Popper Dip (see instructions above), followed by approximately 1 tbsp of chopped bacon, 1 tbsp shredded cheese, mozzarella cube, and blanched jalapeno slice (see notes for details).
- Wrap each square up like a little present. Transfer to a greased sheet pan, fold side down, and brush with egg wash (1 egg scrambled with 1 tsp water).
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until top is golden and crispy and dough is cooked through.
- Let cool for at least 5 minutes and enjoy!
Notes
- If you're making both these recipes, I suggest cooking up a whole pack of bacon!
- You can control the spice level! If you leave more seeds in the jalapenos, it will be spicier. If you remove more seeds, it'll be on the milder side.
- You can thin the dip out using milk or cream. Just add 1 tbsp at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Blanch jalapenos by placing them in a microwave safe bowl with a small amount of water. Microwave on high for 1 minute.
- If you're just making the jalapeno poppers, you can substitute the dip for plain cream cheese.
