Air fryer frozen jalapeno poppers are one of our favorite snacks. When you have a craving but don’t want to go through the process of making it fresh, frozen poppers hit the spot. They are quick, have  great crust from the air fryer and are so creamy and delicious. Hope you enjoy these air fried frozen poppers!

Air Fryer Frozen Jalapeño Poppers in a basket

Air Fryer Frozen Jalapeño Poppers

Air frying frozen jalapeno poppers that come straight from the freezer is delicious and cooks easy in the air fryer. Seriously, we were surprised at how crispy on the outside and perfectly melty on the inside these poppers came out. What a quick and easy way to enjoy these appetizers! One warning: make sure they’re cooled off a bit before eating! They come out super hot and you don’t want to burn your tongue! Also, these might look like air fryer chicken nuggets so if you’re making nuggets, don’t confuse them and bite into the wrong one!

Air Fryer Frozen Jalapeño Poppers on a plate

Video: Air Fried Frozen Jalapeño Poppers 

Tips on Cooking Frozen Jalapeño Poppers in the Air Fryer

  • Don’t Cook too Long. Make sure to not cook them too long or else the cheese will ooze out too quick.
  • Test a Few First before Cooking a Whole Batch. All air fryers cook a little differently and all brands of poppers are different sizes. So once you make your first successful batch, you’ll know the exact timing you want for your preferred texture.
  • Spread out in a Single Layer. Don’t stack the poppers on top of each others.
  • You don’t need to use any oil. There is already enough residual oil in the crust from the when they make the poppers.
  • Make sure to Let them Cool a Little First before Eating. The jalapeno popper centers can be super hot when they first come out of the air fryer.
  • See the recipe box below for the details. Enjoy!
  • After you’ve tried the frozen version, here’s our fresh version of air fryer jalapeño poppers
  • Pro-Tip: here’s our favorite tools to help make air frying easier:
Evo Oil Sprayer
Evo Oil Sprayer

We LOVE Evo Oil Sprayers. Not the prettiest, but they’re functional and spritz oil great! They don’t clog up like many others we’ve bought. There’s different styles, but all seem to have the same great spray head. Works great for grilling!

8.5" Square Blue Silicone Mat
Perforated Silicone Mat

There are Square Mats & Round Mats. These perforated non-stick silicone mats are used to cook food in your air fryer or steamer to minimize sticking. Holes allow hot circulating air to cook the food & keeps the food from sticking.

Perforated Parchment Paper
Perforated Parchment Paper

Parchment sheets are great for your air fryer or bamboo steamer (food tends to stick most on wire basket or tray). Choose from different sizes, shapes, white and brown (unbleached). Holes allow air to cook food evenly.

Air Fryer Frozen Jalapeño Poppers step by step photos

Why are jalapeno poppers still cold in the middle?

It’s probably because you just need a little more time. Add about another minute or two of air frying to get the cheese melty and perfect. Some air fryers, particularly larger toaster oven style air fryers, take a little more time to heat up. These larger air fryers definitely cook hot, but because they’re larger they might need more time to heat up and cook food all the way through. But once you make your first batch, you’ll know more of what timing is best for your particular model of air fryer.

Air Fryer Frozen Jalapeno Poppers Appetizers Recipe | AirFryerWorld.com

Air Fryer Frozen Jalapeño Poppers

Yield: 2 servings
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
Lots of factors influence outcome of how the jalapeño poppers cook. They all vary in size and sometimes the coating, how much they are filled, etc. so you’ll have to adjust timing as needed.
Cook in just a single layer. If needed cook in multiple batches.
All air fryers are different and some cook much hotter than others. Once you cook your first batch, you’ll know more of what works for your model of air fryer and size of food. These were tested on basket style air fryers. Read more recipe notes below the recipe.
5 from 11 votes

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Ingredients

  • 6 Frozen Jalapeño Poppers

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Place the frozen jalapeño poppers in the air fryer basket and spread out evenly in a single layer. No oil spray is needed.
  • Air Fry at 380°F/193°C for 5 minutes. Gently shake or turn. Continue to Air Fry at 380°F/193°C for another 2-4 minutes or until the cheese just starts to ooze out.
  • Make sure to let them cool a little before eating. The filling can be super hot.

Notes

Nutrition based on using Frozen Cauliflower Veggie Tots.
Air Frying Tips and Notes:
  1. No Oil Necessary. Cook Frozen – Do not thaw first.
  2. Shake or turn if needed. Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket.
  3. Recipe timing is based on a non-preheated air fryer. If cooking in multiple batches back to back, the following batches may cook a little quicker. 
  4. Recipes were tested in 3.7 to 6 qt. air fryers. If using a larger air fryer, they might cook quicker so adjust cooking time.
  5. Remember to set a timer to shake/flip/toss as directed in recipe.

If your air fryer is preheated or if you are cooking multiple batches, you may need to reduce timing by a few minutes (unless preheating is called for in the recipe).

Video

YouTube video

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 220kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 600mg, Potassium: 70mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American, Frozen Foods
Calories: 220

Ideas for serving Air Fried Jalapeno Poppers

The most popular way to serve these is as an appetizer. But have you tried adding them to a platter? These poppers are great to serve alongside some other snacks like chopped veggies or alongside a cheese and charcuterie board. These little cheesy and spicy nuggets are perfect on a cheese board. These poppers add a different touch to the traditional cheese and salami.

  • Add them to a salad! It’s delicious to balance out the rich and spice with some fresh greens.
  • Make little jalapeno popper sliders! Add about 2 of these poppers to little slider rolls. Add some slaw or lettuce or pickles and you have an awesome veggie popper slider.

Dips to Serve with these poppers:

If you want a dip to serve, here’s lots of different options to make each batch unique and delicious. Mix up your routine and try something different! 

  • Tarter Sauce or Ranch Dressing or Dip 
  • Honey mustard dip is a nice tangy balance to the rich poppers
  • Sriracha Mayo or hot sauce is awesome for an extra kick of spice.
  • bbq sauce 
  • marinara 
  • cheese dip
  • Try serving them with a homemade air fryer spinach dip

You Might also Love these Easy Frozen Food Recipes

Here’s some great recipe ideas to cook with jalapeno poppers. Hope you enjoy these air fryer frozen jalapeno poppers and all our recipes and if you make them, please share with us on our social media channels! We love seeing your creations!