Jalapeño Popper Tater Tot Cups Recipe
Jalapeño Popper Tater Tot Cups are a delicious and easy-to-make appetizer featuring crispy baked tater tots formed into mini cups and filled with a creamy, spicy blend of cream cheese, sharp cheddar, diced jalapeños, and smoky bacon bits. Garnished with green onions and seasoned with garlic powder, these bite-sized treats combine textures and flavors perfectly for game days, parties, or casual snacking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 24 mini cups 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Salt
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 1 (32-ounce) bag frozen tater tots
Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2–3 tablespoons diced jalapeños (fresh or canned)
- 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 425°F (220°C) to ensure it reaches the perfect baking temperature while you prepare the other steps.
- Prepare Muffin Pan: Lightly grease a mini muffin pan to prevent the tater tot cups from sticking and to help them crisp evenly.
- Initial Bake Tater Tots: Place three frozen tater tots into each mini muffin cup and bake for 10 minutes. This softens the tots and starts the cooking process.
- Form Wells in Tots: Remove pan from the oven and gently press the partially baked tots down in each cup with a spoon to create a small well for the filling. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10–12 minutes until the edges turn golden and crispy.
- Mix Filling: In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, diced jalapeños, crumbled bacon, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until the mixture is uniform and creamy.
- Fill Tater Tot Cups: Spoon the cream cheese mixture into each crispy tater tot cup, filling them generously but evenly. Then, top each cup with a little extra shredded cheddar cheese for a bubbly, melty finish.
- Final Bake: Bake the filled cups for 8–10 minutes more until the cheese topping is melted and bubbling, signifying the filling is hot and ready.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cups cool for about 5 minutes to firm up slightly before serving. Garnish with sliced green onions for a fresh touch.
Notes
- Store leftover jalapeño popper tater tot cups in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- For longer storage, freeze the baked cups for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven at 400°F to maintain crispiness.
- Avoid microwaving reheated cups as it tends to make them soggy and less crispy.
- Adjust the heat level by choosing fresh jalapeños with seeds for more spice or removing seeds for milder flavor.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon without compromising much on flavor.
Keywords: jalapeño popper, tater tot cups, appetizer, cheesy, spicy appetizer, party snacks, bacon, cream cheese, baked tots
Find it online: https://cheframi.com/jalapeno-popper-tater-tot-cups-recipe/
