Jalapeño Popper Wontons are filled with cream cheese, diced jalapeños and fried until golden. A party perfect appetizer!
It is no doubt that Jalapeño Poppers are a restaurant favorite. You’ll find them on happy hour, tavern and pub menus all throughout the United States. Personally, every time we go to a restaurant and they are on the menu, it is a must order appetizer for us.
There is just something about the crunchy exterior and creamy center that makes them one of my favorite appetizers. This recipe is a slightly Asian twist on this restaurant classic. They are easier to make but no less delicious.
Instead of breading the stuffed jalapeños with a crispy mixture, the jalapeños and cream cheese are mixed together and then sealed inside a wonton wrapper. The result? A crunchy bite that is full of creamy jalapeño goodness.
Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make them.
Jalapeno Popper Wonton Ingredients:
- CREAM CHEESE: It is important that the cream cheese is room temperature. This will ensure that it is easy to whip and mix with the other ingredients.
- JALAPEÑO: I happen to like the added spice in these wontons but if you want to keep the spice level down, remove the seeds from the center of the jalapeños. To learn more about peppers, check out my handy Guide To Chile Peppers.
- GRANULATED GARLIC: You can also substitute garlic powder. If you use garlic salt, omit the additional salt.
- WONTON WRAPPERS: Small square wrappers made with flour, eggs and water. You should be able to find them in the frozen section or produce section of a well-stocked grocery store. I use the Twin Dragon brand a lot. If you have an Asian market near by you can find them there as well.
- SALT AND PEPPER
Step By Step Instructions:
Making jalapeño wontons is a snap. Follow along with these step by step photos and instructions and you’ll have these ready in no time.
Use a hand mixer to whip cream cheese until smooth. 
Mix in jalapeños, granulated garlic, salt and pepper. 
Place 1 tablespoon of filling into the center. Dip finger in water and run along the edges of the wrapper. 
Fold up opposing sides to make a point. Press closed so that the wonton seals. 
Repeat with all ingredients. 
Fry.
- STEP #1: Use a handheld mixer to whip cream cheese until smooth.
- STEP #2: Add diced jalapeños, granulated garlic, salt and pepper. Use a spatula to fold ingredients in. Mix well.
- STEP #3: Place wonton wrapper on a flat surface. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the wonton. Dip your finger in water and run it along the edges of the wonton wrapper.
- STEP #4: Then carefully pull up opposite sides together to make a pointed top. Press together to seal so that you can keep cheese from spilling out during frying.
- STEP #5: Heat oil to 350 degrees F. Carefully add the wontons and fry, in batches if needed, until they are golden brown. This should take 1 – 2 minutes.
- STEP #6: Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel lined plate, sprinkle with salt and serve.
Storage and Leftovers:
While I wouldn’t recommend frying them in advance, you can make these jalapeño wontons to the point of frying and refrigerate until ready to cook. You can also make them to the point of frying and then freeze them. Simply thaw them before frying them.
Jalapeño Popper Wontons Recipe FAQ:
There are many different types of wrappers available in grocery stores. Some will be thinner, some thicker and different shapes. Gyoza wrappers and wonton wrappers are the same except for one thing: gyoza wrappers are round and wonton wrappers are square. You could use either in this recipe. Egg roll wrappers are much larger and cannot be used in this recipe.
Frying food in batches is important because it ensures that the food your frying will be crispy. If you overcrowd the pan the food will steam instead of fry.
If you loved these jalapeño popper wontons check out these other dumpling/wonton recipes:
Shrimp and Pork Wontons in Spicy Sauce are a Din Tai Fung copycat that you’re going to love.
Fried Pork Wontons are bites filled with a savory pork filling wrapped in a crispy wonton shell.
Crab Wontons, or Crab Rangoon are a Chinese Takeout Classic.
Looking for more game day appetizer recipes? I have got you covered!
Beer Cheese Dip is a hot, cheesy dip that is full of flavor and perfect with soft pretzels or tortilla chips.
Baked Buffalo Wings are a must when planning a game day party. This recipe is a restaurant copycat.
Note: This post and recipe was originally published in 2008. Updated with new photos, step by step photos and nutrition information in 2024.
Servings
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1 jalapeno (diced)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 12 wonton wrappers
- Little bowl of water for sealing wonton wrappers
- Canola oil for frying
Instructions
Mix cream cheese, jalapeno, garlic powder, pepper and salt in a small bowl.
Lay wonton wrapper on a flat surface. Place 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of the wonton. Use your finger to wet the sides of the wrapper.
Then carefully pull opposite sides together to make a pointed top. Be sure to seal all sides, you don't want any of the cream cheese coming out while you are frying them.
Heat Canola oil (about an inch of oil) in a medium sized pot to 350 degrees. Fry the wontons, in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan, until golden brown 1 - 2 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer wontons to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with salt.
Serve with sweet Thai chili sauce, if desired.
These jalapeño popper wontons look absolutely delicious! I can already imagine the creamy filling and the crunch of the wonton wrapper. Can’t wait to try this recipe for my next gathering!
These Jalapeño Popper Wontons look absolutely delicious! I love how you transformed a classic appetizer into something so fun and bite-sized. Can’t wait to try this recipe at my next gathering!
I just tried this Jalapeño Popper Wontons recipe, and they were a huge hit at my get-together! The creamy filling paired with the crispy wonton wrappers is perfection. I’ll definitely be making these again! Thanks for sharing such a fantastic recipe!
I can’t wait to try this Jalapeño Popper Wontons recipe! It sounds like the perfect blend of flavors and textures. Plus, I love that they’re baked instead of fried. Thanks for sharing!
I dunno. I made something very similar to this (Cream cheese. Some spices. And jalepeno. In wonton wrapper) and baking worked absolutely 100% fine. I’d say better than the times I’ve deep fried cheese wontons.
I would not recommend baking these. The wrappers would not crisp up before the cream cheese melted.
Does anyone know if these can be baked?
Hi mssone- Wonton wrappers are much smaller than egg roll wrappers about 3 1/ inches. However other than that they are similar so you can cut them into the wonton size. Hope this helps!
can anyone please tell me if wonton wraps & eggroll wraps are one in the same or totally different wras?
Katie: haha its alright, everyone has to have their little guilty pleasure and those chili cheese bites actually sound pretty darn good. Maybe I’ll have to give them a try! :)
These look very similar to a product I’ve become obsessed with, I’m ashamed to admit it but the chilli cheese bites from Burger King *hangs head* These look so much better though, will definitely be trying them very soon…
probably tomorrow!
Katie xox
haha sure they are low cal! I removed all the calories from the cream cheese before I mixed it with the jalapenos and from the oil before I fried them…did I forget that step in the recipe? ;-)
These look delicious and I can just imagine the molton cream cheese followed with a hint of heat. I bet they aren’t low cal… ;)
Kirby: I totally agree! You can’t get much better than fried dough and cheese :) And about them being crowd-pleasers, I made these for my Super Bowl Party and they were gone before I had the chance to try them!
Wontons are the ultimate crowd-pleaser… can’t be fried dough and cheese!!
If only the Seahawks were as good as these wontons.