Texas Twinkies (Cream Cheese and Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos) are a mouthwatering, classic American snack. I make them in just 30 minutes and they are packed full of spicy and savory flavor.
If you need more grill recipes, make my smoked beef brisket or my grilled marinated skirt steak.
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Why my Texas Twinkies Recipe is a Keeper
I love jalapeño poppers because not only are they quick and easy, they’re also incredibly delicious. You will definitely want to add this recipe to your stash of easy appetizers.
- Family Favorite: Everyone in the family loves brisket jalapeno poppers, making them a go-to snack.
- Freezes Well: They’re great for making ahead and freezing for later.
- Balances Flavors: The recipe achieves a perfect balance of sweet, salty, sour, and savory.
- Great for Meal Prep: The recipe is perfect for making in bulk and enjoying throughout the week.
- Can Feed a Crowd: It can easily be scaled up to feed a large group, making it perfect for gatherings.
What is the Difference Between a Texas Twinkie and Texas Tornado?
A Texas twinkie is a delicious appetizer made with jalapeno peppers stuffed with cream cheese and meat, then wrapped in bacon and cooked until crispy. A Texas tornado is a dessert, specifically a sweet pineapple and coconut cake.
Texas Twinkie Ingredient Notes
You will need just a few super simple ingredients to make this recipe. They’re all easy to find at the local grocery store, but you may even have some of the ingredients in your kitchen already.
- Brisket: Using fresh out of the smoker chopped beef brisket brings that savory Texas flavor.
- Jalapenos: Sliced and gutted jalapenos bring some spice to the cream cheese and brisket mixture.
- Bacon: Thick-cut bacon is perfect for wrapping them in bacon.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Prep Ahead Suggestions for this Smoked Brisket Appetizer
Prepping ahead of time can really help to save you time and kitchen space if you’re hosting a party.
- Jalapeño Prep: You can halve, remove the seeds from the jalapeños and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Cheese Filling: The cheese filling can be mixed ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Assembly: The best way to prep ahead is to assemble the entire stuffed jalapeños wrapped in bacon and store them for up to 24 hours before cooking.
- What to Serve with this Recipe: Try my Red Robin Campfire Sauce, Peach BBQ Sauce or my Caramelized Onion Dip.
Pro Tip for Jalapenos Wrapped with Bacon
Use gloves when handling jalapeños. The oils can irritate your skin.
How to Make Texas Twinkies
This recipe comes together in 4 quick and easy steps. These jalapenos stuffed with delicious smoked brisket are so good, it will quickly become one of your favorite BBQ recipes.
These are the basic steps for making Texas Twinkies (Cream Cheese and Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos). Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
1. Preheat Oven and Prepare the Peppers
Preheat the oven to 400℉. With a sharp knife, remove the top part of the jalapeno and make a straight cut along the back of the jalapeno. Use your fingers to open the pepper and scrape out all the seeds.
2. Stuff the Peppers
With a butter knife, fill half of the jalapeno with cream cheese. After filling with cream cheese, add the shredded or chopped brisket.
3. Wrap the Jalapenos with Bacon
Place a slice of bacon on a flat surface and wrap the bacon around the jalapeno. Secure with toothpicks on either end.
4. Cook the Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapenos
Arrange the thick cut bacon wrapped peppers on a wire rack with a baking sheet underneath. Cook the peppers until the bacon is fully cooked, or for 20-30 minutes.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftover Brisket Appetizer
Variations and Substitutions for Stuffed Jalapenos Wrapped in Bacon
This recipe is super easy to customize. Try taking it to the next level by trying different levels of heat or adding different toppings.
- Mild It Up: If you’re worried about the heat, use poblano peppers or sweet peppers instead. They have a milder flavor and are larger, making them easier to stuff.
- Sweet Heat: Stuff the jalapeños with a mixture of cream cheese and a sweet ingredient like candied pecans or a fruit chutney for a sweet and spicy snack.
- Different Meat: In place of brisket try adding pulled pork, mild Italian sausage or regular sausage, or seafood such as shrimp.
Recipe FAQs
Serve with Little Smokies Pigs in a Blanket, Garlic Parmesan Grilled Corn on the Cob, barbecue sauce or Texas Sheet Cake Cookies.
Toothpicks pinning down the bacon helps with curling as well as overlapping the bacon a little bit.
As long as you scoop out the seeds and rib section, jalapenos are not too spicy.
Cut the jalapeños in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and membranes.
Expert Tips for Making This Recipe
- Cheese Filling Flavor: Add seasoning to the cream cheese like chili powder, Meat Church BBQ rub, cumin or smoked paprika. You can also mix in crumbled bacon or even some caramelized onions into the smoked cream cheese.
- Bacon Wrapping Technique: Stretch the bacon slightly before wrapping it around the jalapeño. Overlap the bacon slightly to ensure good coverage.
- Securing the Bacon: As mentioned above, toothpicks are an option, but you can also try weaving the bacon or tucking the end under itself.
- Cooking Temperature: Bake at a moderate temperature (around 375°F) to allow the bacon to render and the jalapeños to soften without burning.
- Don’t Overcook: Cook for about 20 minutes or until the bacon is crispy and the jalapeños are tender, but not mushy for the perfect bite.
- Cheese: Combine the cream cheese brisket mixture with shredded cheese. Try different kinds such as shredded cheddar, shredded smoked gouda or pepper jack cheese.
- Alternate Cooking Method: Jalapeño and poblano peppers are super easy to cook on the grill. Wrap bacon around the peppers and grill on indirect heat until done.
Texas Twinkies (Cream Cheese and Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos)
Equipment
- Butter knife
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Ingredients
- 8 Jalapenos , sliced and de-seeded
- 8 slices Bacon, thick cut
- 12 tablespoons Cream cheese , room temperature
- 2 cups Smoked brisket , chopped or shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉.
- Start by removing the top part of the jalapeno. Then, with a sharp paring knife, make a straight cut along the back of the jalapeno (usually the flat side). Finally, use your fingers to separate and open up the pepper.
- Take your paring knife and carefully remove the seeds from the jalapeno. If you prefer to keep a slight level of heat in the jalapeno, retain the white rib section and discard only the seeds.
- Clean your jalapenos by rinsing them under water and washing away any seeds.
- With a butter knife, fill half of the jalapeno's interior with cream cheese, making sure to use enough to help the brisket adhere and stay intact.
- After filling the jalapenos with cream cheese, proceed to incorporate the brisket. Fill each jalapeno with shredded or chopped brisket.
- Place a slice of thick cut bacon on a flat surface.
- Start by attaching the bacon to the jalapeno using a toothpick, beginning on one side. Proceed to wrap the bacon around the jalapeno and use another toothpick to secure the opposite end.
- To cook, arrange them on a baking sheet, preferably on a wire rack with a baking sheet underneath to collect any drippings. Cook for 20-30 minutes until the bacon is fully cooked and reaches your desired level of doneness.
Christina’s Notes
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- Cheese Filling Flavor: Add seasoning to the cream cheese like chili powder, Meat Church BBQ rub, cumin or smoked paprika. You can also mix in crumbled bacon or even some caramelized onions into the smoked cream cheese.
-
- Bacon Wrapping Technique: Stretch the bacon slightly before wrapping it around the jalapeño. Overlap the bacon slightly to ensure good coverage.
-
- Securing the Bacon: As mentioned above, toothpicks are an option, but you can also try weaving the bacon or tucking the end under itself.
-
- Cooking Temperature: Bake at a moderate temperature (around 375°F) to allow the bacon to render and the jalapeños to soften without burning.
-
- Don’t Overcook: Cook for about 20 minutes or until the bacon is crispy and the jalapeños are tender, but not mushy for the perfect bite.
-
- Cheese: Combine the cream cheese brisket mixture with shredded cheese. Try different kinds such as shredded cheddar, shredded smoked gouda or pepper jack cheese.
-
- Alternate Cooking Method: Jalapeño and poblano peppers are super easy to cook on the grill. Wrap bacon around the peppers and grill on indirect heat until done.
- What to Serve with this Recipe: Try my Red Robin Campfire Sauce, Peach BBQ Sauce or my Caramelized Onion Dip.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
OMG, Texas Twinkies sound incredible! I’m already planning my next party menu. It’s always a challenge to pick appetizers everyone will love, and sometimes I wish I had a quick way to list compare guest preferences from past events to make sure I hit all the right notes.
Don’t laugh but I’ve made something real similar with small sweet peppers instead of hot peppers since I really don’t like hot things. They were great in just about every way! The only difference from your recipe was the type of pappers.
That is a great idea. You could have both for a party and then people have choices.