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Popper dip (jalapeño dip with cream cheese and panko) has made me many a friend at parties over the years. It’s quick, easy, and ridiculously delicious. Prep-ahead friendly. Vegetarian with gluten-free and keto options.
Why we love this recipe
You guys. Let’s talk popper dip.
I started making it once upon a time, near the dawn of the internet. Maybe 2008? Back then, my friend Jill used to call it “crack dip.” That was before we learned that crack dip is something else entirely.
I’ve since brought it to many a party — and made many a new friend. It’s hearty appetizer and conversation starter all in one.
Even though I’ve never left an event with anything but crumbs in the baking dish, I might not bring this dip to every type of party. Jalapeño dip is the kind of thing where you know right away which of your friends will become obsessed with it and which ones might look at you askance.
It’s a big win for:
- Game Day
- Housewarmings
- A potluck first birthday party
- A thing at the office
Maybe less so for a high-tea baby shower. It’s more Ritz Crackers than Ritz Carlton, which like 99% of the time is a very good thing.
I first published this recipe here in 2017, as a sponsored post with partner company Lindsay Olives. This was one of the first recipe videos I ever made — before Umami Girl had its own theme song. You can make this dip without olives for the “classic” version, or with olives for a little twist. Both variations are fabulous. I’ve since updated the post, but the recipe remains the same.
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
- The base of the dip is a mixture of cream cheese and mayo
- Extra-sharp cheddar and good parmesan take the flavors to the next level
- A jar of pickled jalapeños brings just the right balance of flavor and heat. Be sure to drain it.
- To make the topping, you’ll mix some of the parmesan with panko bread crumbs. For a gluten-free version, use GF panko. For a keto version, you can omit the breadcrumbs entirely.
- Sliced black olives, or green olives with pimento, are optional additions if you’re into that sort of thing. I like both versions a whole lot.
How to make it
Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make a crowd-pleasing batch of jalapeño dip with cream cheese. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- Let the cream cheese come to room temperature before starting. Then place it in a mixing bowl together with the mayo, cheddar, 2/3 of the parmesan, the jalapeños (drained well), and the olives if you’re using them.
- Mix it all together with a fork.
- Transfer to a baking dish or skillet. Mix the panko with the remaining parmesan and sprinkle on top.
- Bake for about 25 minutes at 350°F, until hot and bubbly. Serve with chips, veggies, or crackers. So good.
Expert tips and FAQs
Two cups of cooked, shredded chicken and/or half a cup of cooked, crumbled bacon make delicious additions.
Popper dip is a great recipe to prep in advance. You can assemble it all the way up to about 24 hours in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Whether I’m serving it at home or bringing it to a party, I like to bake it right before serving. (I’ll always check with the host to make sure it’s okay. It bakes at 350°F, but you can be flexible if there are other things in the oven too.) If baking from cold, you’ll need to add a few minutes to the cooking time.
To make this recipe gluten-free, use GF panko. It’s fairly keto-friendly as written, but you can easily omit the panko to make it even lower in carbs.
Yup. Here you go.
More favorite dips
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Popper Dip (Jalapeño Dip with Cream Cheese and Panko)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (112 grams) mayonnaise
- ¾ cup 3 ounces/(85 grams) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- ¾ cup 2 ounces/(60 grams) grated parmigiano reggiano cheese, divided
- 1 12- ounce (355 ml) jar sliced pickled jalapeños, drained
- ¼ cup (15 grams) panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar, 1/2 cup of the parmigiano, the jalapeños, and the olives, if using, until well-mixed.
- Transfer to a baking dish or skillet.
- In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup parmgiano reggiano and the panko. Sprinkle over the top of the dip.
- Bake until hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, veggies, or crackers.
Notes
- If you like, you can add a well-drained 6-ounce (170-gram) jar sliced ripe black olives or sliced green olives with pimentos.
Two cups of cooked, shredded chicken and/or half a cup of cooked, crumbled bacon also make delicious additions. - This is a great recipe to prep in advance. You can assemble it all the way up to about 24 hours in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Whether I’m serving it at home or bringing it to a party, I like to bake it right before serving. (I’ll always check with the host to make sure it’s okay. It bakes at 350°F, but you can be flexible if there are other things in the oven too.) If baking from cold, you’ll need to add a few minutes to the cooking time.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, use GF panko. It’s fairly keto-friendly as written, but you can easily omit the panko to make it even lower in carbs.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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