Cooking frozen jalapeno poppers in the air fryer is the best way to get crispy, golden, breaded peppers bursting with molten, gooey cheese! And they’re ready in about 15 minutes.

Golden jalapeno poppers on plate with dipping sauce on the side

I don’t care if it’s game day, playoffs, or the Super Bowl… my favorite part is always the food! And whenever I need to whip up a quick snack or appetizer before kick-off, I just throw some frozen jalapeno poppers in the air fryer and I’m good to go in 15 minutes.

Seriously, there is no easier or more delicious way to cook store-bought jalapeno poppers.

The breading gets golden and crispy while the filling turns into that perfect molten, gooey, cheesy goodness that makes poppers so good. They’re seriously irresistible!

Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:

How to make air fryer frozen jalapeno poppers
What other game day foods to serve with your poppers
What brands of frozen jalapeno poppers work for this recipe
How to reheat jalapeno poppers in the air fryer

This dish is so good, you may find yourself craving them on more than just game day. And when the whole recipe is this quick and easy, why not make them all the time? You can have irresistible snacking for friends, family, or yourself in a matter of minutes!

Air Fryer I recommend: Large, easy to clean, square basket, burner on top and bottom. Click to see it.

prepared ingredients for frozen jalapeno poppers in air fryer

How to Make Frozen Jalapeno Poppers in the Air Fryer

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

STEP ONE: Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees F.

STEP TWO: Place your poppers inside the basket, leaving space between them for the air to circulate.

place frozen poppers in single layer in the air fryer

STEP THREE: Cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Poppers should be golden with cheese just starting to ooze out.

I love to use an Instant-Read thermometer before pulling the poppers out of the air fryer to ensure they are hot all the way through.

cook until jalapeno poppers are golden and the cheese is starting to ooze out

STEP FOUR: Cool slightly before eating as the inside is very hot.

How to Store Leftover Jalapeno Poppers

Make sure to let the poppers cool completely. If you try to store them while they’re still hot, the condensation will make the breading soggy, and no one wants that.

Once they’ve cooled to room temperature, place the poppers in a shallow airtight container. You can store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Do I Need to Use Oil to Cook Frozen Jalapeno Poppers in the Air Fryer?

Nope! There is enough oil in the breading of the poppers themselves, so there’s no need to add extra oil to the basket to keep them from sticking.

You can read more about when to add oil to an air fryer here.

jalapeno poppers on white plate with dipping sauce on the side

Ideas to Serve with Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers

For even more game day inspiration, check out my Air Fryer Super Bowl Recipes or these 35 Insanely Delicious Air Fryer Appetizers!

What Kinds of Frozen Jalapeno Poppers Will These Directions Work With?

My personal favorite is making Farm Rich jalapeno poppers in the air fryer because the cream cheese filling gets so perfectly gooey. However, this recipe should work for just about any brand of breaded and frozen poppers!

TGI Fridays frozen jalapeno poppers are another great option. I like that TGIF offers both cream cheese stuffed and cheddar cheese stuffed poppers.

pile of jalapeno poppers on white plate with dipping sauce

How to Know When Air Fryer Frozen Jalapeno Poppers Are Done Cooking

All air fryers cook a little differently. For me, I get the best results from putting the jalapeno poppers in the air fryer frozen and cooking them for 9 minutes, flipping at the 5-minute mark. But if your poppers come out over-or under-done, you may need to adjust that time.

The best way to tell when your poppers are done is to use an Instant-Read thermometer and check that the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F. You want the breading on the outside to be golden, and the cheese should just be starting to ooze out.

Keep in mind that if you don’t preheat your air fryer, the cooking time will take longer. You’ll probably want to add several more minutes on each side.

jalapeno poppers on white plate with dipping sauce on side

How Do You Reheat Jalapeno Poppers in the Air Fryer?

Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F.
Place the poppers in the basket in a single layer, leaving space between each one.
Cook for 4-5 minutes.

Other Frozen Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love:

And try out the other recipes listed in this Air Fryer Frozen Foods list.

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