These spicy cheese fritters have all the flavors of jalapeño poppers but with a crispy outside and gooey, cheesy inside. They're always the first thing to disappear!
We're major jalapeño lovers, and when melty cheese is included, we're always on board! We love to serve these spicy cheese fritters as an appetizer for everything from a football party to a dinner party.
This recipe is tied for our favorite with these stuffed jalapeño poppers with chorizo & smoked gouda (and we've even made fritters with that recipe, too)! We like to serve these with healthier nachos that help balance the richness of the cheese.
Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients to make spicy cheese fritters. And with hardly any chopping, it comes together really quickly.
Filling
- Jalapeños - Use more or less of these depending on how spicy you like them. You can also divide the filling and add more to just half so everyone is happy.
- Cream cheese - Make sure this is softened to make mixing in the cheese and jalapeños much easier.
- Shredded cheese - We like a Mexican blend or we'll go all cheddar. As long as it's a cheese that melts nicely, it should work just fine.
Coating
- Panko breadcrumbs - You can use regular breadcrumbs if that's all you have, but Panko will definitely give you the best crunchy exterior.
- Eggs - Mix whisked eggs with the water for dipping the cheese fritters, which is how the breadcrumbs will stick.
- Water
- Canola oil - Any oil with a high smoke point will work, like peanut oil or avocado oil.
Instructions - Deep Frying or Air Frying
This recipe is so simple it almost doesn't even need instructions! Here are the basics for how to make these easy, spicy cheese fritters:
- First you'll just need to mix the filling ingredients together. Add the cream cheese, jalapeños, shredded cheese, and salt to a medium-sized mixing bowl (make sure the cream cheese is room temperature to make this step a breeze). Then just mix it all until it's thoroughly combined.
- Then, using a small ice cream scoop or just with your hands and a spoon, scoop out the cheese balls and roll them into balls. Place them onto a parchment lined baking sheet (you should get about 20 balls).
- Now set up your dredging station: Place the breadcrumbs in a large bowl, and in another bowl, whisk together the eggs and the water.
- Dunk each ball into the egg wash first, then roll them in the panko breadcrumbs until they're completely coated. Remember to use one hand for wet ingredients and the other for the dry ingredients.
- Place them into the freezer for at least 30 minutes and up to 60 minutes. This will help the balls stay intact and get golden brown on the outside without the filling seeping out while they're frying.
Deep Frying Instructions
- Add the oil to a large, deep-sided skillet and heat it to 360°F.
- Add 4-5 fritters to the skillet and fry until they're golden brown on one side, then flip them over to brown the other side. Once they're golden brown and crispy all over, remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Serve immediately on their own or with a dipping sauce of your choice.
Air Frying Instructions
These spicy cheese fritters work great in the air fryer and come out crispy on the outside with a melty center (just a little lighter than deep frying).
- Prepare the fritters as directed, including breading and freezing them for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F.
- Lightly spray the fritters with cooking spray or brush them lightly with oil.
- Arrange the fritters in a single layer, leaving space between them (you may need to cook them in batches).
- Air fry for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they're golden brown and crispy.
- Serve them immediately on their own or with a dipping sauce of your choice.
Dipping Sauces
These are the dipping sauces we recommend for cheese fritters:
- Chipotle mayo (mix a little adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers with some mayo)
- Sriracha mayo (mix Sriracha to taste with mayo)
- Ranch dressing (a classic!)
- Hot honey (drizzle this on just before serving or serve it at the table)
- Buffalo sauce
- Salsa verde or roasted tomato salsa
- Pico de gallo
- BBQ sauce (especially smoky or chipotle-flavored)
- Sweet chili sauce
- Pepper jelly (warm it slightly so it's dippable)
Variations
- Add cooked, crumbled bacon
- Swap jalapeños for serranos (hotter) or poblanos (milder)
- Use pickled jalapeños or a mix of pickled and fresh
- Use hatch chiles when they're in season!
- Add finely diced red onion or scallions
- Stir in a spoonful of salsa or salsa verde to the filling
- Add fresh corn off the cob for a little crunch and sweetness (this is one of our favorite additions)
Related Recipes
Looking for more Mexican appetizer recipes? Try these:
Spicy Cheese Fritters
Yield:
20 fritters
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
20 minutes
Additional Time:
1 hour
Total Time:
1 hour 30 minutes
These cheese fritters are crispy on the outside with a gooey, cheesy, spicy filling that's irresistible!
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 cup diced jalapeños (about 4-6 jalapeños)
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
Coating
- 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups canola oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Add the cream cheese, jalapeños, shredded cheese, and salt to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix it until it's thoroughly combined.
- Using a small ice cream scoop or just with your hands and a spoon, scoop out the cheese balls and roll them into balls. Place them onto a parchment lined baking sheet (you should get about 20 balls).
- Place the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl, and in another bowl, whisk together the eggs and the water.
- Dunk each ball into the egg wash first, then roll them in the panko breadcrumbs until they're completely coated.
- Place them into the freezer for at least 30 minutes and up to 60 minutes.
- Add the oil to a large, deep-sided skillet and heat it to 360°F.
- Add 4-5 fritters to the skillet and fry until they're golden brown on one side, then flip them over to brown the other side. Once they're golden brown and crispy all over, remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Serve immediately on their own or with a dipping sauce of your choice.
AIR FRYER INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the fritters as directed, including breading and freezing them for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F.
- Lightly spray the fritters with cooking spray or brush them lightly with oil.
- Arrange the fritters in a single layer, leaving space between them (you may need to cook them in batches).
- Air fry for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they're golden brown and crispy.
Notes
See the post for a list of dipping sauce suggestions.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 481Total Fat: 39gSaturated Fat: 10gUnsaturated Fat: 30gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 506mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 11g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
Aubrey Cornelius, also known as the The Blonde Chef, is a food-loving, photo-taking kinda girl and her passion is creating delicious recipes for friends and family to share. As a member of a large family herself and now responsible for cooking for her own family, she understands how important it is to have fresh, healthy food on the table.
She is also a professional food photographer who specializes in editorial, portrait food photography and styling.
She is also a professional food photographer who specializes in editorial, portrait food photography and styling.
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