Crunchy golden-fried wrappers and creamy, gooey, zesty filling combine in these jalapeno popper wontons to make one heck of a decadent snack, and they’re so easy to put together. Pair them with a sweet chili dipping sauce for an even tastier appetizer!

Imagine, for a moment, what would happen if two of your favorite trashy-licious appetizers – cheese-stuffed jalapeno poppers, and crab rangoon – had a beautiful love-child. These crispy fried treats have the best of both! Boy, do I love these… and you and your guests will too. That is, if you feel like sharing…

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The filling is easy to make and you can make them mild or screamingly spicy by adjusting the amount of jalapeno pepper (and whether or not you include the seeds). Store-bought wonton wrappers make these a snap to assemble (although if you want a project, or have a pasta roller, you can make your own wrappers from scratch… I’ll explain how in a future post).

They fry up in just a few minutes to golden, crispy perfection. I fry them in a cast-iron dutch oven or other deep pot (to contain any splatters) with two or three inches of oil, but you can use a deep fryer, or any pot or pan deep enough to hold at least two inches of oil safely. You can even make them in your air fryer. To air fry them, you’ll need to mist the assembled jalapeno wontons with oil so that they crisp up without burning or drying out! They aren’t quite as crunchy in an air fryer, but you save a lot of mess and they’re lower in fat than the deep-fried ones.

Jalapeno Popper Wonton Ingredients

Wonton Skins:

Frozen or refrigerated store-bought square wonton wrappers, or homemade dumpling dough rolled and cut into 3″ squares.

Cheese:

You can use just cream cheese, but I prefer a blend of cream cheese and grated melting cheese. Cheddar, colby, pepper jack, or a Mexican cheese blend are all good choices.

Jalapenos:

Fresh jalapenos have the brightest flavor. You can seed them or add the seeds for even hotter pepper popper wontons. You could also use pickled or canned jalapenos if you don’t have fresh jalapenos or they’re not in season.

Seasoning:

You can keep these very plain if you prefer, but I like to add a pinch of cumin and either smoked paprika, ground chipotle, or chili powder to the filling. Don’t use too much, but a hint of spice adds depth to the flavor and makes these extra tasty! I usually add a few grinds of freshly grated black pepper as well.

Egg wash or cornstarch slurry:

If you are using freshly rolled dumpling wrappers, you probably won’t need anything to get them to seal. But most of us will be making these with store-bought, pre-rolled wonton skins, which are coated in starch so they don’t stick together. But that same starch can keep them from sticking when you want them too! Brush a little bit of egg wash (egg scrambled with a tablespoon or two of water), cornstarch slurry, or even plain water on the edges of the wonton skins before pressing them together. This will make sure you get a good seal and don’t lose your delicious jalapeno cheese filling in the fryer!

Equipment Needed to Fill and Cook Wontons

Mixing bowl, or food processor:

A food processor makes this filling come together in seconds, but you can mix it by hand almost as easily… just make sure you soften your cream cheese first.

Spoon, or pastry bag with large open tip:

You can spoon the filling onto the wonton skins, but if you have a pastry bag, it makes the job of filling the individual wontons a lot less messy and easier. You can also use a very small portion scoop if you have one.

Sheet pans or tray:

You want to refrigerate or freeze your wontons flat in a single layer if you aren’t frying them all right away. You can transfer your wontons into zip-seal bags after they’re frozen. I like to freeze my dumplings and wontons in shallow plastic containers to protect them from getting broken in our chest freezer. These deviled egg containers are perfect for the job!

Deep fryer, dutch oven, or air-fryer & oil mister:

If you have a deep fryer or air-fryer, you can definitely use those to fry your jalapeno popper wontons, but if you don’t, don’t fret! I don’t have room for a dedicated appliance, and just use a deep pan on the stove top. The ideal pot for deep frying is a cast iron dutch oven, as the tall sides will contain spatter, and the heavy pan will retain heat well so your oil temperature is easier to keep consistent.

When you add cold ingredients to your oil, the temperature will drop, so it can take a little juggling to adjust the heat on a stovetop to keep your oil temperature even. If your oil gets too hot, your wontons can burn before cooking through in the center (especially if you’re cooking frozen ones), and if it’s too cold, your wontons can absorb too much oil and be greasy. A high-temp frying or candy thermometer is super handy for monitoring your oil temperature (or an infrared thermometer).

If you don’t have a thermometer, you can use a single test wonton to check the temperature- when it’s hot enough, it will bubbly up pretty dramatically around the wonton when you drop it carefully into the oil. If your oil begins to smoke at all, it’s way too hot! Another neat trick- take an unfinished wooden spoon, and dip the tip of the handle into the oil. When the oil is hot, it will send off tiny bubbles.

How to Make Homemade Pepper Popper Wontons

step one: prep ingredients & mix filling

Soften cream cheese (place in a warm spot or remove from wrapper and use defrost setting on your microwave).
Prep your peppers. Wash & dice them (remove seeds for less spicy wontons).
In a medium mixing bowl or food processor, mix the cream cheese until smooth.
Sprinkle the seasonings, diced peppers, and grated cheese over the top.
Fold and stir the mixture until it is all evenly mixed together.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

step two: fill the wontons

Lay out 6-12 wonton skins on a clean working surface (I like to use a sheet tray for easy clean-up). If you are new to shaping wontons, start with less so that your wrappers don’t dry out and crack
Place about one teaspoon of the filling in the center of each wonton wrapper. You can also use a piping bag with a large plain tip.

step three: pleat and seal wontons

Brush the edges of the wonton skin lightly with water, thin cornstarch slurry, or egg wash (whisk one egg with 2-3 tbsp of cold water). You may find this easier to do before adding the filling, but you’ll need to work quickly so the wrapper doesn’t get too soft or sticky to handle.
Fold and pinch the wonton wrappers to seal the edges.
You can make different shapes- fold in simple triangles, pinch all four side seams towards the center to make crab rangoon shaped baskets, or fold them into triangles and then fold the tips down.

step four: fry (or freeze) the wontons

Heat at least 2-3″ of oil in a heavy dutch oven or deep pan, or preheat your deep fryer or air fryer.
To air fry, you need to spray the wontons on all sides with oil using an atomizer or spray bottle. Then, cook until golden and crispy on the outside and cheese is melted inside.
To deep fry, heat your oil to 375 deg F. Carefully fry a small batch of wontons at a time (your pan size will determine how many you can fry at once, but don’t crowd the pan). Use a slotted spoon, spatula, or frying basket to lower the wontons in the oil so it doesn’t splash. If you have a wire screen, cover the pot of oil so that steam can escape but less oil will spatter.
Remove the wontons from the oil carefully when they are lightly golden brown and crispy.
Drain the wontons on a sheet pan lined with a wire rack or paper towels, and keep warm until serving.

Storage & Serving Ideas

These are best served piping hot from the fryer, when the cheese is hot and melty and the outsides are extra crispy. If you have a lot of these to fry, set your oven to 175 deg F and use it to keep the wontons hot while you fry the rest.

Leftovers can be refrigerated for a few days, and are best warmed in an oven, toaster oven, or air fryer (about 325 F until they’re heated through). You can also freeze leftover fried wontons, and reheat them from frozen. Reheating fried wontons in a microwave will make them less crisp and soggy, but it can work if that’s all you have (or enjoy them cold).

You can assemble these in advance and cook them when you need them though! They can hold for a day or three in the refrigerator on baking sheets with parchment between the layers and plastic wrap over the top, or in a wide, flat Tupperware-type container. These inexpensive containers designed for deviled eggs are also great for storing dumplings and filled pastas in the fridge or freezer, as well as small pastries like mini cream puffs and tarts.

For longer storage, assemble your jalapeno popper wontons and freeze them in a single layer on a flat baking sheet or tray. Then, transfer them to airtight containers or ziploc bags, or carefully vacuum seal them (don’t try to get all the air out or you will crack/crush them. You can keep them frozen for up to three months if they are well packaged. Longer storage, or freezing them in poorly sealed bags, will cause them to dry out and crack. You can try to seal the cracks by smearing a light coating of a thick paste of cornstarch or rice flour and water before frying, or just accept that some of your filling will leak out.

Cook either refrigerated or frozen jalapeno popper wontons straight from the fridge or freezer. Don’t thaw before frying the frozen ones, but be careful of spatter, especially if there are any ice crystals on the outside.

Jalapeno Popper Wontons

Two of your two favorite appetizers, cheese-stuffed jalapeno poppers & crab rangoons, had a beautiful love-child... these easy fried wontons!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 40

Cook Time 5

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Small Bites & Snacks

Cuisine American, Asian Fusion, Contemporary, Tex-Mex

YIELD wontons

Ingredients

1 package won-ton wrappers (usually 36-45 per package)
8 oz cream cheese, softened (can sub neufchatel cheese but not whipped)
¾ cup grated cheddar, colby-jack, or mexi-blend cheese
½ cup small diced jalapeno (seeds removed unless you want these extra hot)
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika or chipotle powder (optional, or sub chili powder)
½ tsp garlic powder (optional)
1 egg whisked with 1 Tbsp water for egg wash to seal wrappers (can substitute water and cornstarch slurry if needed)
vegetable oil for frying (or oil spray and air fryer)
mae ploy (sweet chili sauce) or dipping sauce of your choice optional but tasty!

Instructions

prep and mix filling

Prep your peppers. Wash & dice them (remove seeds for less spicy wontons).
In a medium mixing bowl or food processor, mix the softened cream cheese until smooth.
Sprinkle the seasonings, diced peppers, and grated cheese over the top.
Fold and stir the mixture until it is all evenly mixed together. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

fill the wontons

Lay out 6-12 wonton skins on a clean working surface (I like to use a sheet tray for easy clean-up). If you are new to shaping wontons, start with less so that your wrappers don't dry out and crack
Place about one teaspoon of the filling in the center of each wonton wrapper. You can also use a piping bag with a large plain tip.

shape and seal the wontons

Brush the edges of the wonton skin lightly with water, thin cornstarch slurry, or egg wash (whisk one egg with 2-3 tbsp of cold water).
You can make different shapes- fold in simple triangles, pinch all four side seams towards the center to make crab rangoon shaped baskets, or fold them into triangles and then fold the tips down. (see photos in post for examples)
Fold and pinch the wonton wrappers to seal the edges.

fry (or freeze) wontons

Heat at least 2-3" of oil in a heavy dutch oven or deep pan, or preheat your deep fryer or air fryer.
To air fry, you need to spray the wontons on all sides with oil using an atomizer or spray bottle. Then, cook until golden and crispy on the outside and cheese is melted inside.
To deep fry, heat your oil to 375 deg F. Carefully fry a small batch of wontons at a time (your pan size will determine how many you can fry at once, but don't crowd the pan). Use a slotted spoon, spatula, or frying basket to lower the wontons in the oil so it doesn't splash. If you have a wire screen, cover the pot of oil so that steam can escape but less oil will spatter.
Remove the wontons from the oil carefully when they are lightly golden brown and crispy.
Drain the wontons on a sheet pan lined with a wire rack or paper towels, and keep warm until serving.

Notes

If you have any leftover wonton skins after using up your filling, they can be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for a few days or frozen.

Make-Ahead Tip:

You can make these in advance and freeze them (unfried) for several days... prep them a few days before your party and cook them from frozen just before serving.

You can sometimes freeze them longer, but the longer they're in the freezer, the more likely they are to dry out and crack, which makes them leak filling when you fry them. You can try to seal the cracks with cornstarch or rice flour paste, or fry as-is. Be careful when putting frozen wontons into the hot oil as they can spatter!

Keyword appetizer, cheesy, dumplings, festive, finger food, fried food, game-day food, holiday, party food, savory, spicy, vegetarian

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COOK: Jalapeno Popper Wontons