These jalapeno mac and cheese bites feature everything you’ll find in a jalapeno popper including spicy minced jalapeno, crispy bacon bits, and plenty of cheese wrapped up into crispy and gooey mac and cheese bites.
Ready for the ultimate game day appetizer?? No, I really do mean the ultimate.
My love for mac and cheese knows no limits and these mac and cheese bites just fit the bill. Especially since we’re inviting jalapeno poppers to this wild app party.
Basically it’s everything you could ever want wrapped up into one bite. Or 20, because you will be consuming roughly about that many of these.
Just look at how crispy they are! We’re using the magic of the air fryer today to get these little bites perfectly golden and crunchy on the outside and it does the job to perfection.
Keep reading for oven instructions if you don’t own an air fryer!
These Mac and Cheese Bites feature…
- A crispy breadcrumb exterior
- Sauteed jalapenos and crispy bacon bits
- A gooey cheddar mac and cheese interior
- Made entirely in the air fryer and easy to reheat
Making the Mac and Cheese Bites
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Bacon
- Jalapeno peppers
- Garlic
- All-purpose flour
- 2% or skim milk
- Dijon mustard
- Cheddar cheese
- Cream cheese
- Elbow pasta
- Egg
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Nonstick spray
- Parsley
Oven Instructions
Don’t have an air fryer? You can still make these mac and cheese bites using your oven. Be aware the bites won’t be quite as crispy as the air fryer, but they will still be delicious!
To oven bake the bites, grease a large sheet pan with 2 tablespoons melted butter and place bites in a single layer. Spray bites well with pan spray and bake at 425F 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Tips for Perfect Mac and Cheese Bites
- Chill mac and cheese – once you have the mac and cheese made you will want to chill it for about 2 hours until completely cold. It’s much easier to shape the mac and cheese into balls when it’s solidified.
- Shape mac and cheese into 1-inch balls – make sure all the bites are uniform size so they cook evenly.
- Use standard breading procedure – this means coating the bites in flour, beaten egg/milk, and then rolling in the breadcrumbs. This method will help your breading stick to the mac and cheese.
- Preheat air fryer – you want the air fryer nice and hot when you go to add the bites. Preheat for about 3 minutes.
- Flip bites halfway through baking – this will help both sides crisp up evenly.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on these bites.
- Adjust heat level – skip the jalapeno if you’re not a fan of spice or alternatively, up the spice by adding hot sauce to taste.
- Use a different cheese – try mozzarella, colby jack, pepper jack, or gouda in place of the cheddar. Feel free to use a combination of several cheeses.
- Skip the bacon – for a vegetarian version, skip the bacon and use 2 tablespoons butter in place of the bacon drippings.
Reheating Mac and Cheese Bites
These mac and cheese bites are easy to reheat which makes them ideal for making ahead of time for a gathering. Reheat mac and cheese bites in a single layer in air fryer at 375F 8-10 minutes.
Y’all, this is like mac and cheese on steroids. The punch of heat from the jalapeno pairs so well with the gooey homemade mac and cheese and crispy breadcrumb coating.
Please please dip these bad boys in ranch, you’ve just gotta.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More flavor-packed appetizers to make next!
Jalapeno Mac and Cheese Bites
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Ingredients
Mac and Cheese
- 4 strips bacon
- 2 medium jalapeno peppers, minced
- 1 medium clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup 2% or skim milk
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 lb elbow pasta, cooked according to package instructions until al dente
- Salt and pepper to taste
Breadcrumb Coating
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup 2% or skim milk
- 1-1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Instructions
Mac and Cheese
- Cook bacon strips in a medium skillet over medium heat, turning once until bacon is crispy. Drain bacon on paper towels then dice into 1/4-inch cubes
- Heat bacon drippings over medium heat. Add jalapeno and sauté 3-5 minutes until tender. Add garlic and flour and cook 1 additional minute until fragrant and golden brown.
- Slowly drizzle in milk, whisking constantly until smooth and incorporated. Cook sauce over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sauce is bubbly and thickened. Remove from heat and add mustard and cheeses, stirring until cheese is melted.
- Fold cooked pasta and bacon bits into sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate mac and cheese 2 hours until completely cold.
Breadcrumb Coating
- Place flour in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Whisk egg and milk until smooth in a separate shallow bowl. Place panko in a third shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- Remove chilled mac and cheese from refrigerator and grease hands well. Roll mac and cheese into 1-inch balls and place on a sheet pan.
- Dredge mac and cheese balls in flour, shaking off excess. Dip balls in egg, then roll in panko until fully coated. Space balls apart on sheet pan.
- Preheat air fryer to 400F and lightly spray basket with cooking spray. Working in batches if necessary, place mac and cheese bites in a single layer and spray well with cooking spray.
- Air fry mac and cheese bites at 400F 10-12 minutes, flipping once halfway through baking until mac and cheese bites are golden brown and crispy. Repeat cooking with remaining bites.
- Top mac and cheese bites with parsley and serve immediately while warm. Enjoy!
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