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Home » Recipes » Appetizer Recipes

Cream Cheese Stuffed Sweet Peppers with Bacon

Published: May 18, 2021 · Modified: Dec 20, 2022 by Nicole B.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
25 minutes

These cream cheese stuffed sweet peppers are full of delicious flavors and make a great finger food appetizer or party food. The combination of melty cheeses, bacon and smoked paprika gives the filling a delicious smoky flavor similar to smoked cheddar!

For more delicious cream cheese appetizers, be sure to also check out this buffalo ground beef dip and this shredded chicken dip!

Baked stuffed sweet peppers on a baking sheet.
Jump to:
  • What’s in stuffed sweet peppers?
  • Ingredient notes:
  • How to make the peppers:
  • How to serve the baked peppers:
  • How to store leftovers:
  • How to make the peppers ahead:
  • Frequently asked questions:
  • More delicious baked stuffed appetizers with cream cheese:
  • Full Printable Recipe

What’s in stuffed sweet peppers?

This recipe is made with mini sweet peppers, which come in beautiful colors and are perfect as finger food. The filling is made with cream cheese and cheddar cheese and flavored with bacon, garlic, thyme and smoked hot paprika.

Ingredients for cream cheese-stuffed sweet peppers.
You need thyme, smoked hot paprika, cream cheese, garlic, bacon, cheddar and sweet mini peppers for this recipe.

Ingredient notes:

  • Be sure to use full-fat cream cheese. Products labeled as low-fat or reduced-fat have higher moisture content than full-fat cream cheese and that can affect their melting.
  • As always, I highly recommend to get the smoked hot paprika from a dedicated spice shop to ensure quality and freshness.
  • There is no need for additional salt in this recipe because the bacon provides enough.

How to make the peppers:

See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!

Step 1. Pre-cook the pepper halves in boiling water to soften them.

Sweet peppers in a pot of boiling water.

Step 2. Add all filling ingredients into a bowl.

Cream cheese filling ingredients in a bowl.

Step 3. Whip the filling.

Whipped cream cheese filling ingredients in a bowl.

Step 4. Stuff and bake the peppers.

Raw stuffed sweet peppers on a baking sheet.

How to serve the baked peppers:

Serve the baked pepper halves hot or warm as finger food.

How to store leftovers:

Transfer any leftover filled and baked peppers into an airtight container and store in the fridge. Reheat in the oven until warmed through.

How to make the peppers ahead:

Let the pepper halves cool to room temperature after boiling, then transfer them to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 1 day.

Whip the filling, then transfer it into a separate airtight container and store in the fridge as well. Let the filling come up to room temperature (about an hour on the kitchen counter), then stuff and bake the peppers as instructed.

For more delicious stuffed peppers, also check out these taco stuffed poblano peppers!

Frequently asked questions:

Are these stuffed mini peppers spicy?

No, not at all. Even though there is smoked hot paprika in this recipe, the amount is not large enough to make it spicy. Instead, the paprika only adds smokiness and paprika flavor.

Do I have to pre-cook the peppers?

Yes, you do have to pre-cook the pepper halves. Stuffing the peppers raw and then baking them will leave them too hard and raw by the time the filling is melted. Pre-cooking the peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes will get their softness just right.

Can I skip the pre-cooking and instead bake the peppers longer?

Unfortunately not. That’s because the filling will separate if you bake the stuffed peppers much longer than instructed.

More delicious baked stuffed appetizers with cream cheese:

  • Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp with Cream Cheese Stuffing
    Cook Time30 Minutes
  • Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Cream Cheese and Sausage
    Cook Time55 Minutes

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating or comment! Thanks!

Full Printable Recipe

Baked stuffed sweet peppers on a baking sheet.

Cream Cheese Stuffed Sweet Peppers with Bacon

The Spice Train
These cream cheese stuffed sweet peppers are delicious, easy to make and the perfect party food.
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 12 pepper halves
Calories (estimated) 100 kcal

Equipment:

  • measuring cups and spoons
  • knife and cutting board
  • garlic press (optional)
  • pot
  • mixing bowls
  • paper towels
  • small baking sheet
  • standing mixer or handheld mixer
  • small metal spatula (optional)

Ingredients:
  

For the peppers:

  • 6 mini sweet peppers

For the filling:

  • ½ cup grated cheddar cheese, (about 1 ½ ounces), divided into 6 tablespoons and 2 tablespoons
  • 4 ounces full-fat block cream cheese,* softened
  • ½ teaspoon smoked hot paprika
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic press
  • 4 slices thin-cut bacon, cooked and roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme) (you need about four 4-inch sprigs for that)

Instructions:
 

For the peppers:

  • Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Slice the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the ribs and seeds but leave the stem intact.
  • Fill a pot large enough to fit all pepper halves comfortably with water and bring to a boil.
  • Add the pepper halves to the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Drain the pepper halves and set them face down on a paper towel to cool and dry.

For the filling:

  • Lightly oil a small baking sheet with olive oil. Set aside.
  • Whip 6 tablespoons of cheddar along with all remaining filling ingredients together until combined.
  • Fill the filling into the pepper halves (a little less than 1 tablespoon of filling per pepper). (I like to use a small metal spatula to do this.)
  • Sprinkle the remaining cheddar onto the filling and bake until the cheese is melted (about 10 minutes).**
  • Serve the peppers hot or warm.

Notes:

*Be sure to use full-fat cream cheese. Products labeled as low-fat or reduced-fat have a higher moisture content than full-fat cream cheese and that can affect their melting.
**Do not bake the peppers for much longer than 10 minutes or you run the risk of the filling separating.

Nutrition Information (Estimated):

Calories: 100kcalCarbohydrates: 3.1gProtein: 4.8gFat: 7.5gSaturated Fat: 3.9gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 204mgPotassium: 145mgFiber: 0.6gSugar: 1.6gCalcium: 44mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition values provided on this website are generated from a nutrition database and are estimates only. The accuracy of the nutrition information for any recipe on this website is not guaranteed. Nutrition values can vary quite a lot depending on which brands are used.

Keywords: cream cheese stuffed peppers, cream cheese stuffed sweet peppers, stuffed mini peppers

More Appetizer Recipes

  • Sweet Potato Andouille Soup
  • How to Make Ground Chicken from Chicken Breast
  • Buffalo Ground Beef Dip with Cream Cheese
  • Baked Jalapeno Artichoke Parmesan Cream Cheese Dip

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