Air Fryer Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers

These air fryer cream cheese stuffed mini peppers are one of my favorite snacks to make. They come out perfectly every time – crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside.

The filling is super simple. It’s basically a mix of cream cheese, cheddar, bacon bits, and a little garlic powder. Nothing fancy, but it tastes so good together.

What I love about using the air fryer for these is how quick the whole thing is. You can go from prepping to eating in about 15 minutes.

They work great as an appetizer for game day, a party snack, or honestly just a treat for yourself on a random Tuesday. No judgment here.

If you’ve never stuffed mini peppers before, don’t worry. It’s one of the easiest things you’ll ever make in the kitchen.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Super Easy to Make – You literally just mix a few ingredients together, stuff them into mini peppers, and let the air fryer do the rest. Even if you have never stuffed a pepper before, you can totally pull this off on your first try.

The Bacon and Cheddar Combo is a Crowd Pleaser – You really cannot go wrong with bacon and cheddar mixed into cream cheese. It is one of those flavor combos that pretty much everyone loves, so these little peppers tend to disappear fast whenever you set them out.

Great Party Appetizer – These stuffed peppers are the perfect finger food for game day, holiday parties, or any get-together. They are bite-sized, easy to grab, and look way more impressive than the effort it actually takes to make them.

The Cream Cheese Gets Perfectly Melty – The air fryer heats these little peppers from all sides so the cream cheese filling gets hot, bubbly, and almost gooey inside. That warm, creamy texture paired with a slightly roasted pepper is honestly hard to beat.

Ingredients

• 10 Mini Sweet Peppers
• 4 oz Softened Cream Cheese
• 1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 2 tbsp Real Bacon Bits
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

How to Make

Step 1

Cut the mini sweet peppers in half lengthwise and scoop out any seeds and membranes.

Step 2

In a small mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, real bacon bits, and garlic powder.

Step 3

Spoon the cheese mixture evenly into the cavity of each pepper half.

Step 4

Arrange the stuffed peppers cheese-side up in the air fryer basket.

Step 5

Air fry at 370F for 8 to 10 minutes until the peppers are tender and the cheese filling is golden and bubbly.

Tips

Soften the Cream Cheese All the Way

Take the cream cheese out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you start. You want it truly soft so it mixes smoothly with the other ingredients.

If you skip this step, you’ll end up with lumpy filling that’s hard to mix and won’t spread evenly into the peppers. You’ll also have a harder time spooning it in neatly.

If you forgot to take it out early, cut the cream cheese into small cubes and let them sit on the counter for about 15 minutes. Smaller pieces warm up faster. You can also microwave it for about 10-15 seconds, but be careful not to melt it.

Remove the Seeds and Membranes Completely

After you cut the peppers in half, take a small spoon or your finger and scrape out every seed and all of the white membrane inside. This gives you more room for the filling and makes the pepper taste better overall.

The white membranes can sometimes have a slightly bitter taste, and they also take up space where the good stuff should go. A clean pepper half holds the cheese mixture way better and looks nicer too.

A small teaspoon or the tip of a butter knife works great for scraping. Just be gentle so you don’t tear through the pepper wall.

Don’t Overfill the Peppers

It’s tempting to pile the cheese mixture high, but try to keep the filling roughly level with the top of each pepper half. If you overfill them, the cheese will melt and spill over the sides during cooking, making a mess in your air fryer basket.

You have 20 pepper halves to fill with this amount of filling, so divide it up evenly. A small spoon or a butter knife works well to spread the mixture into each one without going overboard.

If you somehow have leftover filling, you can spread it on crackers or toast as a snack while you wait for the peppers to cook.

Related Recipes

• Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
• Air Fryer Cheesy Taco Stuffed Peppers
• Air Fryer Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms
• Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
• Air Fryer Loaded Potato Skins

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to preheat my air fryer for this recipe?

It is a good idea to preheat your air fryer for about 3 minutes at 370°F before adding the peppers. Preheating helps the peppers start cooking right away and gives you more consistent results.

If your air fryer does not have a preheat setting, just let it run empty for a couple of minutes before placing the stuffed peppers inside. It makes a noticeable difference in how evenly they cook.