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Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese

Jalapeño popper grilled cheese with a molten cream cheese, sharp cheddar, and Monterey Jack filling plus crispy bacon. Thick white or sourdough bread gets deep golden toasty edges on the stovetop, then a diagonal cut reveals spicy jalapeño in the melt.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 920
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bread and filling base
  • 4 thick white or sourdough bread
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.25 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 0.5 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 2 jalapeños seeded and thinly sliced
  • 4 bacon cooked crispy
  • 3 tbsp butter softened

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the jalapeño popper filling
  1. Beat the softened cream cheese with garlic powder until smooth and spreadable.
  2. Spread the cream cheese generously on one side of each bread slice.
Assemble the sandwiches
  1. Layer shredded cheddar, shredded Monterey Jack, jalapeño slices, and 2 strips of bacon on two bread slices.
  2. Top with the remaining bread slices, cream cheese side in.
  3. Butter the outside of each sandwich generously with softened butter.
Grill until molten
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and cook the sandwiches for 4-5 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until deep golden brown.
  2. Continue cooking until the cheese is completely melted, then remove from the skillet.
Serve
  1. Slice diagonally and serve immediately so the cheese stretches when cut.

Notes

For the cleanest melt and best browning, keep the heat at medium-low so the interior cheeses melt before the bread gets too dark. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 2 days and reheat in a skillet over medium-low until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. If you want a lighter option, use reduced-fat cheese and reduce the bacon to 2 strips while keeping the jalapeño portion the same.