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Jalapeño Avocado Cream Cheese Wontons are essentially a fried, amped up version of your favorite jalapeno cream cheese poppers appetizer! The creamy and spicy filling wrapped in a fried wonton wrapper makes these poppers a fantastic party appetizer or even an afternoon snack.
I am a BIG fan of all things spicy (as you’ve seen with my Big ‘n Smoky Five Alarm Burger and my Spicy Green Bloody Mary… and many more, haha!).
That’s why cream cheese jalapeno poppers are one of my favorite appetizers, like, EVER.
The cream cheese and the spice of the peppers are just the right combination.
It’ll light your tongue on fire and soothe the burn all in the very same bite. It’s one of those appetizers that isn’t too filling and pairs perfectly with a chilled beer.
This Recipe’s Must Haves
This chef’s knife is fantastic for chopping jalapeños – my favorite knife brand! You will never need another knife, because they all come with a lifetime of free sharpening!
A dutch oven is the one pot I always use to fry recipes to golden brown perfection. Plus, it’s ideal for all your braising/soup/stew recipes!
A spider strainer is a must for anything you fry! It helps you safely get these little guys out of the hot oil without burning the crap outta your hand.
Finding appetizers to serve for a backyard BBQ can be a little challenging from time to time.
While I love to grill
ALL the things in the summer, sometimes the grill is being taken over with meats and sides and desserts, so there simply isn’t room for an appetizer to get thrown in the mix.
If I can’t grill my jalapeno poppers, then why not stuff all the ingredients inside a wonton wrapper and fry them?
Say hello to my oh-so easy version of a jalapeno popper that isn’t a jalapeno popper, technically.
The filling has all the ingredients you know and love, including jalapeno, cream cheese (plus two other types of cheeses), and a special guest… avocado!
It’s easy to make for backyard BBQs, tailgating/homegating parties, or even a quick snack when you want something more than cheese and crackers in the afternoon.
I know it seems a little weird to be throwing an avocado in the mix, but hear me out!
The creaminess of the avocado pairs wonderfully with all the other ingredients in the wonton fillings. Not to mention you also are getting an extra hit of flavor and protein.
It makes it an extra silky filling with the cream cheese, perfectly complementing the fried exterior!
Sidenote: if you want to make your life easier, invest in a great heavy dutch oven
to do all your frying in.
Not to mention, it’s hilarious watching people do a double take when they see the filling is green!
If you ever need to convince someone to add more green to their diet, obviously this is the way to do it.
Green = healthy, right?
So having a handful of these golden-fried bad boys is totally justifiable.
PLUS you can even customize these little guys even further depending on your heat tolerance.
You can use serrano peppers, habaneros, or even ghost peppers if you are completely INSANE. In other words, you can burn your tongue.
Obviously you’ll want to start with half the amount noted for the jalapeños for spicier chilis.
Then add according to taste for spiciness as you craft the filling of these delicious little fried dudes.
I am a jalapeño girl though, so I’ll be sticking with the original recipe over here 😉
Love all things SPICY?! Be sure to make this Chile Beer Sangria to go along with this appetizer and turn up the heat on your next gathering!
Jalapeño Avocado Cream Cheese Wontons
The creamy and spicy filling wrapped in crispy wonton wrappers makes these poppers a fantastic party appetizer (or afternoon snack...).
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese, room temperature
- 2/3 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- 2/3 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- 1 Avocado, peeled and pitted, mashed or cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Chopped Cilantro
- 3 jalapeños, seeded and diced
- 1 package Wonton Wrappers
- Canola Oil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, avocado, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, cilantro and jalapeños.
- On a clean work surface, lay out a wonton wrapper so a corner is pointed towards you (making it look like a diamond).
- Moisten the edges of the wrappers with water. Add 1 tsp of the filling in the center of the wonton wrapper.
- Fold the wrapper in half, over the filling. Start by pressing around the filling gently and pressing out towards the edges to seal. You want to make sure there are no air pockets by the filling so it seals properly. Repeat with the remaining filling and wonton wrappers.
- Heat 2 to 3 inches of canola oil in a heavy-bottomed large pot. Once the oil reaches 375°F on an oil thermometer, fry the wontons in batches of 3 to 4 at a time.
- Fry until golden brown, approximately 1 minute per side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Serve hot with a garnish of cilantro and sliced jalapeño, if desired.
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Erin @ The Speckled Palate says
Fairly positive that Winston and I could gobble down the entire batch of these beauties. Seriously, they’re SO perfect!
Susannah // Feast + West says
Dang girl, these look SO good. I definitely want to make these this weekend!
Jen says
Could I make these ahead of time and reheat??
Meghan B. says
Yes you can! I would just recommend reheating them in the oven so they stay as crispy as possible!
Lynn says
If you take these to a tailgate event, how do you reheat them? Cast iron skillet?
Meghan B. says
Hi Lynn! If you are going to be outdoors, I would recommend heating wrapping them in small foil packets (in groups of say 6 or so) and heating them in the cast iron skillet over medium/medium-high heat. It’s like creating a little oven in the foil for them to warm up in 😉
Kristen says
Can you do these in the oven?
Meghan B. says
Yes you can! Lightly grease a baking sheet and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Then once the wontons are made, add them to the baking sheet and lightly spray the tops with cooking spray. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown! Enjoy!
Fran says
Does the avacado turn brown?
Meghan B. says
Nope! It stays green!
Kristal says
Can you make them ahead and freeze them? Will avocado still be green?
Meghan B. says
I’ve never tried making them ahead and freezing them! I believe the avocados would likely brown if they are frozen for too many days though.
Chris M says
what kind of dip would go good with these?
Meghan B. says
I usually don’t use a dip with them, but I think a tomato-based salsa would be really good to counter the creaminess! Another option would be a cilantro lime dressing 🙂
Janet Lehman says
I serve them with a mango chutney – just a dollop on top of each one. Super delicious!
Meghan Y. says
Oooo I love the idea of adding chutney! I’m going to try that myself!
Olivia says
These taste do good but next time I will have to make some with out the seeds (LOL) for the wimps at the party 🙂
Meghan B. says
LOL! I understand that – they just can’t handle the heat! 😉
Susan Hirschinger says
This recipe will make a LOT of wontons! I made a few and plan to use the rest as a dip with crackers. Delicious!!
Dana S says
Excellent! Just made these and used a raspberry jalapeno jelly I got at a farmer’s market as a dipping sauce. It was a wonderful combination.
Lisa P says
These took a bit longer than the recipe stated. (But I had planned on that, so no worries.) These were EXCELLENT!! I took them to a party and they were scarfed up very quickly. Winner recipe!! Thank you!
Meghan Y. says
I’m so happy to hear that!!! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed them!
Lynn says
Can a person leave out the avocado from this recipe?
Meghan Y. says
I wouldn’t recommend leaving the avocado out, but you can always try it! Note that you will have less filling so you will end up with less wontons in the end.
Shana says
Can you air fry these?
Meghan Y. says
You sure can! Set to 380 degrees F and cook for 10 minutes!
Suzanne says
This looks so good! I’ve never had avocado in a wonton but what a great way to add some more healthy fats!
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Meghan Y. says
You can store them for a couple of days! I like to reheat in the oven so they get crispy again.