Smoked Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese

Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese is a creamy homemade mac and cheese loaded with flavor from bacon and jalapeños and topped with breadcrumbs. It is smoked on your electric smoker for a delicious flavor or you can bake it in the oven!

If you love Jalapeño Poppers you are going to flip over this mac and cheese. It’s cheesy, loaded with bacon and jalapenos, and the ultimate comfort food side dish when you want to wow your family and friends!

Creamy mac and cheese recipe loaded with your favorite flavors of Jalapeño Poppers? Sign me up!! I can’t pass up the flavor from bacon and jalapeños in the delicious Smoked Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese.

It has a bit of a kick to it and the flavors are amazing.

Making quick and easy dishes on the smoker is one of our favorite things as the temperatures cool off and we don’t want to babysit food on the grill. We love smoked mac and cheese, and this jalapeno popper mac and cheese is our new favorite version! And don’t forget to try out stuffed jalapeño popper burgers too.

Why this recipe works!

• You only need a cast iron skillet to make this recipe. It starts on the stovetop and then finishes in the smoker. It makes clean up easy!
• For this recipe, you cook the bacon and peppers first and then add the elbow macaroni and cheese sauce ingredients so they all cook together. This infuses the whole dish with the bacon and jalapeno flavor!
• The mac and cheese is smoked for 30 minutes so every bite has a delicious smoky flavor.
• Don’t have a smoker? No problem! You can make this a baked macaroni and cheese in the oven. I’m sharing the details later in the post.

When having friends and family over we are known for our Smoked Pork Loin because it’s so EASY for entertaining. I oftentimes pair it with this easy Smoked Potato Casserole but I think next time I’m going to surprise them with this delicious mac and cheese!

Ingredients Needed

If you’d rather skip my (very helpful, I think) tips and tricks, essential cooking info, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to this deliciously easy recipe – simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you can find the printable recipe card.

• Bacon
• Fresh jalapeños
• Cream Cheese
• Elbow Macaroni
• Water
• Whole Milk
• Heavy Cream
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Salt
• Ground Black Pepper
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Breadcrumbs

Steps to Prepare

Step by Step Photos Above!

• Prepare Bacon and Jalapeños – In a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat pan fry bacon, remove grease from pan. Add the jalapeños to the bacon in the skillet and cook 2-3 minutes.
• Make Mac and Cheese – Add the cream cheese to the skillet and mix until combined. Add the elbow macaroni, water, milk and cream to skillet and stir to combine. Simmer, stirring frequently until the noodles are just before al dente, about 7 minutes. Turn off heat and add in the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Next, add the cheese and stir until it is melted. Top with breadcrumbs and sliced jalapeños.
• Smoke Mac and Cheese – Place cast iron skillet on smoker at 300 degrees and smoke for a half hour.

Expert Tips

• Don’t buy the pre-shredded cheese. When you are making homemade mac and cheese use block cheese and shred it yourself using a block grater. It melts so much better and makes it extra creamy and gooey!
• Make sure you cook your pasta until it’s slightly less then al dente which is about 7 minutes for macaroni. This is because you will finish this mac and cheese in the smoker and it will continue to cook. You don’t want mushy noodles!
• Mix up your pasta for fun twists. Any tubular, short pasta will work in this recipe.

What kind of cheese is best to smoke?

Both mozzarella and cheddar cheese are great smoked! Other firm types of cheese that melt well, are also good like gouda, pepper jack, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, and Swiss cheese.

Avoid soft cheese types – they don’t hold up well and can take on too much smoke flavor.

What kind of wood chips are best for this recipe?

The best wood for jalapeno popper mac and cheese is a mild wood flavor like cherry, apple, maple, or pecan.

Can I make Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese in the oven?

Yes, you can make this a baked mac and cheese! Simply put it in the oven that has been preheated to 300 degrees F instead of the smoker and cook it for the same amount of time.

How do I make Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese spicier?

I removed the seeds and membranes from my jalapeños. To make this mac and cheese spicer simply do not remove the membrane or seeds when you dice your jalapeños.

If you are looking to make it even spicier you could add more jalapeños or use a pepper jack cheese.

I don’t have a cast-iron skillet. Can I use a baking dish?

Use a regular skillet to prepare the mac and cheese and then transfer it to a disposable foil pan before placing it on the smoker. If you want to bake the mac and cheese, you can transfer it to a regular baking dish.

More easy Smoker recipes to try!

Here are a few more of our favorite recipes that are prepared on your smoker. They are all easy and anyone can make them!

• Smoked Cheese Potato Casserole – Delicious potato casserole is made with hash browns and topped with a buttery Corn Flake topping then smoked for the ultimate flavor on your Traeger pellet grill.
• Smoked Meatloaf – This easy dinner recipe is full of smoked flavor and cheese!
• Easy Smoked Pork Loin – It has a delicious homemade rub and then is smoked on your Traeger until it is juicy and perfect.
• Smoked Potatoes – Seasoned with salt and pepper and drizzled with olive oil then get wrapped in foil and cooked on a smoker.
• Easy Smoked Chicken Breasts – Turn out perfectly tender and moist every time.

If you love this Smoked Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese as much as we do, please comment with a five-star rating! When you’re making a yummy recipe, be sure to tag me at @gimmesomegrilling or #gimmesomegrilling, enjoy!