Description
Texas Twinkies are a spicy and savory appetizer featuring jalapeños stuffed with a creamy blend of cream cheese, cheddar, and leftover beef brisket, all wrapped in crispy bacon and finished with a smoky barbecue glaze. Perfect for parties or game day, this recipe combines smoky, cheesy, and spicy flavors in a delicious bite-sized treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Jalapeños
- 12 large jalapeños
Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese block, shredded
- 2 cups finely chopped leftover beef brisket
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
Wrapping and Glaze
- 12 slices bacon
- ¼ cup barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F and place a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Spray the rack with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Prepare jalapeños: Slice the tops off the jalapeños and carefully remove the seeds and membranes using gloves to avoid irritation.
- Make filling: In a bowl, combine softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, finely chopped brisket, and chili powder until well mixed.
- Fill jalapeños: Transfer the cheese and brisket mixture into a gallon-sized ziplock bag, cut off a corner to create a piping bag, and fill each jalapeño with the mixture evenly.
- Wrap with bacon: Wrap each stuffed jalapeño with one slice of bacon, ensuring the filling is sealed inside.
- Bake: Arrange the wrapped jalapeños on the prepared wire rack-lined baking sheet. Bake on the center rack for 10 minutes, then turn them over and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Broil with BBQ sauce: Remove jalapeños from the oven and brush with barbecue sauce. Set the oven broiler to low and place the jalapeños 6 inches under the broiler for 2 minutes. Watch closely to prevent burning.
- Cool and serve: Remove from the oven and allow the Texas Twinkies to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Use gloves when handling jalapeños to prevent skin irritation.
- Choose large jalapeños to hold more filling for better bite-sized portions.
- Leftover brisket works best, but you can substitute with ground chorizo or pork butt.
- If you can’t find pre-cooked brisket, purchase from a BBQ restaurant or prepare smoked beef brisket ahead of time.
- Watch jalapeños carefully during broiling to avoid burning the bacon or sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 twinkie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
