Every time I make these someone asks for the recipe and the first time I brought them to book club we ended up with none left by the time dinner started
Ingredients
- Cream cheese: brings the creamy rich base I like Philadelphia for its smooth melt
- Shredded cheddar cheese: adds sharp flavor look for blocks of cheddar and shred it yourself for best melt
- Fresh jalapeños: the real star be sure to choose firm peppers with glossy skin for perfect heat
- Egg roll wrappers: these fry up super crisp check the refrigerated section for freshest options
- Cooked bacon bits: add smoky crunch thick cut bacon works best if you make your own bits
- Garlic powder: simple pantry spice for savory depth choose fresh powder for best punch
- Onion powder: another savory boost make sure it is fresh for real flavor
- Salt: balances all the creamy and spicy notes use sea salt if you have it
- Black pepper: brings a subtle backnote grind fresh for the boldest taste
- Vegetable oil for frying: neutral oil like canola or sunflower keeps the flavor clean and crisp
Instructions
- Mix the Filling:
- In a large bowl blend the softened cream cheese until smooth then fold in shredded cheddar diced jalapeños cooked bacon garlic powder onion powder salt and black pepper Keep mixing until you cannot see streaks and everything looks evenly distributed Small pieces of jalapeño and bacon should be in every scoop
- Fill and Wrap:
- Lay one egg roll wrapper down with a corner facing you Spoon about two tablespoons of the filling into the center With clean fingers shape it into a log Gently fold the bottom corner over the filling then fold the sides in tightly Use a little water around the last edge so the wrapper glues shut Roll it up snug Repeat for each wrapper and keep them under a clean towel so they do not dry out
- Heat the Oil:
- Pour enough vegetable oil into a deep pan or heavy skillet so it comes up about two inches Heat it over medium to medium high flame Test the temperature with a tiny piece of wrapper it should immediately bubble and rise Oil should be shimmering but not smoking
- Fry the Egg Rolls:
- Gently slip several egg rolls in do not crowd the pan Fry each batch about three to four minutes turning them as needed for even color They should puff up and turn deep golden brown The cheese inside will melt lusciously as the crust becomes crisp
- Drain and Serve:
- Transfer fried egg rolls to a plate lined with paper towels Use a slotted spoon so extra oil drips off Let them rest just a minute before serving hot Give guests a variety of dips like ranch or chipotle for dunking
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