Jalapeno Popper Pizza

Shelf the tomato-based pizza sauce, because this Jalapeno Popper Pizza is not only prepared with an easy, homemade pizza dough, it’s also made with a cream cheese spread. Loaded with lots of bacon, jalapenos, and mozzarella, this pizza is made to impress. Super flavourful with just the right amount of spice and heat, one slice is just a tease!

A few years ago, before the pandemic and lockdowns started, we ordered pizza every Friday night. After a long week of work and school, it was just what we needed to put the week behind us. Shortly after the lockdowns, we moved out of the city and into our house located in an extremely small town. Pizza delivery was not an option any more, so I opted to make homemade pizza – much like this Jalapeno Popper Pizza!

After a few months, I kept running into the problem of not being able to find our regular can of pizza sauce at grocery stores. We tried others, but I was never happy with them. I made a promise to myself that I would make a batch of pizza sauce as soon as I could get my hands on some summer fresh tomatoes. I was finally able to recreate a pizza sauce worthy of my delicious homemade pizzas. Because good pizza comes down to two things – great sauce and great dough! And my homemade pizza sauce doubles as a marinara-style dipping sauce too!

For this Jalapeno Popper Pizza, I paired my homemade pizza sauce with a creamy, speadable cream cheese-based sauce. So, my like my homemade jalapeno poppers, this pizza too has three different cheeses!

SPEAKING OF JALAPENO POPPERS…

I have a Jalapeno Popper recipe here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen. It’s quite popular and I think it’s because my popper uses three types of cheese. It’s the ultimate gooey cheesy jalapeno popper! I used to be quite weary about spicy foods like jalapenos. That might sound funny, but I used to be so afraid of anything spicy. I used to think that just by touching jalapenos I would put myself at risk. You see, I would surely be that one person who would rub his eye right after! It took me years to master the ability to eat spicy food.

You must understand, Dear Reader, I grew up in a house where the spiciest and hottest ingredient ever used was regular ground black pepper. Even that was used sparingly! Eventually, I was able to increase my heat/spice level tolerance bit by bit until I could comfortably eat a jalapeno. Now, I have jalapenos on hand quite regularly, and in the summer, I grow my own; and several other spicy peppers like cayenne, bonnets, fish peppers, big Jim’s, Bulgarian carrot peppers, and Portuguese hot peppers too.

Come to think of it, I probably add spiciness to almost everything I prepare for myself. Let’s take dried red chili flakes, for example. I use about a jar of those in one month because I load up on them all the time. Of course, I only use those when I make something for myself. If John.e is eating what I’m preparing, it’s back to the ground black pepper only! He’s good with a bit of spice, but only sparingly.

MY BEST PIZZA CRUST RECIPE

You can use store-bought, frozen pizza crust for this recipe. Or, you can make your own! My pizza dough recipe is going to be your new favourite pizza dough – trust me!  The dough takes about 15 minutes from start to finish.  And, you can optionally load the crust with seasonings like oregano, basil, and even dried red chili flakes for some heat!

To make homemade dough, fill a glass or metal mixing bowl with hot tap water. This will temper the bowl which is important to yeast activation and growth. Measure out 3/4 cup of water that’s 110 degrees F. Pour the water out of the bowl. Place one teaspoon of sugar into the bottom of the bowl and pour over the 3/4 cup of water. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast over the surface of the water and let sit for two minutes.

Next, whisk in 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour and any seasonings you would like too – again, these are optional! Use a wooden spoon to stir the flour into the water and oil until the liquid is absorbed. Use your hand to knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside to rise for 15 minutes. (Be sure to keep away from drafts or an open window.) Then, it’s ready to roll out and assemble your pizza!

HERE IS WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

FOR THE DOUGH:

• Active Dry Yeast – Do not confuse this with Instant Yeast.
• All Purpose Flour – No need for anything special. Just use regular all-purpose flour. I have not tried this recipe with any other type of flour.
• Sugar
• Olive Oil
• Water
• Salt
• Non-Stick Cooking Spray

FOR THE PIZZA:

• Cream Cheese – Use brick-style cream cheese. Be sure to sit it out at room temperature to soften.
• Milk
• Ground Black Pepper, Onion Powder, and Garlic Powder
• Pizza Sauce
• Cheese – Good mozzarella is the classic choice. Don’t buy the pre-shredded stuff. Buy a ball of mozzarella that you can tear with your hands or a ball that you can slice and layer onto the pizza.
• Bacon – I prefer low-sodium, thick-cut bacon, but you can use your favourite.
• Jalapenos – I’m using fresh jalapenos, but you can use canned or jarred too.
• Parmesan Cheese – This adds saltiness and lots of familiar pizza flavour.
• Fresh Basil and Fresh Parsley – You can use these or omit them. I love a good garnish!

PREPPING THE JALAPENOS

To properly prepare the jalapenos, these are the steps you should take. First and foremost, like in the case of all produce, you should wash the jalapenos. Once washed, cut the jalapenos into 1/4-inch slices. Trim the tail end and the stem; you can discard those.

Next, you have a choice. You can remove the seeds or leave them in. I used to painstakingly remove every single seed, but now I like to leave them in for heat. The seeds, and inner membranes, hold the most heat, so removing those can be a way to adjust the heat level. If you plan to remove the seeds, rather than slice the jalapenos, cut it down the middle lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and membrane with a spoon. You can dice the remaining jalapeno.

Be careful what you touch with your hands.  If you happen to touch your eyes after chopping jalapenos, it will be quite uncomfortable! If you’re worried, you can always use gloves and eliminate the risk.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Sometimes we need to make a main dish spread a little further. A sure way to do this is to serve it with really good sides. Typically, a pizza is served with salad, so why not do just that? You can serve a bolder-tasting salad like a Caesar, or something milder that will not compete too much with the flavour of the pizza like this Tomato Panzanella Salad.

In our home, we love to have potato wedges with pizza. These Paprika and Parmesan Potato Wedges are the most delicious I’ve ever tasted! I also love these pizza-flavoured potato wedges! We also love garlic bread with pizza. I know, it’s a lot of carbs, but it’s not like we eat like this every single day.

And, if you really want to go all in, I’d suggest these Homemade Mozzarella Sticks or these Jalapeno Poppers. Both of them are great sides and are super cheesy too!

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!