Jalapeno Cheese Bites

Jalapeno Cheese Bites are a delicious and beautiful holiday appetizer native to The Lone Star State. Some call this recipe “Mexican Cheese Fudge,” or “Texas Fudge,” but no matter what you call it, it’s darn delicious and a perfect holiday appetizer that’s keto friendly and gluten-free! You can also serve this as a Mexican egg casserole if you like.

Experience a true taste of Texas with this Lone Star classic Jalapeño Cheese bites recipe.  These easy cheese bites are a mixture of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, blended with pickled jalapenos, a hint of pimentos and garlic – all nestled in baked eggs, resulting in a fusion of flavors that’ll leave your taste buds doing the Texas two-step!

Why this recipe works

This Tex-Mex cheese appetizer recipe has been around the Texas party scene (in some form or fashion) forever, and it’s maintained its status as an awesome holiday appetizer because it serves a crowd (the recipe makes about 50 bite-sized pieces) and is perfect for breakfast, brunch or a high protein snack.

Since this Mexican baked egg recipe uses canned pickled jalapenos, it is not super spicy or hot and it’s easy to make, stores well and reheats beautifully!

• Simple ingredients – real cheese (no plastic or Velveeta™), eggs, seasonings, pickled jarred jalapenos and pimentos (optional). I add pimentos when I’m serving this as a Christmas appetizer because it looks pretty.
• Low carb and keto-friendly – who doesn’t like that on the old waistline
• Easy to make ahead – store in an airtight container and when you’re ready to serve, just pop ’em in the oven for a few minutes

Some recipes call for evaporated milk; I’ve found that makes this Mexican cheese dish too runny it takes too long for them to bake. Other versions, like Mrs. Renfro’s Mexican Fudge™, uses green salsa instead of jalapenos.

Here’s what you need

Make this Tex-Mex Jalapeno egg bake with just a few simple ingredients: 

• Shredded cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese – buy blocks of cheese – not pre-shredded (see Recipe Tips below)
• Eggs – you’ll need 9 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Butter – about a tablespoon; just enough to grease the baking pan
• Pimentos – diced and drained; you can substitute with roasted red peppers if you prefer.
• Pickled jalapenos – drained and chopped
• Garlic powder-just a pinch
• Salt to taste

How to make Jalapeno Cheese bites

This easy baked egg dish doesn’t take long to make and you can make it in advance if you need to clear up some of that precious kitchen space during the holidays! Here’s an overview of how to make it. For exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card below.

• Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with butter; preheat oven to 325ºF
• In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded cheeses, diced jalapenos and pimentos
• Pour this mixture into a lightly buttered baking dish
• Drizzle the lightly beaten eggs over the cheese mixture and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes
• The Jalapeno egg bake is done when the eggs reach an internal temperature of 160-165°F
• Allow the baked eggs to sit at room temperature for a few minutes; for best results, slice into 1″inch squares with a serrated knife

Serving suggestions

You can certainly serve this Mexican baked egg dish as a casserole if you prefer! It makes a great brunch dish, especially when paired with a spicy Bloody Mary or a Michelada. This recipe works great as a side dish, too! Pair it with your favorite

Make ahead, storage and reheating

Make these jalapeno Texas cheese bites up to one week in advance. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container. When you’re ready to reheat, either place in 200ºF oven uncovered or microwave for just a few seconds.

Freezing is not recommended because the texture of the eggs changes.

Variations

This Jalapeno egg recipe has a Mexican flair to it with the jalapenos; you could substitue the peppers with diced green chiles if you prefer.

If you wanted to do an Italian spin on this recipe, substitute the cheese with a creamy fontina and parmesan; add small diced tomato in lieu of the pimentos; add Italian seasonings to the eggs and bake as indicated.

Want a plain, yet flavorful version? Add finely diced onion and bell pepper to the Cheddar and Monterey Jack; season with a little salt and pepper and you’re done!

Be creative with your Jalapeno cheese bites! Serve at breakfast or brunch with a Bloody Mary and some spinach balls, Eggs Benedict and potatoes O’Brien!

Related recipes

• Spinach Balls
• Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
• Classic Cheese Fondue
• Hickory Smoked Almond Stuffed Dates
• Cheddar Cheese Wafers
• Jalapeno Creamed Spinach

If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment and rating! I love to hear from you!