If you stay up at night craving those Jalapeño Poppers you had last game day, these smoked Beer Battered Texas Twinkies are gonna make you lose even more sleep. Made with the Limited Release Sam Adams Cold Snap Beer, this appetizer is so freakin’ delicious, you’ll wonder why it took you so long to make it.
The goodness starts with smoked jalapeño peppers stuffed with a brisket mixture and cream cheese. Each BBQ-spiced pepper is then wrapped in a tight slice of bacon, dunked in beer batter, and then fried in hot oil until golden brown.
Can you have just one? Heck no, it’s a flavor combo with a craveable taste so you will definitely be begging for one more. After the first bite of this savory Texan delight, your taste buds are gonna be doing the Texas two-step.
Post sponsored by Sam Adams Cold Snap
Sam Adams Cold Snap is one of those beers I reach for when I want something crisp but still full of flavor. It’s a hazy Belgian-style white ale brewed with citrus and spice, giving it a refreshing, lightly sweet finish. That balance makes it perfect for this recipe. It adds depth to the beer batter without overpowering the smoky bacon and brisket. Plus, it’s a great stand alone drink that pairs perfectly with the main dish!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love Beer-Battered Texas Twinkies
- How to Hold a Texas Twinkie together
- Beer Battered Texas Twinkies Ingredients Round-Up
- Jalapeño Poppers Prep
- Smoking
- Frying
- Serve The Texas Twinkies
- What to Serve with Deep Fried Texas Twinkies
- Storage & Leftovers
- More Jalapeno recipes!
- FAQs
- Beer Battered Texas Twinkies Recipe
Why You’ll Love Beer-Battered Texas Twinkies
First off, this simple yet epic jalapeño popper recipe is a great way to use leftover brisket (or your meat of choice) and turn it into something that tastes fresh. Keep in mind, this is not bland food. There’s intense heat from spicy jalapeños, which is balanced by the cream cheese and cheddar cheese mixture. Then you smoke the poppers low and slow. After that, a quick (but safe) dunk in the frying oil, and you’re ready to serve these beauties up with some spicy ranch or sour cream.
If you’re obsessed with Jalapeno Poppers, try these epic recipes next: Jalapeno Popper Egg Rolls, Venison Jalapeño Poppers, Shrimp Jalapeño Poppers, and Smoked Fried Jalapeño Poppers.
How to Hold a Texas Twinkie together
How do you keep the “twinkies” from falling apart in the hot oil? The trick is keeping everything secure before it hits the fryer. Wrap the bacon super tight. Avoid gaps. That’s how you get the perfect pairing of smoky and crispy without the bacon sliding off and ruining your day.
Beer Battered Texas Twinkies Ingredients Round-Up
- Jalapeño & Stuffing – Whole jalapeno peppers, cream cheese mixture, leftover brisket, cheddar cheese, bacon, and favorite BBQ seasoning. For more spice, use pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar or mix them up.
- Beer Batter – Sam Adams Cold Snap, flour, cornstarch, cracked egg, black pepper, savory garlic powder, kosher salt (or SPG), and optional onion powder.
Now that you know what to grab at the store (or add to your Instacart order for fast delivery), let’s walk through the steps to perfection.
Jalapeño Poppers Prep
Mix the stuffing first: cream cheese, shredded brisket, and cheddar cheese in a bowl. That’s your brisket mixture base.
Now grab a sharp pairing knife and cut a “T” on each pepper. The top cut goes just under the stem end across the top of the peppers, then make a straight vertical line down the length. Think “clean straight line,” not a hacked-up pepper. Scoop out the seeds and membranes carefully. Keep the stem if you can.
Stuff each pepper full with the cream cheese mixture.
Next, wrap bacon around each pepper as tight as you can. If you need two pieces of bacon, use two. If it wants to loosen, toothpick it. The goal is full coverage and no slipping.
Smoking
Preheat your smoker to 250F for indirect heat and add wood chunks. Set the poppers on a wire rack over a baking sheet (easy cleanup) or straight on the grates.
Your cooking time for the Texas Twinkies is about 90 minutes, or until the bacon is dark amber and crisp. Once they’re done, pull them off and chill them in the freezer for 15–20 minutes. This keeps the batter from sliding and helps the fry stay crisp instead of greasy.
Frying
To deep fry the Texas Twinkies, bring your hot oil (or beef tallow) to 350F.
Set up a two-step drenching process for the deep-fried Texas Twinkies. In a shallow pan or aluminum tray, combine the flour with salt, pepper, and garlic. In the second bowl, whisk together the Sam Adams Cold Snap, flour, cornstarch, and egg until the batter is smooth.
Dip each popper in flour first, then in batter, and carefully lower it into the oil. Fry for 3–4 minutes until golden brown and crunchy. Work in batches.
Pull them onto a paper towel-lined plate or a rack so excess oil drains off.
Serve The Texas Twinkies
Serve hot with spicy ranch, sour cream, or jalapeno wing sauce. This is the kind of snack that makes people stare for a second… then immediately reach for another. Serve ’em up and enjoy!
What to Serve with Deep Fried Texas Twinkies
These are bold, so keep the sides simple. Put them on a big tray with crunchy stuff and dips. They also work as the “wow” item next to tacos (yes, even your easy birria tacos recipe) if you’re building a full spread for people. And, don’t forget to pour yourself a tall glass of the Samuel Adams Cold Snap Beer!
Storage & Leftovers
Store any leftover Texas Twinkies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on a rack over a baking sheet in a 350F oven, or in an air fryer, until crisp again. Skip the microwave unless you like soggy bacon.
More Jalapeno recipes!
FAQs
Absolutely. Get as creative as you like. If you don’t have brisket, use a shredded honey adobo chuck roast, pulled pork, or even chopped steak. Want more cheese pull? Add a high temp cheese or creamy parmesan to the stuffing. Want a sweeter bite? Add a pinch of brown sugar to the rub.
Alternatively, make use of your leftover wild game or traditional German sausage instead of brisket. Or even some leftover homemade breakfast sausages would be tasty. Or fill the poppers with ground pork, a buttery blend of garlic, and some freshly chopped herbs (like fragrant basil) for a classic breakfast sausage seasoning with an herbaceous flavor.
If you really want to boost the umami, add a splash of soy sauce or a drizzle of Japanese BBQ sauce to the cream cheese mixture. Worcestershire sauce works great, too. Finish off with some chopped green onions.
A neutral oil, such as canola or peanut oil, works great. Beef tallow gives it a richer finish.
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Beer Battered Texas Twinkies
Ingredients
Jalapeno and Stuffing:
- 8-10 Whole Jalapeños
- 16 oz Cream Cheese
- 1 cup Shredded Smoked Brisket
- ½ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 10-12 Sliced Bacon
- Favorite BBQ Seasoning as needed
Beer Batter:
- 16 oz of Sam Adams Cold Snap
- 1.25 cups of Flour
- 2 tbsp of Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp of Salt Pepper and Garlic
- 1 Cracked Egg
Instructions
Smoking:
- Begin by mixing together the cream cheese, chopped brisket and cheddar cheese in one bowl.
- Next, take a jalapeno and slice a “T” shape with the top slice being underneath the steam and the long slice going the length of the pepper.
- Using gloves or a utensil, scoop out all the filling and seeds from the inside of the jalapeno. Be careful not to break the stem off.
- Once cleaned, stuff the pepper full of the cream cheese mixture. Next, take 1-2 slices of bacon and carefully wrap it around the whole jalapeno making sure to fully encase it. Season the outside of the bacon with your favorite BBQ seasoning and set to the side. Repeat this for all the other jalapenos until completed.
- Preheat your smoker/grill to indirect heat at 250F. Add some wood chips or wood chunks to the smoker for added smoke flavor.
- Add your jalapeno poppers to the smoker and let cook for about 90 minutes or until the bacon has become dark amber and crispy. Once done, pull them off and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to fully cool.
Frying:
- Preheat frying out to 350F.
- Add 2 cups of flour to a bowl with the SPG and mix.
- Add all the ingredients for the Sam Adams Cold Snap Beer Batter to a bowl and whip together.
- Pull out the cooled jalapeno poppers and place in the flour, then dip in the beer batter thoroughly.
- Add the jalapeno poppers immediately to the oil to fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden crispy brown. Once done, pull off and let cool.
- Serve with some spicy ranch or sour cream and enjoy!
