Move Over Jalapeños — Pickle Poppers Are The Drool-Worthy Finger Food Of The Summer

Call us masochistic foodies, but there's something about spicy food that's so addicting. Even when our blazing tongues are asking us to stop, we just can't stop adding fuel to the fire. This is especially true with lava-like snacks like jalapeño poppers. But the good news is, you don't have to let your taste buds suffer any longer for an equally crunchy and cheesy treat with pickle poppers. Yes, you can increase your spice tolerance, but it's the same drool-worthy crowd favorite, with a little extra tang and without the merciless heat — perfect for the summer. You just need whole dills, softened cream cheese, garlic powder, and bacon (or deli ham). To create a fully addicting batch, you can even throw in ranch, which basically pairs well with anything.

The process for making them is pretty simple, especially if you've made jalapeño poppers before, though there are a few differences, like not needing to wear gloves to protect your skin or breadcrumbs to coat the pickles. Just mix all the ingredients in a bowl, which you'll slather on the dill pickle after you've cut it and removed the insides. Make sure to dry the pickle first, though, since it's wetter compared to jalapeños. Load it into a preheated 350-degree-Fahrenheit oven or into an air fryer at 400 degrees — your choice. What you'll have is a next-level finger food of the summer, with punchy and comforting flavors, and a crispy yet creamy texture that melts in your mouth.

For a crunchy bite without an overpowering pickle flavor, you could use the idea of a lumpia or Filipino spring roll. In its usual form, it's one of the traditional Filipino foods you need to try at least once. A bit different from how to make pickle poppers, you have to mix all the ingredients in a bowl, including the dill cut lengthwise, and tuck them into a lumpia wrapper, which might be available at your nearest Asian grocery store. You can even swap the bacon for ground pork to recreate the spirit of the classic Filipino finger food. And you don't have to cook the pork beforehand; it will be done after frying. This will give your pickle poppers a savory touch that works well with all the other ingredients.

Unlike with lumpia, you can ditch the sweet and spicy dip — we don't think the pairing will be pleasant. The lumpia pickle poppers will be good to eat on their own or, like how Filipinos enjoy their cheese sticks tucked into spring roll wrappers, you can make a mayo and ketchup dip to really seal the deal. Banana ketchup is preferred because in the Philippines, this fruit is used to make ketchup — and it's a popular choice among locals. Once you're done, you can even invite friends over, as lumpia is a festive dish that never goes missing at a Filipino party.