Barbecue lovers like to joke that any recipe for leftover smoked brisket must be a mistake—because let’s be honest, there’s never any leftover brisket. But the rise of the Texas Twinkie on the barbecue scene might just change that thinking.
A Texas Twinkie takes chopped smoked brisket and mixes it with cream cheese to create a rich, chunky filling. This smoky goodness is then stuffed into a giant jalapeño, wrapped in thick-cut bacon, and smoked a second time until the jalapeño softens and the bacon turns perfectly crispy. Finished with a glaze of barbecue sauce, it makes a compelling argument that brisket sandwiches shouldn’t be the only way we enjoy smoked brisket in Texas.
Some argue that it’s just another jalapeño popper—or even a variation of the (and yes, I can’t believe I’m writing this) ‘Atomic Buffalo Turd’—an old-school barbecue name for a 'little smokie' stuffed jalapeño. But let’s be real: in the great Texas court of public opinion, the Texas Twinkie has officially earned its spot on the menu.
So if, like me, you do somehow end up with leftover brisket (because let’s face it, brisket deviled eggs, brisket queso, and brisket sandwiches are all musts), then this legendary Texas barbecue recipe needs to be in your lineup!
The Introduction of Texas Twinkies Into Barbecue Culture
Sometimes, credit for historic recipes gets murky—hotly disputed and shrouded in culinary lore. Just look at the drama over the creation of the margarita or the Caesar salad to see how spicy things can get when defending who made the dish first.
When it comes to Texas Twinkies, a similar debate could arise. Although they’re now a staple in barbecue joints everywhere—from Dallas to Perth, Australia—the generally agreed-upon creator is Hutchins BBQ in North Texas. I believe they coined the term Texas Twinkies sometime between 2015 and 2019.
I can personally attest to being the first recipe blogger to create an at-home version of Texas Twinkies after seeing locals marvel over photos of them on social media around 2019. Living in the same metroplex as Hutchins, I stumbled across the idea when friends began sharing mouth-watering pictures of the dish on Instagram.
Naturally, I thought our readers would love it too. Our homemade version quickly went viral on Pinterest, with hundreds of thousands of people around the world sharing, making, and reviewing the recipe.
As with any hot new dish, everyone now has their own version, and many claim credit. However, I firmly believe that Hutchins BBQ was the first to create and name Texas Twinkies—and deserves recognition for bringing this legendary bite to the barbecue world.
How To Make Texas Twinkies
Ingredients You'll Need
- Chopped smoked brisket chunks, about 1/4 inch square, or smaller. Obviously you can use any leftovers, but morsels containing the bark are the most delectable
- A block of cream cheese, softened
- Any shredded cheese you like for a double hit of cheese (we like a melty cheese like monterey jack or cheddar cheese)
- Extra large jalapenos (or as big as you can find)
- Thick cut bacon
- Toothpicks
- Barbecue Rub
- Barbecue Sauce
- Any barbecue smoker, rolling your favorite smoke
Tips For Success
- Authentic Texas Twinkies are made with jalapenos as large as possible. It's worth a trip to your local Hispanic grocery store for the largest possible peppers if the standard grocery store only carries small peppers. Its easiest to find large jalapenos during the hottest months of the year.
- Thick cut bacon is best for sealing the mixture into the pepper with a sturdy wrap. Standard jalapeno poppers may work with thin bacon, but Texas Twinkies will be smoked for 40 minutes and need the additional thickness to seal in the filling.
- During the cold months you can make Texas Twinkies in an air fryer or oven, though they won't have identical texture to their smoked counterparts.
Prep Your Ingredients
Combine the chopped brisket, cheese, and cream cheese in a medium bowl or food processor, and pulse until it all comes together. The cream cheese acts as a binder and the pepper jack cheese provides a nice string pull.
Slicing The Jalapenos And Filling Them
Prepping the Jalapeños
Before you start, we highly recommend wearing latex gloves when handling peppers to prevent skin irritation and avoid accidentally touching your face (trust us, pepper burn is no joke!).
For cutting the jalapeños, we use a technique called the T-cut, commonly used in chile rellenos, another stuffed pepper dish. This method involves making a vertical slit down one side of the pepper and a horizontal cut across the stem end, forming a T-shape.
Once cut, remove the seeds and ribs using a small spoon or paring knife—the edge of a spoon works especially well for scraping them out. If you’re not wearing gloves, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water afterward. And whatever you do, avoid touching your face!
Now, it’s time to fill the jalapeños with the cream cheese mixture. Since the mixture is dense, you can simply mash it in—it holds together really well.
For best results, place the filled peppers on a baking sheet or wire rack and refrigerate them for about an hour before wrapping them in bacon. Chilling the filling helps it firm up, making the bacon-wrapping process much easier and less messy.
Choosing The Right Bacon For Texas Twinkies
When first testing this recipe, we assumed thin-cut bacon would be the best option for achieving a crispy, well-rendered exterior. However, after testing multiple brands, we quickly realized that not all "thick-cut" bacon is created equal—every brand has a different standard for thickness.
We tested generic store-brand bacon, Wright’s thick-cut bacon, and Hormel thick-cut bacon. While we’re not advocating for any specific brand, our goal was to determine which thickness worked best for sealing the stuffed jalapeños while still crisping up beautifully in the smoker.
Here’s what we found:
- Thin bacon shrank significantly during cooking, causing the filling to become exposed to the grill grates.
- Very thick bacon (like Wright’s brand) produced a meatier, more filling bite, but it was trickier to wrap around the peppers due to its sturdiness. Bringing it to room temperature before wrapping helped make it more pliable.
- Standard "thick-cut" bacon (such as Hormel’s Black Label) wasn’t as thick as Wright’s but still held up well and created a tight wrap without filling loss.
Ultimately, the best method was using a good, solid wrap of 1 ½ to 2 slices of bacon per jalapeño. Keep a paring knife handy to trim as needed while wrapping. Don’t worry if two pieces don’t seem to "seal" together—as they roast, they’ll naturally bond, creating the perfect crispy, bacon-wrapped bite.
How To Wrap A Texas Twinkie
Set up your workspace with your unwrapped bacon, paring knife, cutting board, jalapenos, and toothpicks within reaching distance. Lay a slice of bacon out and place a filled jalapeno pepper on top of it, always starting near the stem.
Wrap the bacon tail up and over the pepper tightly. Skewering with toothpicks as you go.
Top Tip
If you need to pre-prep your twinkies before a party, assemble them fully up to this point and keep them refrigerated and wrapped in plastic wrap. They can be moved to the smoker and cooked in batches straight from the refrigerator.
Smoking Texas Twinkies
Texas Twinkies should be smoked at 375°F for 30-40 minutes over indirect heat. If you're smoking other meats at the same time, you may need to adjust the smoke time slightly to accommodate the additional items on the smoker.
While 375°F is quite hot for smoking, we find this necessary to ensure the bacon crisps properly. If you’re smoking at a lower temperature, consider transferring the peppers to a baking sheet and finishing them under the broiler in your oven for a few minutes to achieve crispy perfection.
Best Woods for Smoking Texas Twinkies
You can use any type of wood smoke, but for authentic Texas barbecue flavor, we recommend:
- Post Oak (the gold standard for Texas BBQ)
- Hickory (adds a rich, smoky flavor)
- Mesquite (for a bold, earthy kick)
- Pecan (a slightly sweet, nutty flavor)
Cooking Texas Twinkies in an Oven or Air Fryer
After these went viral, many readers reached out for alternative cooking methods without a smoker. Here’s how to make Texas Twinkies using an oven or air fryer:
- Oven Method:
- Bake at 425°F for 30-40 minutes on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- For extra crispy bacon, switch the broiler on for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Air Fryer Method:
- Cook 4 at a time at 375°F for 30 minutes.
- Watch closely, as air fryers vary in strength by brand.
- Important: Make sure your air fryer is completely emptied of grease before cooking, as Texas Twinkies release a lot of bacon fat, which can accumulate in the bottom.
Question
Are Texas Twinkies an Appetizer or a Main Dish?
Honestly? They’re whatever you want them to be!
At barbecue joints, chefs have access to extra-large jalapeños from restaurant vendors, making Texas Twinkies hefty enough to rival a stuffed pepper and easily qualify as a main dish.
In home kitchens, jalapeños tend to be smaller, meaning you’d likely need 3-4 per person to make a full meal—especially when served alongside classic BBQ sides like potato salad or smoked baked beans.
That said, they also shine as an appetizer! Just like spicy poppers, Texas Twinkies are perfect for game days, backyard barbecues, parties, and potlucks—anywhere you want a bold, smoky bite that’ll disappear fast!
How to Store & Reheat Leftover Texas Twinkies
- Storage:
- Allow leftovers to cool completely before storing.
- Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days.
- Freezing cooked Texas Twinkies is not recommended, as the texture may suffer.
- However, you can freeze fully assembled, uncooked Twinkies (wrapped in bacon) and smoke them at a later date.
- Reheating:
- Air Fryer: Heat at 375°F until warmed through.
- Microwave: Heat 1-2 Twinkies on a plate for about 2 minutes.
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Texas Twinkies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lbs chopped brisket from the fatty side the point, or store bought
- 1 1/2 T. salt
- 1 1/2 T. black pepper
- 1 t. cumin
- 1 c. pepper jack cheese freshly grated
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 2 packages of bacon about 24 strips
- 14 extra large jalapeno peppers
- Sweet Barbecue Sauce Of Your Choice
- Special Tools: Toothpicks
Instructions
- In a large bowl or food processor, combine the cream cheese, shredded cheese, chopped brisket, and spices. Pulse several times to combine and mix well. Chill the mixture while you prepare the jalapenos.
- Prepping the jalapenos, start with fresh whole jalapenos. For cutting open the jalapenos: On a cutting board, make one cut from the stem all the way down to the tip with a sharp paring knife. Repeat with the remaining jalapenos. Over the kitchen sink, use a small spoon with a sharp edge to scrape the seeds and ribs from the pepper. Wash the seeds and ribs down the sink. Repeat with the remaining jalapenos and then wash your hands well.
- Fill every jalapeno with the filling, nearly to overflowing (see photos). Prepare all the items you will need to wrap with bacon-- a cutting board and sharp knife, toothpicks, filled peppers, and bacon slices already opened and laid out for easy access.
- Using the photos above as your guide wrap the bacon around the stuffed jalapenos starting at the stem and traveling around the pepper. Most peppers need 2 pieces of bacon depending on the size of your jalapenos. Secure with toothpicks and reserve. Repeat with the remaining peppers.
- Preheat your smoker to 375 degrees. (We assume it would work to use an oven set to the same temperature, but we have never tested this.) Lay the peppers on the smoker. Smoke at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.
- Turn the broiler of your oven on high. Place the Texas Twinkies on a cookie sheet lined with foil and coat with sweet barbecue sauce. (We recommend the Dr Pepper Barbecue Sauce or the Cherry Bourbon Barbecue Sauce on Urban Cowgirl!) Coat well and broil just for a minute until the sauce thickens and becomes sticky. Repeat if desired. Serve hot with additional barbecue sauce or a drizzle of homemade ranch dressing.
Keith says
What shredded cheese's have you tried or would consider in place of pepper jack?
Sarah Penrod says
Monterey Jack. Cheddar would be nice. You can also just use cream cheese.
George says
Been making these per this recipe for awhile and they're always a huge hit. Finally did the last batch in the smoker instead of oven and it tightens up the bacon even better and contributes to the flavor tremendously. I'm wanting to smoke a chicken and then shred it to use in the filling. Ever tried it? Thoughts on using the other ingredients the same as for brisket? Figured it would be good to offer chicken ones for those non-beef extraterrestrials out there.
Sarah Penrod says
Sounds awesome!
Brandon says
Smoking these at a campground in a smoker. If I don't have an oven to broil with, what should I crank the smoker up to for crisping the bacon up quickly without burning?
Sarah Penrod says
Just walk it across the fire. Crank the heat and get the bacon crispy.
Dawn says
Admittedly, I jumped right to the recipe. So I had to go back and find it. Because the ingredient list does not specifically say cooked or raw brisket. I did notice in the video you used leftovers.
Sarah Penrod says
Thanks Dawn, I will clarify this in this recipe. I hope you enjoyed it!
Ronnie says
I found my answer toward the end of the comments! Thanks
Ronnie says
Have you tried this with pulled pork?
Sarah Penrod says
Yes and its really good!
Chris says
Made these several times with pulled pork, various shredded cheeses, and various sauces. The thai sweet chili sauce is the best in my opinion.
kimmie sesnon says
I would love to know how far in advance you could prep these before you cook them. Thanks
Sarah Penrod says
I wouldn't prep further out than 3 days.
Tammy Smiley says
How can I get your cook book ? I love recipe you have on here ! I would love to have your cookbook! Please
Sarah Penrod says
Hi Tammy! It's on Amazon and I will be doing a sale for Christmas with autographed copies from me. Make sure to join the newsletter list and you will be sure to know about it first!
Beverly Schafer says
Recipe calls for 1 1/2 T salt (T usually stands for tablespoons). Is that right, sounds like a lot of salt.
Sarah Penrod says
Hi Beverly, it is tablespoons but I do use kosher salt so the flakes are bigger. It's quite a lot of filling to season. Maybe, go one teaspoon at a time and taste as you go until you think it has enough flavor. Hope this helps! - Chef Sarah
Stacey says
I had some leftover filling so I wrapped it in wonton wrappers, fried them, and dipped it in Asian chili sauce. Yummy!
Sarah Penrod says
That sounds so good! Brisket rangoons!!!
Greg says
Holy guacamole, my mouth is watering right down my chin. Never heard of Texas Twinkies before but my jalapenos are coming in jumbo size right now and I want to make something else besides cowboy candy and poppers.
Sarah Penrod says
Now here I am sitting in Mexico, drinking coffee under a palapas in the rain and I receive this comment. Thank you Greg! You cracked me up big time!
Greg says
@Sarah Penrod, YW, just my sense of humor.
So I made a special trip to the grocery store to get a packer brisket this morning... they had split the points from the flats and all the points were gone. #%&$*! Then the butcher pointed to the brisket burgers in the case, there's the point meat... boom! It's hotter than a lit match here right now so smoking brisket burgers is good enough for me.
Sarah Penrod says
You are a trip Greg! 🙂 And you know and you can always just run by the barbecue shop and pick up 1 lb. of chopped brisket for this recipe. I do it all the time because this recipe is already a lot of work. You can also make little freezer bags of leftover smoked brisket and keep them in the freezer for when you want Texas Twinkies! - Sarah
Ladonna says
My family likes bacon bite and cream cheese for the filling.
Sarah Penrod says
That sounds tasty too! I have done pulled pork as well!
Louise johnson says
Can I make them freeze them and wrap bacon on them and cook
Sarah Penrod says
You can make completed Texas Twinkies wrapped in bacon and then freeze them. You can make stuffed peppers, freeze them, defrost them later and then finish wrapping them in bacon and smoking them. I would defrost them before placing them on the smoker. I don't have any experience smoking frozen Texas twinkies, but they only take about 40 minutes on most smokers, so I wouldn't recommend trying to defrost and cook them at the same time.
Richard says
I'm confused. The recipe calls for 14 jalapeno peppers. The note below the bottom of the recipe says the yeild is 28. Should the recipe ingredients be 14 or 28 jalapenos?
Sarah Penrod says
It makes 14 Texas Twinkies, I'll look into this! Thank you Richard. 🙂
Starr Hill says
Got a question. Do you think you could make this without the peppers? My husband does not like any kind of peppers. Would it hold together by just wrapping bacon around the filling?
Sarah Penrod says
I would be afraid to tell you that works without trying it. If he doesn't like jalapenos, you could try another less spicy pepper. I have seen poblanos used. I can't really think of a substitute for that shape!
Bill says
@Sarah Penrod,
you could use a manicotti shell, then wrap that in bacon. I par boil my manicotti before stuffing it. Similar to smoked shotgun shells
Sarah Penrod says
I have heard of these and I have been thinking of doing them! Just weren't sure if they were just a fad like smoked oreos or if they were actually worth doing! - Chef Sarah
Eugene Stoneking says
Why Not Just Put The Brisket In The Food Processor , Give It A Few Chops And Then Add All The Rest ??? Would Save Your Arms From All The Chopping , And It Mushes Up Everything Anyway !!!
Sarah Penrod says
I've done both ways. Either works! I used the food processor in the video but I have since learned that I prefer mashing it up with a fork so you can see the little pieces of brisket. But they are tasty both ways. 🙂 Sarah
Austin says
I rub the outside with brown sugar before smoking then use maple syrup to glaze once they’re done
I am addicted
Bruce Webster says
Made these for the first time today. This is one of those recipes that actually tastes as wonderful as it looks. About to eat my third.
Joyce Barnes says
If I use pablano peppers do I have to do anything to the peppers before I stuff them?
Sarah Penrod says
They could work in this recipe, but their firmness and texture is different than jalapenos. We're very curious if this worked out for you and how much bacon was required to wrap a full poblano. Hope it worked well for you! - Sarah
CE says
Poblano peppers need to be pre roasted to get the tough skin off.
Rick Happ says
I don't understand something. What's this stuff you call "leftover brisket" and how does one get that stuff? We never have that at our house!
Sarah Penrod says
😀 We make too much! That's how. 🙂
Richard says
@Rick Happ, We have an excellent barbecue restaurant near us. I am going to just buy a pound of smoked brisket from them.
Roberto says
I made this today. My first try at Texas Twinkies, and this was better than I could have ever expected. Easy to follow an delicious when done. I used half Anaheim Peppers because the family was afraid of half Jalapeños. Both came out pretty mild even with the pepper jack cheese. I put them in the oven for the same amount of time and it was just fine (as long as your smoke detectors are not too sensitive lol). Thanks for sharing, definitely a keeper
Sarah Penrod says
Thanks Roberto! That sounds delicious! We love Anaheim peppers around here so we will have to try that out.
Paul says
I used leftover smoked pulled pork and smoked Gouda cheese (hard to find pepper jack here). Awesome!
Sarah Penrod says
I like that about this recipe too. You can just switch stuff in and out. Sometimes we want to make these but its at the beginning of a barbecue so there is no brisket yet, and buying brisket at Rudy's is expensive when you are about to make your own. You can do bbq chicken, pork-- my hispanic girlfriend did shrimp the other day on Facebook Live! They all turn out delicious. But brisket is my favorite. 🙂
Kelley Massey says
I stole this recipe from a Houston police officer over 20 years ago at his son's high school graduation party, but they've always been know as Armadillo Eggs. His recipe had only cream cheese, freshly minced garlic, and cubed sharp cheddar as a filling. You can imagine how the inside appeared when bitten into, hence the name. Over the years, i've stuffed then with everything but the kitchen sink, and leftover brisket! Chorizo is a fave addition to the creamed cheese filling, but guess what I'm in possession of right now!?! 3/4 of a brisket! Guess what I'm making tomorrow. *DingDingDing* You guessed it! Thanks for sharing your recipe, can't wait to try it!
Sarah Penrod says
Hi Kelley! Armadillo Eggs, as I understand it have pork breakfast sausage inside! At least, that's how HEB makes them and how I have seen other bloggers make them. Also, some people do cream cheese and then wrap them in bacon. Texas Twinkies have the brisket, and shark eggs (also on the blog) have a kind of deviled crab mixture and are inside a jalapeno but they are usually fried. I guess we just love stuffing jalapenos with anything we can get! Happy Cooking, Sarah
Jesus Rodriguez says
Will try this recipe on Sunday can't wait
Dionalyn Kelly-Handt says
I love Chorizo!!! I have to make this recipe with chorizo, and need to research a mild type of pepper. Thanks for sharing!
Wyatt Ellsworth says
You can also use an Airfryer set to 375 for 10 minutes
Sarah Penrod says
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know. I know that will be really helpful to some people. 🙂