Smoked Texas Twinkies – Hey Grill, Hey

April 21, 2026

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These Texas Twinkies are slow-smoked, bacon-wrapped jalapeños stuffed with smoky brisket, cream cheese, and sharp cheddar, all seasoned with my signature Sweet Rub and drizzled with a little (optional) Texas Style BBQ Sauce.

Smoked Texas Twinkies

I love jalapeño poppers as much as anyone, and I’ve got the recipes to prove it. The sweet and spicy jalapeño, the rich cream cheese, the crispy bacon wrapping everything together: they’re the perfect game-day snack. These Texas Twinkies take a traditional popper and crank up the BBQ volume by adding smoked brisket to the filling. You read that right. Everything you already love about jalapeño poppers, but stuffed with tender, juicy, slow-smoked brisket.

This concept started at Hutchins BBQ in McKinney, Texas, and has been pretty viral the last few years (you can even order them premade!). My homemade version lets you take the BBQ levels even further with my signature Sweet Rub and Texas Style BBQ Sauce, all while putting your leftover brisket to good use. If you’re committed to always bringing this to the potluck, let’s smoke some Texas Twinkies!

Ingredients for Smoked Texas Twinkies

Jalapeños: You want large, fairly straight jalapeños. The larger your peppers are, the easier they’ll be to stuff. Plus, you want plenty of space for all that glorious brisket. Look for peppers uniform in size so they cook evenly.
Smoked brisket: Obviously, you can’t go wrong using a little leftover Texas Style Smoked Brisket. I’ve also got all kinds of brisket recipes to choose from if you want to branch out. Remember, this is what sets Texas Twinkies apart from ordinary jalapeño poppers.
Cream cheese: You want a full 8-ounce package, softened to room temperature. Trust me, it’s much easier to mix the filling if your cream cheese is soft first.
Sharp cheddar cheese: I love sharp cheddar because it adds a punch of flavor that holds up to the smoke and the heat from the peppers. You can also use regular cheddar cheese if that’s what you’ve got.
Bacon: You want enough bacon to use one slice per pepper. I prefer regular bacon slices here rather than thick cut. The thicker your bacon is, the longer it will take to render, and nobody wants chewy bacon.
Sweet Rub: This gets mixed with the filling and sprinkled on the bacon before smoking. The paprika adds to the smoky flavor, and the brown sugar helps the bacon crisp and caramelize beautifully. You can make your own batch following this recipe, or snag a bottle here.
Texas Style BBQ Sauce: This is optional, but I highly recommend basting with it during the last 30 minutes for a sticky, tangy glaze. You can grab a bottle here, or make your own following this recipe.

How to Make Smoked Texas Twinkies

Preheat the smoker. Set your smoker to 275 degrees F with your favorite hardwood. I like hickory or oak for these, but pecan works as well. If you’re using a charcoal grill or gas grill, set up for indirect heat.
Prep the jalapeños. Using a sharp knife, slice a T-shape into each jalapeño, cutting across just below the stem and then down the middle. Scrape out the seeds and insides, but leave the stems attached. Make sure to wear gloves when handling the jalapeños. Seriously.
Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine the chopped brisket, softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, and 1 Tablespoon of Sweet Rub. Stir with a rubber spatula until everything is mixed.
Stuff and wrap. Scoop the filling into each jalapeño until they’re full but still able to close. Once filled, wrap each one completely with a slice of bacon, tucking the ends underneath. Use toothpicks if the bacon won’t stay put. Season the outside of each jalapeño with the remaining Sweet Rub.
Smoke the Twinkies. Place the bacon-wrapped peppers directly on the smoker grates, close the lid, and smoke for about 90 minutes, or until the bacon is fully cooked and crispy. If you’re basting with the Texas Style BBQ Sauce, brush it on after the first 60 minutes and let it set during the final 30.
Rest and serve. Pull the Twinkies off the smoker and let them rest on a cutting board or serving platter for about 5 minutes. Drizzle with extra BBQ sauce or serve them as-is.

Susie’s Texas Twinkies Pro Tips

Use protection. When it comes to working with spicy peppers like jalapeños, gloves are a must. The capsaicin oil sticks to your skin and can cause unwanted irritation or worse. My Pitmaster Gloves are awesome for prepping your peppers (and managing them on the smoker later)! You can also use any food-safe gloves you have available, but please wear gloves.
Prep ahead. If you’ve got the time, make the filling beforehand. It holds well in the fridge overnight, which makes these easy for game day or party prep. Then, you can stuff and wrap your peppers right before they hit the smoker.
Size matters! Or rather, the same size matters. When selecting your jalapeños, look for peppers that are roughly the same size. This way your peppers will cook at the same rate so you have a nice, consistent texture in every bite.

More Stuffed Jalapeño Recipes

Easy Smoked Texas Twinkies Recipe

Make a batch of these Smoked Texas Twinkies for your next tailgate, potluck, or any other occasion when you need a show-stopping appetizer. Make sure to come back while you’re still riding that Backyard BBQ Hero high so you can drop a comment along with a 5-star review.

Remember to follow my Instagram and Facebook pages so you can tag @heygrillhey when you upload photos of your Texas Twinkies. I love cheering you on and seeing you pull off these recipes like a total pro!

Preheat the smoker. Set your smoker to 275 degrees F with your favorite hardwood.
Prepare the jalapeños. Slice a T-shape into your jalapeños, then remove the seeds.

12 large jalapeños
Stuff the jalapeños. Combine your smoked and chopped brisket, cream cheese, sharp cheddar, and 1 Tablespoon of the Sweet Rub in a large bowl. Use a rubber spatula to stir everything together, then scoop into your sliced jalapeños. You want the jalapeños full, but still able to close. Once filled, wrap each jalapeño completely with a slice of bacon. Sprinkle the bacon with the remaining Sweet Rub.

1 cup smoked brisket, 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, ¼ cup Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub, 12 slices bacon
Smoke the Twinkies. Place the bacon-wrapped Twinkies on the grates of your smoker, close the lid, and smoke for about 90 minutes, or until the bacon is fully cooked. Optional: baste with Texas Style BBQ Sauce after 60 minutes and continue cooking for the last 30 minutes.

½ cup Hey Grill Hey Texas Style BBQ Sauce
Serve and enjoy. Remove the smoked Twinkies to a serving platter to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Drizzle with your favorite BBQ sauce or enjoy as-is.