Jalapeño Pimento Cheese Recipe (Creamy & Spicy)

There aren't many things more Southern than homemade pimento cheese, and this Jalapeño Pimento Cheese recipe gives the classic Southern spread a little kick.

This recipe actually came together after I made my friend Trey's Smoked Gouda Pimento Cheese with Bacon. Trey had put me onto his version of pimento cheese, and after making it, I started thinking about what other variations I could come up with.

One that kept coming to mind was pimento cheese with jalapeño.

At the same time, I was thinking about an old-fashioned pimento cheese recipe my mother-in-law makes. It's one of those family recipes that's been around for years, and I'll eventually share that recipe here, too—but that's for another day.

For this recipe, I started experimenting with ideas from both.

borrowed the softened cream cheese idea from my buddy Trey’s smoked Gouda pimento cheese recipe and brought in the pepper jack cheese from my mother-in-law’s family recipe, along with sharp cheddar. Then I added my own twist with pickled jalapeños and just a little of their juice for extra tang and flavor.

After playing around with it, I landed on this version.

And of the pimento cheese recipes I've made so far, I think this may be the best one yet.

Why You'll Love This Jalapeño Pimento Cheese

What I like about this recipe is that the jalapeños don't overpower the pimento cheese.

There's definitely a little kick, but I wouldn't call it overly spicy. The sharp cheddar and pepper jack give it plenty of cheese flavor, while the cream cheese and mayonnaise make everything rich and creamy.

I chose pickled jalapeños instead of fresh jalapeños for a reason. Besides adding some heat, they bring acidity and tanginess that help cut through the richness of all that cheese and mayonnaise.

I even add about a teaspoon of the pickled jalapeño juice to the mixture.

If you're not normally a fan of spicy food, I'd still give this one a try. Pickled jalapeños aren't overwhelmingly hot, and the cheese, cream cheese, and mayonnaise help mellow out some of that heat.

It's creamy, tangy, cheesy, a little spicy, and loaded with bits of pimento and jalapeño in every bite.

Ingredients You'll Need

You don't need a long list of ingredients to make homemade jalapeño pimento cheese. Most of the flavor comes from the cheeses, pimentos, and pickled jalapeños.

Here's what you'll need:

Sharp cheddar cheese: I use one 8-ounce block and shred it myself. Sharp cheddar gives you that familiar flavor you expect from Southern pimento cheese.

Pepper jack cheese: You'll also need one 8-ounce block of pepper jack. It adds another layer of pepper flavor and a little extra kick without making the finished spread too spicy.

Cream cheese: I use 8 ounces. I prefer softened cream cheese because it's much easier to combine with the mayonnaise, pimentos, jalapeños, and seasonings before adding the shredded cheese. That's a trick I picked up from Trey.

Mayonnaise: I prefer Duke's mayonnaise. It has a tang that works really well in pimento cheese, but use whichever mayonnaise you prefer.

Pimentos: One 4-ounce jar is just right. I drain off some of the juice but intentionally leave a little behind.

Pickled jalapeños: I use ¼ cup of chopped pickled jalapeños. They add heat, acidity, and tang without overwhelming the other ingredients.

Pickled jalapeño juice: About 1 teaspoon of juice from the jar adds even more flavor and helps loosen the creamy base before the shredded cheese goes in.

Black pepper: Just ¼ teaspoon is enough.

Salt: This is optional and should be added to taste. The cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos, and pickled jalapeños already bring plenty of flavor, so taste it before adding salt.

The complete measurements and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

I’ve picked up quite a few favorite kitchen tools over the years, along with certain brands I’ve come to trust. If you’re curious about what I use in my own kitchen, I keep them all together on my Kitchen Essentials page.

Freshly Grated Cheese Makes a Difference

You can make pimento cheese with pre-shredded cheese, but I prefer buying blocks of cheese and grating them myself.

For this recipe, I use equal amounts of sharp cheddar and pepper jack.

Freshly grated cheese has a texture that works especially well in homemade pimento cheese. You can still see and taste those individual strands of cheese instead of everything disappearing into one smooth spread.

And honestly, grating two blocks of cheese doesn't take very long.

I use a simple box grater to shred both cheeses. You don't need anything fancy, but a good sharp grater makes quick work of two 8-ounce blocks of cheese.

Don't worry about making every strand perfectly uniform. This is homemade pimento cheese. A little texture is exactly what we're after.

Why I Use Pickled Jalapeños in Pimento Cheese

This was one of the decisions I made early on when developing the recipe.

Fresh jalapeños would certainly work, but I wanted more than just heat.

Pickled jalapeños have that vinegary tang and acidity that work especially well against rich ingredients like cheddar, pepper jack, cream cheese, and mayonnaise. They still give you jalapeño flavor and a little heat, but that acidity helps balance everything out.

That's also why I add about 1 teaspoon of the jalapeño juice from the jar.

It's a small amount, but don't overlook it.

Along with the little bit of liquid I leave in the pimentos, it adds flavor and helps the cream cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos, jalapeños, and seasonings come together before I fold in all that freshly shredded cheese.

The mixture may seem a little loose at first, but don't worry. The cheese absorbs some of that moisture as the pimento cheese rests in the refrigerator.

How to Make Jalapeño Pimento Cheese

Making this jalapeño pimento cheese recipe is easy, but I like to mix the creamy ingredients together first and add the shredded cheese afterward.

1. Shred the cheese

Grate 8 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese and 8 ounces of pepper jack cheese.

Set the shredded cheese aside while you make the creamy base.

2. Make the pimento cheese base

Add the softened cream cheese and mayonnaise to a large mixing bowl.

Add the lightly drained pimentos, chopped pickled jalapeños, about 1 teaspoon of pickled jalapeño juice, and black pepper.

Mix until everything is well combined.

I like making the base first because the extra liquid from the pimentos and jalapeños helps loosen the cream cheese and makes it easier to distribute everything evenly.

3. Fold in the shredded cheese

Add the freshly shredded sharp cheddar and pepper jack to the bowl.

Fold everything together until both cheeses are evenly coated and the pimentos and jalapeños are distributed throughout.

Taste and add salt if you think it needs it.

4. Refrigerate before serving

You can eat it right away—and I'm certainly not going to stop you—but I think this recipe is better after it has had some time in the refrigerator.

Cover the pimento cheese and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours before serving.

That gives everything time to come together, allows the cheese to absorb some of the extra moisture, and lets all those flavors get acquainted.

And in my opinion, it gets even better the next day.

What Does Jalapeno Pimento Cheese Taste Like?

This isn't what I'd call an extremely hot pimento cheese.

You get the sharpness from the cheddar first, along with the creamy richness of the cream cheese and mayonnaise. The pepper jack brings a mild pepper flavor, and then the pickled jalapeños give you a tangy little kick on the back end.

The pimentos add their familiar mild sweetness, while the pickling liquid brings enough acidity to keep the spread from feeling too heavy.

There's a lot going on, but it still tastes like pimento cheese.

That's important to me.

I wasn't trying to make something so spicy that the jalapeños covered up everything else. I wanted a spicy pimento cheese that still had the creamy, cheesy character of the Southern classic.

And because the cheddar and pepper jack are freshly grated and folded into the creamy base rather than blended smooth, there's plenty of texture in every bite.

Let Your Pimento Cheese Rest Before Serving

This may be the hardest part of the whole recipe.

Wait.

I recommend refrigerating the finished pimento cheese for at least two hours before serving it.

That resting time does two things. First, the flavors have a chance to blend together. Second, the shredded cheese absorbs some of the moisture from the pimentos and jalapeño juice, which helps everything settle into the right consistency.

This is also a great recipe to make the day before you need it.

I've found that the flavor gets even better after sitting overnight.

What to Serve With Jalapeno Pimento Cheese

Crackers are probably the easiest answer—and there's absolutely nothing wrong with keeping it that simple.

Pile the pimento cheese into a bowl, put out a sleeve of your favorite crackers, and let everybody dig in.

You could also serve it with toasted baguette slices, crostini, pretzels, celery, or other fresh vegetables.

And don't think of it only as an appetizer.

Spread it between two slices of bread for a jalapeño pimento cheese sandwich, add it to a burger, or use it anywhere you'd normally use traditional pimento cheese.

Once I publish my family's old-fashioned pimento cheese recipe, I'll link it here as another option for anyone who wants the more traditional version.

How to Store Homemade Pimento Cheese

Keep your pimento cheese covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Since it contains cheese, cream cheese, and mayonnaise, keep it refrigerated until you're ready to serve, and return leftovers to the fridge afterward.

The texture will firm up when it's cold. If you prefer your pimento cheese a little softer, let it sit out briefly before serving and give it a good stir.

I actually think this recipe tastes better after a day in the refrigerator, so don't be afraid to make it ahead.

More Southern Sandwich Spreads to Try

If you enjoy this jalapeño pimento cheese, I've got a few more Southern sandwich spreads worth trying. My Southern-Style Egg Salad Recipe is an easy classic that's great for sandwiches or crackers, while my Southern Tuna Salad Recipe is another simple lunch favorite.

And if you're looking for another twist on pimento cheese, don't miss my Smoked Gouda Pimento Cheese with Bacon. It's smoky, cheesy, loaded with bacon, and very different from the tangy jalapeño version here.

Jalapeño Pimento Cheese FAQs

A New Favorite Pimento Cheese Recipe

This recipe started with two different pimento cheeses.

There was my friend Trey's Smoked Gouda Pimento Cheese with Bacon, which gave me the idea of using softened cream cheese, and there was my mother-in-law's old-fashioned family recipe that got me thinking about taking pimento cheese in another direction.

I borrowed a little inspiration from each, added pepper jack and pickled jalapeños, and eventually landed here.

And I think this may be my favorite one yet.

I'll share that old-fashioned family pimento cheese recipe another day. Until then, if you like pimento cheese but want something with a little more kick and tang, give this one a try.

If you make it, let me know what you think in the comments.