Preheat the oven to 375°F and rub a little butter inside a 2-quart oval baking dish so nothing sticks.

In a large white mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sour cream with a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth and lump-free, about 1 minute.

Add 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar, half the crumbled bacon, the diced fresh jalapenos, the chopped pickled jalapenos, garlic powder, smoked paprika and salt. Stir with a spoon until the mixture turns pale and evenly speckled with orange, green and brown.

Spread the mixture into the prepared oval baking dish in an even layer, pushing it to the edges with the back of a spoon so every bite bakes through at the same rate.

Scatter the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar over the top in a thin, even layer.

In a small bowl, toss the crushed crackers with the melted butter until every crumb looks damp and glossy, about 30 seconds.

Sprinkle the buttered cracker crumbs evenly over the cheese layer, covering the surface completely so no bare dip shows through.

Bake on the center rack for 22 to 25 minutes, until the topping is deep golden brown and the cheese bubbles visibly at the edges of the dish.

Remove the dish from the oven and let the dip rest for 5 minutes; it is molten straight from the oven and needs this short pause to hold together when scooped.

Scatter the remaining bacon over the top, drizzle the hot honey across the surface in a thin zigzag, and finish with sliced green onion and a few extra pickled jalapenos.

Serve warm, straight from the baking dish, with a generous bowl of tortilla chips alongside for scooping.