Name: Candied Jalapeños
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 pound fresh jalapeños (21 peppers); 2 cups white sugar; 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon celery seed; 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

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Candied jalapeños, aka cowboy candy, is a delicious way to use up jalapeños when your garden has produced more than you know what to do with. Sweet and spicy these jalapeno rings are sticky sweet and addictively delicious.

Candied jalapeños, aka cowboy candy in a canning jar

Candied Jalapeno Ingredients

Fresh jalapeños (21 peppers) – I leave the seeds and membranes attached, remove them if you want less heat
Sugar – white granular sugar
Apple cider vinegar – great flavor profile but white vinegar can be substituted
garlic powder –
celery seed –
ground turmeric – adds great yellow color as well as flavor
red pepper flakes – add more if you like it hotter (cayenne pepper can be substituted)

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More jalapeno recipes:

jalapeño honey
Mexican corn dip
Tex-Mex eggrolls
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Plum Habanero salsa (substitute in jalapeno)

How to make candied jalapeños

Prepare the jalapenos by using a sharp knife to slice the Jalapeños into uniform 1/8 – to 1/4-inch rounds. Be sure to wear food-safe gloves to protect your hands from the capsaicin.
Prepare canning jars in a hot water bath.
In a medium-size pot or dutch oven, bring to a rolling boil, the sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, celery seed, turmeric, and red pepper flakes.
Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup starts to reduce.
Add sliced jalapeños and stir to coat completely.
Bring the mixture back up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes but then stir continually the final 2 minutes.
Remove the candied peppers from the syrup and place into half-pint jelly jars.
Carefully pour the syrup into jars, cover the peppers and allow to cool. Cover with lid and store in the refrigerator.
To water bath can the peppers, after pouring the syrup over the candied peppers, leave 1/4″ headspace, wipe the rim, place on a new lid and finger tighten a ring on the jar. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Canning instructions:

Place the filled jars in a water bath canner, be sure the jars are covered with 2 inches of water.
Bring the water to a full rolling boil.
With the water boiling, set a timer for 10 minutes for half-pint jars or 15 minutes for pints.
Use canning tongs to transfer the jars to a cooling rack.
Leave them to cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours.
When cool, wipe the jars clean with a damp washcloth and label.
Check for sealed jars, store unsealed jars in the refrigerator.

Ways to serve candied jalapenos

As a topping for a burger
Poured over a brick of cream cheese, served with crackers
Part of a charcuterie and cheese board.
In a grilled cheese sandwich
As a topping on walnut meat cheese fries
Added to cornbread
As a topping to Mahi-Mahi fist tacos