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 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)
How to make candied jalapeños
- Prepare the jalapenos by using a sharp knife to slice the Jalapeños into uniform ⅛ – to ¼-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 ¼" 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
More jalapeno recipes:
- jalapeño honey
- Mexican corn dip
- Tex-Mex eggrolls
- Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
- Plum Habanero salsa (substitute in jalapeno)
Candied Jalapeños
Sweet and spicy these jalapeno rings are sticky sweet and addictively delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh jalapeños 21 peppers
- 2 cups white sugar
- ⅔ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the jalapenos by using a sharp knife to slice the Jalapeños into uniform ⅛ – to ¼-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 ¼" 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.
Notes
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
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 72kcalCarbohydrates: 18gSodium: 1mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17g
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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Angela
This “candy” is so good! Flavor is perfect with just the right amount of heat!!
Patricia Bell
This sounds wonderful and I was just gifted jalapeños to try this out. I feel sure it will be a winner!
Sarah Mock
thank you so much for sharing Lisa!
Did you serve it with cream cheese and crackers?
Sarah
Lisa Stanley
I have made three batches of this Cowboy Candy ! Everyone that has tried it loved it! Great recipe!
Rory
Love to see this!