Candied Jalapeños Recipe (Cowboy Candy)

Candied jalapeños, aka cowboy candy, is a delicious way to use up jalapeños when your jalapeno plants in the garden have produced more than you know what to do with.

Sweet and spicy these jalapeno rings are sticky sweet and so delicious.

Sweet candied jalapeno peppers make a great gift next time you need to give to good friends, colleagues and teachers during the holidays. Give jars of this spicy condiment along with cream cheese and your favorite crackers.

Candied Jalapeno Ingredients

• Fresh jalapenos (21 peppers) - I leave the seeds and membranes attached, remove them if you want less heat
• Sugar - white 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

1. Prepare the jalapeno peppers by using a sharp knife to slice the Jalapeño peppers into uniform ⅛ - to ¼-inch jalapeno slices. Be sure to wear food-safe disposable gloves to protect your hands from capsaicin.
2. In a large pot or dutch oven combine apple cider vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, celery seed, turmeric, and red pepper flakes, bring to a rolling boil.
3. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup starts to reduce.
4. Add jalapeño pepper slices to the boiling syrup and stir to coat completely.
5. 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.
6. Remove the candied peppers from the syrup with a slotted spoon and place into half-pint jelly jars.
7. Carefully pour the leftover syrup into hot jars, cover the hot peppers and allow to cool. Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp paper towel and cover them with two-piece lids and place jars in the refrigerator.
8. 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. 
9. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Canning instructions:

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

Ways to serve candied jalapenos

• As a topping for a burger or hot dogs
• Poured over a brick of cream cheese, served with crackers
• Part of a charcuterie and cheese board.
• In a grilled cheese sandwich
• Mixed into potato salad or macaroni salads
• As a topping on walnut meat cheese fries
• Added to cornbread
• As a topping to Mahi-Mahi fist tacos