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 addictively 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.

The perfect balance of sticky, sweet, jalapeno heat; pour an entire jar over top of cream cheese for an easy appetizer!

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

More jalapeno recipes:

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

Candied Jalapeños

Sarah Mock

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

4.71 from 31 votes

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Note From Sarah

There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

Prep time for the recipePrep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook time for the recipeCook Time 20 minutes mins

total time to prep and cook the recipe.Total Time 25 minutes mins

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Course Canning Recipes

Cuisine Mexican

Per Serving 72 kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 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.
  1 pound fresh jalapeños
• 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.
  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
• 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: 1Calories: 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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👩🏻‍🍳 Sarah Mock

CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.