It doesn’t matter if you call them Candied Jalapeños or Cowboy Candy, this sweet and spicy concoction is downright irresistible! With just a few ingredients, fresh jalapeños are turned into something extra special in this sweet and spicy pepper recipe.
They are perfect with burgers, roast beef sandwiches, salads, served as an appetizer, or when you want a burst of sweet heat.
In This Post
Easy appetizers are my thing! Through years of hosting, I’ve developed the perfect formula for apps that everyone enjoys. There are the ones you make ahead of time, like salami cream cheese roll-ups, those you can pop in the crockpot, like slow cooker queso beef dip, and those you already have on hand and are just dressing up, like these DIY candied jalapeños.
Why I Love Spicy Jalapeños In Syrup
- I love stuffing them into sandwiches, chopped up on baked beans, sprinkling them on homemade soup, and using the syrup to brush meat on the grill. And my favorite, piled on top of a cream cheese cracker.
- They are so easy to make and ready in just 30 minutes! The hardest part is waiting for them to cool down.
- Absurdly delicious flavor that’s sweet and tangy from just seven ingredients.
Ingredients For Homemade Jalapeño Candy
- Fresh Jalapeños —You’ll need a half pound of thinly sliced jalapeños. I remove the stems but keep the seeds in because it’s easier, and my family enjoys a lot of spice with the sweetness!
- White sugar – This is where the sweetness comes into play. Honey will work too.
- Spices – For flavor, I add garlic powder, celery seeds, ground turmeric, and red pepper flakes (a pinch of cayenne pepper will work too). The half teaspoon turmeric gives these jalapeños a little bit of earthiness.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – This vinegar has a little sweetness yet is mild for vinegar, which is why I love it for this recipe.
Donya’s Success Tips
- Wear gloves when handling the jalapeño peppers to avoid getting any oils on your skin.
- You’ll be slicing 1 lb of peppers, so you’ll want either a sharp knife and cutting board, a food processor with the slicing blade attached, or a mandoline. to slice the peppers thinly and evenly.
- Make a double batch! Once you open that jar, you won’t be able to stop eating them. And I mean that, so make a double batch!
- Don’t waste the leftover syrup. It can be used as a sweet and spicy glaze for meat or vegetables.
How To Make Jalapeños That Are Candied
- Slice the jalapeños and set aside. Add the other ingredients to a large pot of Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Reduce and cook until the sugar is completely melted.
- Add in the pepper slices and bring back to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes or until soft, then remove the jalapeños with a slotted spoon. Continue to boil the liquid for another 5 minutes.
- Put the peppers into jars and carefully ladle the boiling syrup over them.
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp paper towel and screw on canning jar lids. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
How To Store Homemade Spicy Jalapeño Preserves
When quick pickling, like this recipe, I like to use jars with matching lids. I also like to use half-pint jars with two-piece lids. These can even be leftover pasta sauce jars with lids. With recipes like this one that don’t require canning, you can use any old jar and lid for storage.
If you want to make them shelf-stable, you can process them in a traditional water bath, and they’ll last for a year. But again, that’s only if you’ve canned them.
Commonly Asked Questions
Cowboy candy jalapenos are a sweet and spicy candied jalapeño pepper recipe often served with cream cheese and crackers.
Cowboy candy jalapeños can last up to a year when stored in a cool, dry place. However, once opened, it should be stored in the refrigerator and used within a few weeks.
Yes, the leftover syrup can be used as a sweet and spicy glaze for meat or vegetables.
Yes, you can freeze them for up to 3 months but let them cool completely first and only freeze in a plastic freezer-safe container to allow for expansion.
Ways To Serve Sweet Pickled Jalapeños
It might take a while to tell you ALL THE WAYS to serve these yummy little things! I like to serve them on top of warm Sausage Dip and a spicy garnish for Deviled Eggs. To up my side dish game, I add them to Pineapple Slaw and sprinkle them over Southern Corn Fritters. My family is smitten with them served with Crock Pot Country-Style Pork Ribs.
More Easy Appetizers You’ll Love
If you tried this Candied Jalapeño Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh jalapeños
- 2 cups white granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Using food safe gloves and a sharp knife, slice Jalapeños into rounds. Set aside.
- To a medium-size pot or dutch oven, add sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, celery seed, turmeric, and red pepper. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until sugar is completely melted.
- Add sliced jalapeños and stir. Bring mixture back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring every so often.
- Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove peppers from pot and place into pint jars. Bring remaining liquid up to a boil to reduce mixture, cooking for approximately 5 minutes.
- Carefully pour syrup into jars, over the peppers and let cool. Cover with lid and store in refrigerator. Can be stored for up to three months.
**makes 2 pints
Notes
- Storage: When quick pickling, like this recipe, I like to use jars with matching lids. I also like to use half-pint jars with two-piece lids. These can even be leftover pasta sauce jars with lids. With recipes like this one that don’t require canning, you can use any old jar and lid for storage.
- If you want to make them shelf-stable, you can process them in a traditional water bath, and they’ll last for a year. But again, that’s only if you’ve canned them.
Nutrition
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I prepared this recipe as a topping for an ambitious honey caramelized pulled pork-homemade ramen bowl. My only complaint is that I only prepared a half-recipe; everyone at the table was stabbing one another with their forks (figuratively) to add more of this candied deliciousness to their bowl.
I made these today, super easy recipe. How long do you normally let them set after canning?
I have not tested this recipe for canning, so I do not have a recommendation. Let me know how things work out.
Thank you so, so much for the outstanding rating!
~Donya
These are so easy and so DELICIOUS! I can’t believe I’ve never come across recipes for this. This is particularly easy and have been making it on repeat. YUM!
Amazing! Quick and easy. Gets raves!
Can you use pickled jalapeños?
I wouldn’t think so and I’ve never tried that.
~Donya
This cowboy candy is amazing and super quick and EASY!
Thanks
Very good
Remove the seeds from the jalapeños to make the recipe less spicy. With the seeds I would put the spice level at a 7 out of 10. To much for me. Without the seeds it’s more like a 2-3 out of 10.
Do you think this recipe could be made with habaneros? I have a ton of them from my garden!
Hey there Faye!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, these candied jalapenos are super easy to make, I think you’re really going to love them! I’ve never actually tried this recipe with habaneros, but I think it would work perfectly, you should totally give it a try I’d love to hear how everything turns out! Let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you enjoy the recipe!
~Donya
Hi Faye, we used habaneros last year and turned out great!
I just made two wide mouth pints using two pounds of homegrown NC jalapeños. I removed the core seeds and membrane using a melon baller on about half of the two pounds. It’s plenty hot. Now I’m gonna water bath those two pints and get the jalapeños off my hands. Thanks for the recipe.
Hey there Freida!
Wow! It sounds to me like you made great use of this season’s homegrown jalapenos, canning this recipe as a terrific idea so you can enjoy it throughout the winter! Thank you so much for your kind words of support, I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! If you like this one, you should check out my Cucumber and Onion Refrigerator Pickles, it’s another perfect recipe for saving and storing those delicious garden-fresh summer veggies. Please let me know if you ever have any questions about a recipe, I’m always happy to help!
~Donya
Hi Donya, do you think this recipe would freeze well?
Hey there Elaine!
That is a great question! I’ve never personally tried freezing this recipe, so I’m not entirely certain what the texture would be like after defrosting. That being said, what I would do is defrost it at room temperature for a couple hours, and then partially submerge your mason jar of candied jalapenos in a water bath over a low heat, this will re-melt the sugar and it should return the recipes to it’s original texture. Please let me know how everything turns out if you give it a try, I’m very curious. Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe and for your fantastic rating, I really hope you enjoy!
~Donya