Candied Jalapenos

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Candied jalapenos, AKA Cowboy Candy, are one of the best sandwich toppings or condiments ever created!

This is a small batch recipe so that you don’t have to can them – they will stay in your fridge in the syrup just fine for up to three months! Pickled jalapenos can sometimes be just that little bit too spicy. For those with a sweeter tooth, cowboy candy, aka sweet candied jalapenos, is a great alternative to traditional pickled jalapenos in the store, and you can use them on pretty much anything.

For more cowboy deviations on classic recipes, why not try some Cowboy Cookies, Cowboy Beans or some Cowboy Caviar?

Candied Jalapenos AKA Cowboy Candy

Candied jalapenos are basically just sliced jalapenos pickled in a really sweet vinegar solution, but you can turn them into something so much more with the addition of a few select spices and flavorings.

This recipe uses apple cider vinegar to help lend that acidic, yet still slightly sweet, tang to the pickling liquid, but feel free to use whatever vinegar you prefer.

Candied Jalapenos Ingredients

Make sure to look at the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients.

• Jalapeno peppers
• Sugar
• Apple cider vinegar
• Chili powder
• Turmeric
• Coriander seed

How to Make Candied Jalapenos

• Wash your jalapeno peppers and then slice them into thin rings using a very sharp knife, throwing away the stem
• Mix together all of the seasonings and vinegar in a saucepan and bring to a boil
• Turn the heat down to low and simmer until the sugar completely dissolves and the whole mixture is syrupy
• Add in your jalapeno peppers, mixing to coat them in the syrup evenly
• Simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes, then shut off the heat
• Transfer into clean jars, filling the entire jar packed with both peppers and syrup
• Store in the fridge for up to three months

What Vinegar Should You Be Using

The best way to customize this recipe is to change up what kind of vinegar you use to pickle the peppers.

Apple cider vinegar has a lot of that tart, yet slightly sweet, qualities that pair well with jalapenos, but you could easily use something like rice vinegar instead. Try and avoid some of the especially strong types of vinegar, though, like red wine vinegar, as the intensity of the vinegar would probably drown out the natural flavor of the peppers.

How to Use Different Seasonings & Spices

While this recipe uses chili powder, turmeric, and coriander seed, you could use absolutely any seasoning or spices that you like.

For example, instead of regular chili powder, you could add in some custom dried spices. Some ground up Ancho pepper, or even some chipotle, could be really tasty here.

You could also sub in some traditional pie spices like cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon, so as to really ramp up the sweet, almost dessert-like flavors of your jalapenos.

Looking for more tasty Jalapeno recipes? Try these out:

• Jalapeno Grilled Cheese Rollups
• Buffalo Hot Sauce, Bacon & Jalapeno Mac and Cheese
• Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans (with Instant Pot version)

Enjoy!

Love,

Karlynn

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