Candied Jalapenos are an easy to make sweet and spicy jalapeño pickle that make sandwiches, salads, tacos, and everything sing! These are a long time favourite recipe of our family and readers alike!
Find out why everyone loves Candied Jalapenos so much, and if you need independent verification, read the many happy reviews in the comment section below the post.
Once upon a time, my friend Katie casually mentioned eating a sandwich made with Candied Jalapeños. She enthusiastically sang the praises of what she described as an addictive jar of goodies.
I spent a couple of weeks working on how to recreate these. After carefully examining close to thirty recipes on Candied Jalapeños, also known as cowboy candy (who KNEW there were so many people candying jalapenos?) I called my local Cooperative Extension office to pick the brain of their home food preservation specialists.
Since jalapeños are a low-acid food, some precautions need to be taken when canning them. You have two choices for safely canning peppers of any kind; you can pressure can them or you can acidify (i.e. add vinegar, lemon juice, etc…) the liquid in which you pack the peck of pickled peppers.
I opted for acidifying the pepper liquid instead of pressure canning. I wanted to maintain some of the texture of the peppers through the process and I knew pressure canning Candied Jalapeños would turn them to flavorful mush.
The result was gobsmackingly, head-spinningly, brain-addlingly delicious. Sweet, spicy and savory, Candied Jalapeño rings are way too easy to eat on just about everything.
I’ve stashed them in sandwiches, chopped them up on baked beans, tucked them into tacos, used the syrup to brush meat on the grill. You’ll find them perched on top of a cream cheese laden cracker and all sorts of other evil things at our house.
There are even a significant number of readers in the comments section who advise putting the syrup on vanilla ice cream! Have you tried this?
For such a simple thing to can, these pack tons of flavor. You’re going to want to make as many Candied Jalapenos as you possibly can simultaneously.
Because once that first jar is cracked open you’re not going to be able to stop eating them. And I mean that.
Cowboy Candy Recipes
These are one of the things that I can annually without fail. Knowing that we have a few dozen jars of these makes my family happy at mealtime and makes holiday gift giving easier.
Do you hate canning? Or are you too afraid of canning to try?
For those of you who may be freaking out slightly or massively over the idea of canning, rest easy. You do not actually have to can these: you can refrigerate them instead.
To skip the canning portion simply do this. Follow all of the instructions up to the actual canning portion, then stash the jars of candied jalapenos in the refrigerator for up to three months.
If you can them, they’ll last for a year. That said, if an alternative is all that stands between you and making them, use your chill chest!
Candied Jalapeno Recipe
This is one case where there is no substitute for fresh peppers. Many folks have asked whether they can substitute frozen or canned jalapeños for the fresh ones in the recipe.
The bad news is that you cannot swap in an already cooked or frozen pepper in this cowboy candied jalapeño recipe. When you cook or freeze any produce, you are beginning the process of breaking down the cell walls.
If you cook them in the syrup again (which is necessary!), you’ll break down the walls even more. The extra cooking will make for mushy peppers, which we are trying to avoid.
Are Candied Jalapeños Hot?
Yes. They are.
One of the fun mysteries of jalapenos is you never quite know how hot your peppers are until you cut into them. I’ve read that the more tan veins a jalapeno has, the hotter it is, but I’ve not proven that to my satisfaction yet.
That said, how how your candied jalapenos will be is a little bit of a toss-up unless you know how hot your peppers are. Please remember that they’re going to be lava hot as soon as you’re done cooking them, but they’ll mellow a bit as they age.
On that note, wear gloves when working with the peppers. I’m not calling you a wimp.
It’s just that jalapeños have a notoriously wide range of heat on the Scoville scale. Trust me when I tell you that it’s a rude surprise when you process 3 pounds of wicked hot ones without wearing gloves!
This recipe is designed to be made with jalapeño peppers, but many readers have substituted serranos, habaneros, bell peppers, banana peppers, and all sorts of other peppers with good results. Please feel free to get creative here!
You can safely use any fresh pepper you’d like as long as you keep to the 3 pound quantity. Several readers have also reported chopping the peppers instead of slicing for candied jalapeno relish and I can confirm this is delicious!
How many jalapeño peppers are in 3 pounds? There isn’t perfect answer to this because the peppers vary so much in size naturally.
Three pounds of jalapeños is approximately 60 peppers. You’re much better of going by weight, though, because of the wide range of sizes in peppers.
Cowboy Candy Recipe
Let’s address slicing the peppers, because we’re going to be going through 3 pounds, folks. The quickest, easiest way to do so is with a slicing blade on a food processor, standing the peppers on their ends in the feed chute.
No food processor? Use a mandolin! No mandolin? Just take your time and slice by hand with a very sharp knife and gloved hands.
I’ve been asked many times whether you should discard the seeds. We like them so I don’t bother with removing them.
Contrary to the old wives’ tales, seeds do not contain the heat of a pepper. It is the membrane inside the pepper packs the most punch.
Since you’re not removing that, don’t sweat the seeds. Come for the cowboy candy recipe, stay for the bad jokes.
Cowboy Candy
Please do not reduce the sugar in our cowboy candy recipe. It is there both to improve the texture of the pepper and syrup as well as to help preserve the peppers.
I originally added turmeric to the recipe just to help improve the colour of the finished peppers. But I ended up loving the very subtle warm hint of mustard flavour the turmeric adds to the party, so it stayed.
I’m keen on using Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar, but any undiluted cider vinegar will work in our cowboy candy recipe. In a pinch, you could substitute white distilled vinegar, but it will have a slightly sharper taste to the syrup.
While I positively love granulated garlic in this recipe because it doesn’t clump like garlic powder does, you can substitute garlic powder if needed. It’s important to realize that granulated garlic is a much coarser product than powder so please remember to reduce it by half.
In other words, instead of using 3 teaspoons of granulated garlic, you’d use 1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic powder. Alternatively, if you have dried garlic flakes, you can use those. In this case, you’ll use 2 tablespoons of flakes in place of 3 teaspoons of the granulated garlic.
And finally, a word about the celery seed and cayenne pepper. The celery seed adds a little special umami to our cowboy candy that can’t be added any other way.
Don’t worry if you’re not a celery fan, these don’t eat like celery pickles. They’re a subtle addition that brings a little extra savouriness and they’re relatively easy to find in even moderately stocked grocery stores.
The cayenne pepper, unlike many other ingredients, is optional. It’s true that cayenne pepper packs a real punch heat-wise, but it’s a different heat and a different flavour than the super fruity fresh jalapeno brings.
Cayenne is earthy and a little smoky, and I really enjoy that in our candied jalapenos. If you’re looking to mitigate some of the heat, feel free to omit this.
Candied Jalapenos Recipe
Quite a few folks have asked WHEN exactly to start timing the boiling of the peppers. You begin timing them once the liquid has returned to a full rolling boil. That means that the liquid does not stop boiling when you stir it.
As soon as it reaches a full rolling boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and let it simmer gently for 4 minutes. To clarify further, you will not be boiling them hard for 4 minutes, you will bring them to a boil then drop the heat and simmer.
Many, many people have asked me whether they messed up the recipe because their peppers look all shriveled after simmering them in the syrup, packing them in jars, and canning them. The short answer is no.
But truly they WILL look shriveled when you jar them up if you’ve simmered them properly. They will re-plump as they spend their 4 weeks of rest time in the jar between processing and opening.
Yes, I said 4 weeks. My husband has been known to crack a jar at the two week mark out of desperation for candied jalapenos, but he will absolutely agree with me that they improve immensely in flavour and texture when left to mellow for at least 4 weeks after processing.
Try to be patient. You’ll be rewarded.
How to serve cowboy candy:
We love candied jalapenos a.k.a. cowboy candy on cream cheese and crackers, obviously… But we also love them in sandwiches, on Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs, salads, taco soup, tortilla soup, tacos, and pizza. or chopped up in dips!
The sky is the limit. I kind of suspect my husband would eat them on breakfast cereal if he didn’t know I’d wonder about his sanity.
You will need this equipment to make Candied Jalapenos
large stainless steel stockpot
long handled stainless steel slotted spoon
And this equipment is helpful but not strictly necessary
rubber gloves or disposable gloves
food processor with a slicing disc
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Are you worried it will be too difficult? I promise it isn’t!
In fact, I have this video to show you just how easy the process is! Check it out!
Candied Jalapenos
Wearing gloves, remove the stems from all of the jalapeno peppers. The easiest way to do this is to slice a small disc off of the stem-end along with the stem.
Discard the stems. Slice the peppers into uniform 1/8-1/4 inch rounds using either a chef’s knife or a food processor fitted with a slicing blade. Set these aside.
In a large pot, bring cider vinegar, white sugar, turmeric, celery seed, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper to a full rolling boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Raise the heat to HIGH, add the pepper slices, bring the contents of the pot to a hard boil, then reduce the heat once more and simmer for exactly 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peppers, loading into clean, sterile canning jars to within 1/4 inch of the upper rim of the jar.
Return the pan full of syrup to the burner and once again turn heat up under the pot. Bring the syrup to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 6 minutes.
Use a ladle to pour the boiling syrup into the jars over the jalapeno slices. Insert a chopstick or butter knife in down to the bottom of the jar two or three times to release any trapped pockets of air.
Adjust the level of the syrup if necessary. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp paper towel and fix on new, two-piece lids to finger-tip tightness.
Place jars in a canner carefully and cover with hot water by 2-inches. Bring the water to a full rolling boil.
When it reaches a full rolling boil, set the timer for 10 minutes for half-pints or 15 minutes for pints.
Let the jars rest in the hot water for 5 minutes, then use canning tongs to transfer the jars to a cooling rack.
*If you have leftover syrup, and it is likely that you will, you may can it in half-pint or pint jars, too. It’s wonderful brushed on meat on the grill or added to potato salad or, or, or… In short, don’t toss it out!
Leave them to cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. When fully cooled, wipe them with a clean, damp washcloth then label.
Allow to mellow for at least two weeks, but preferably a month before eating.
Candied Jalapenos
Rate RecipeIngredients
- 3 pounds fresh firm, jalapeno peppers, washed
- 2 cups cider vinegar
- 6 cups white granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 3 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Wearing gloves, remove the stems from all of the jalapeno peppers. The easiest way to do this is to slice a small disc off of the stem-end along with the stem. Discard the stems.
- Slice the peppers into uniform 1/8-1/4 inch rounds. Set aside.
- In a large pot, bring cider vinegar, white sugar, turmeric, celery seed, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Raise the heat to boiling again, add the pepper slices, return to a hard boil, then reduce the heat again and simmer for exactly 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peppers, loading into clean, sterile canning jars to within 1/4 inch of the upper rim of the jar. Turn heat up under the pot with the syrup and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 6 minutes.
- Use a ladle to pour the boiling syrup into the jars over the jalapeno slices. Insert a cooking chopstick to the bottom of the jar two or three times to release any trapped pockets of air. Adjust the level of the syrup if necessary. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp paper towel and fix on new, two-piece lids to finger-tip tightness.
- *If you have leftover syrup, and it is likely that you will, you may can it in half-pint or pint jars, too. It’s wonderful brushed on meat on the grill or added to potato salad or, or, or… In short, don’t toss it out!
- Place jars in a canner, cover with water by 2-inches. Bring the water to a full rolling boil. When it reaches a full rolling boil, set the timer for 10 minutes for half-pints or 15 minutes for pints. When timer goes off, use canning tongs to transfer the jars to a cooling rack. Leave them to cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. When fully cooled, wipe them with a clean, damp washcloth then label.
- Allow to mellow for at least two weeks, but preferably a month before eating. Or don’t. I won’t tell!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
did you make this recipe?
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Want more Food Preservation recipes like Candied Jalapenos? Try these!
- Homemade Claussen Knock-off Pickles
- Cherry Habanero Lime Jam
- Easy Fast Kimchi
- Fire Cider Health Tonic and Homeopathic Remedy
- Instant Hummus in a Jar
- Best Thing Tomatoes
- How to Freeze Rice
- Ginger Peach Preserves
- Three In One Pears
- Root Beer Syrup
- Zesty Corn Relish
- Habanero Peach Jam
Originally posted May 23, 2010, updated in 2015, 2017, and June 2022.
Reader's Thoughts...
Chris says
I’m scrolling thru and can’t find my answer, so I’ll ask. I’d like to can pints Instead of half pints , can I do that? And what how long will I process the pints versus half pints. Thank you so much love this recipe.
Rebecca says
You most definitely can, Chris, and it’s the same processing time for the pints as the half pints for this recipe. 🙂
Betsy G says
Made last summer with jalapenos only. Was super hot the first 3 months, but month 4-5, mellowed significantly. Loved it! I just made with about 10 kinds of peppers, mainly jalapenos. Can’t wait to try it!! It made 3-1/2 cup Ball jars. I didn’t do anything with leftover liquid last year, so will toss today’s liquid. One of my jars didn’t seal, so it’ll head to the fridge when it cools!! Can’t wait to try with the variety of peppers!
Rebecca says
Thank you so much for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it, Betsy!
Joanne says
Love this recipe and have made it several times. I do have a question I should have asked a long time ago…. The 3 pounds of jalapeños. Is that 3 pounds after you’ve cleaned them and cut them up or 3 pounds whole and uncut of cleaned?
Lori says
We just did a double batch using this recipe. We used our Mandolin, wore disposable gloves, and used our electric vacuum sealer. We held up a store bought jar next to ours and the contents look identical. Now the hard part…to wait 4 weeks.
Rebecca says
Awesome! I hope you love them as much as we do, Lori!
Kimberly says
Can I use fresh garlic in this instead of granulated? And if so how much?
Thank you!
Rebecca says
Hi Kimberly- This recipe is designed to be safely canned using granulated garlic. I have not tested it with fresh garlic. I’d recommend using the granulated garlic. 🙂
Debbie Thompson says
I always use fresh garlic. Its still really good.
Karol Falk says
I would like to do a larger batch rather than lots of single batches. What’s your advise on how large I can go? I plan on doing about 40 pounds of peppers this year.
Rebecca says
Hi Karol- I’d say you can go as large as you can handle. 🙂 But more specifically, as large as the largest pot you have that you can a) easily stir to the bottom of, b) heat up quickly, c) lift when it’s full. Those are my canning rules for myself and I think they apply here.
I’ve made triple batches with good luck before. Any larger than that and it feels like I’m standing at the stove waiting for it to come up to temperature too long.
Teresa I Edwards says
I know this is an older post but I just came across it. I live at a higher altitude, (6400 ft). Do you know if there is any adjustment Ineed to make for this?
thanks
Rebecca says
Hi Teresa- I’d say there are definitely some adjustments that should be made. Unfortunately, I’m not an experienced high altitude canner. I can at about 1500 ft. I’d recommend getting in touch with your local cooperative extension and asking them what they advise!
Andre H. says
This recipe is a hit with my entire family so I always make sure to do it in anticipation of a holiday or brisket smoke. Did them last December and they sat for 3 weeks for Christmas dinner. Enjoyable batch. This year I did five pounds in July and let them sit, jarred in the fridge for 6 weeks. Huge improvement in taste and texture, just as you said. Biggest difference is the slight crunch they have after 6 weeks, as opposed to being kinda limp and lifeless. Making them 2-3 weeks in advance delivers a great tasting product but it’s 100% worth it to plan ahead and give them time. Thank you!
Rebecca says
Thank you for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it, Andre! Thank you, too, for the backup on letting them sit to plump back up! It’s crazy how the texture changes, isn’t it?
Matthew Holley says
I’m trying this recipe at some point this weekend. I have the 3# of jalapeños and all the other ingredients (I think)
What size mason jars do you recommend, and what quantity? I have everything from small, 4 Oz. Jam jars up to 128 Oz blue glass mason jars. I’d imagine a couple 64 Oz jars would do the trick? Or the 128oz jar and then scoop out into smaller jars to give as gifts.
I typically follow the recipe verbatim whenever I try something new. The next time, though, I’ll probably tweak here and there. I grow all my own peppers (varying hotness, up to Trinidad scorpions) to make hot sauces and homemade spices. Really looking forward to this recipe, as it gives me yet another use for my peppers
Rebecca says
Hi Matthew! I prefer to can these in a mixture of pints (for our use) and half pints (for gifting). I do not like to can them in larger amounts, because I prefer to eat up a jar within a week or so of opening. I’m impressed that you are able to use all homegrown peppers for this project!
Madi says
I’m trying this recipe out tomorrow and I am super excited (first time canning). I saw some other recipes that use minced garlic but yours uses granulated (which I translate to garlic powder, right?) – does it matter which kind? Yours seems the best recipe and easiest to follow so I’d prefer to use exactly what you’re suggesting, but am curious. 🙂
Also – how long is the extra syrup good for when refrigerated and is it able to be canned as well? Would it be a water bath recipe too?
Thanks so much!
Rebecca says
Hi Madi- I use granulated garlic because it packs the most garlic punch without affecting the overall ph of the finished product which is essential for safety. You can most definitely can the extra syrup at the same time as canning the peppers, if you’d like to do so! (Many recipes for candied jalapenos you find online are riffs on my original one. Not all of them, of course, but many of them!) I think you’ll be awfully glad you canned the extra syrup if you do so. I love it in marinades, added to pot roast braising liquid, in salad dressings, etc…
Hikari says
Hello,
Is this a tested recipe that adheres to safe canning practices to make it shelf stable? How long is it self stable for? Can I omit the cayenne? Thanks!
Rebecca says
Hi Hikari- It adheres to safety standards for ph levels and safe canning practices but has not been laboratory tested. You can certainly omit the cayenne! And it is best if used within a year, but as with most canning, you could stretch that a bit if you’re storing it safely (rings off, labeled, in a temperature stable, relatively dark environment.)
Dana says
Great recipe! For my own personal taste I found the celery seed flavor too forward. I’ll Likely omit or cut it back next time. I cut the sugar just a little. Thanks for helping use up an abundant crop!
Rebecca says
Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it, Dana!
Marisa says
Can I use this recipe with Hungarian hot wax peppers instead of jalapeños?
Rebecca says
Hi Marisa- I haven’t tried that, but I have seen a lot of folks in the comments subbing in equal amounts of other peppers to good effect. Please let me know if you try it!
Shannon says
Merissa, I did that with this recipe last year, and EVERY kind of pepper I tried was AMAZING! We ran out long ago. I’m heeding the warning and doubling. Also, I used the leftover syrup to make an entire batch of bbq sauce which I also canned!
Dana says
hi Shannon, I have so much left over syrup- I would love your bbq sauce recipe if you are willing to share!
Kelly says
I made these yesterday and excited to try them in a month. Is syrup suppose to be liquidity?
Rebecca says
Hi Kelly- I’m so excited for you to try them, too! Yes, the syrup is pretty liquidy! If you prefer it thicker, you can reduce it a bit more once you’ve fished the peppers out and packed the jars. I like the liquid though! It’s easier to use in marinades, brush on meats, add to salad dressings, etc…
eric says
27 minutes of scrolling later and im finally at the freak-ing recipe. i cant wait until google fixes their algorithm and knocks these damn sites off the organic results that make everything take longer than it should – like go f*ck yourself!
Rebecca says
Hi Eric- Nice to meet you, too. As for scrolling, I hope for your sake it didn’t actually take you 27 minutes, because it really is not that difficult. If scrolling truly gets you down, though, you may use the handy-dandy “Skip to Recipe” button at the top of the website.
But let’s chat about this for a moment, since you’re clearly hot under the collar. This website is on the organic results because I developed it and it went viral. I am a human who runs a website. Not a website robot or some AI faux recipe compendium. And as for why there’s so much information there (because it is largely information that is helpful for people who maybe have not canned before or aren’t as confident in the kitchen aside from one small bit about how the recipe was developed) it is entirely because google ASKS bloggers to anticipate questions that might be asked and answer them.
One more thing that I think is pretty important; I pay to maintain this website as a free-to-all resource. I pay for all of the ingredients I use to develop the recipes I offer for free. I am not asking for gratitude, but I’m just saying that there are appreciable costs involved in offering this resource and all I’m asking in exchange is the willingness to scroll (or skip to recipe) so I can be in best compliance with what google requires. If you hate the free resource that has more information, you’re welcome to purchase my canning cookbook where this recipe is printed without any ads or extra information.
Kelly says
Slow clap
Rebecca says
HA! Thanks, Kelly!
Shannon says
There is INFORMATION contained in everything he scrolled over and cussed about. The fact that he obtained a free recipe and have to move his thumbs one or twice and that annoyed him tells me he must be a true gem to be around in person. This is the result of failed parenting.
Jennifer Place says
Excellent recipe! Mine turned out wonderful. I ended up having about 2 1/2 pints of the syrup leftover. Do you think I could use this as a shortcut to process the next round of peppers that come out of my garden or do I need to start the recipe from scratch every time?
Rebecca says
Hi Jennifer- I do not recommend using the leftover syrup to kickstart the next batch. I think you’ll find it is a bonus! I add it to Mississippi Pot Roast (you can find the recipe by searching in the tool bar on this site.) and soups/stews/marinades. Many folks have also recommended adding as a syrup on ice cream, too!
Cheryl says
Can you make this recipe withe Stevia? Or a different artificial sweetener?
Rebecca says
Hi Cheryl- I have not tested it with stevia or any other alternative sweeteners because many of them are not stable for canning.
Shannon says
Jennifer, I used the leftover syrup to make an entire batch of bbq sauce which I also canned!
Janet says
If I would like the peppers not soft but crunchy. How do I do that ? I would like to process in a hot water bath as well. Ja
Rebecca says
Hi Janet- The recipe gives instructions on how to process these in a water bath. And the peppers will be softened but plump back up in the rest time in jars. If you want it crunchy like fresh, you will not be able to process them in a water bath, though. They are necessarily cooked when they are processed.
Amanda says
Hello! Does anybody know an approximate measurement in cups after the jalapeños are sliced? I used just over 6 cups of sliced jalapeños and only had enough for 1 pint jar, with a lot of extra syrup. I’m guessing that was way less jalapeños than I should’ve used! Any help would be appreciated for my next batch. Thanks
Brandon says
I got it figured to 1 pound per pint. I followed the recipe exactly. I ended with 3 pint jars of candy and 3 pint jars of extra syrup. Next time I will double the amount of jalapenos.
Kim Theyle says
Love the recipe! I always have quite a bit of syrup left – cld you use 6 cups peppers instead of 3 cups?
Rebecca says
Hi Kim- Nope! The extra syrup is a bonus! Be sure to can it up and use it as a marinade/in stews/soups/sauces. Lots of folks serve it over vanilla ice cream, too!
KT says
Love the recipe! I’ve been gettingt 4 to 6 1/2 pint jars with alot of syrup left . Could you double the peppers to 6 lbs? Seems like there wld still be plenty of syrup.