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!
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- 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...
Mary Cherry says
These peppers are the best yet! They compliment any dish, but are especially delicious on taco, nachos or burritos. In a cute jar they make delightful gifts.
Resa Sears says
Other ways u might share jalapeno recipes? I have pepper plants and every other day I harvest 5 lbs easy. I am about pepper jellied out. I have made pepper sauce and for some for cooking later in year.
Patricia Pines says
Hi! These look delicious! A couple questions for you – sealing the jars – is that same as a water bath that I do for my preserves? Also, why do you let them rest for a month?
My jalapenos are thriving so can’t wait to make something with them!
Rebecca says
Hi Patricia- Those are great questions! First, yes; it is the same water bath you use for preserves! Second, we let them rest for a month for two reasons; because the jalapeno rounds shrivel a bit when you boil them in the syrup then rehydrate and become plump again as they rest for a month but also because the flavours develop and mellow as it rests. I hope you love these as much as we do!
Patricia Pines says
Hi! Quick follow up Q. I only had a pound of jalapeños in the garden so I reduced the ingredients by a third. It’s that okay? It made three half pints and I heard all three “pop” after the water bath. Just making sure my vinegar and sugar was enough…and I used apple cider vinegar. That ok? Thanks a lot!!! Can’t wait for four weeks!
Rebecca says
As long as you reduced it proportionately I think you’re fine! You’re going to love these!
Patricia Pines says
Sounds good! For one pound of peppers I used 5.3 oz vinegar, two cups of sugar plus spices. Thanks again! Calendar reminder!
Terri says
I grow jalapeños and don’t know how much 3 pounds is. Is there any way you can say roughly how many jalapeños are in 3 pounds? Thanks!
Rebecca says
Hi Terri- Actually that’s a little tough because jalapenos vary so widely in size and girth. I highly recommend getting an inexpensive kitchen scale or borrowing one from a friend who has one. I find a scale to be dead handy in the kitchen and actually bake almost exclusively by weight!
Janet Caldwell Hall says
How many jars will I need for one batch?
Rebecca says
If you’re using half pints, you’ll use anywhere from 4 to 6 half pint jars.
Jennifer says
Absolutely delicious! I’ve made these several times and they are always a hit! I not only love the jalapenos, but the sauce on grilled chicken – wow, fantastic! Thanks for publishing this recipe!
Hilary says
I make this at least twice a year. This time I added a pinch of salt and a handful of halved garlic cloves. Best discovery ever. Christmas is going to be homemade soap, jerky, jars of this, and home-roasted coffee: Texas survival kit! Thank you.
Hilary says
I meant to add–FIVE stars!
Rebecca says
I love that idea! Texas Survival Kit? Brilliant! And thank you for the idea and the lovely rating!
Becky Dunlap says
Is there some place I can purchase these candied jalapeno peppers. I used to be able to order them but now I cannot find them.
Rebecca says
Hi Becky- I’m not sure where to purchase them ready made, but I’m happy to tell you these homemade ones are easy-peasy!
Jerry Richter says
after the process is done, are they to be refrigerated for the 4 weeks?
Thanks
Rebecca says
Hi Jerry- If you’ve processed them in the boiling water bather in the canner, they’re shelf stable! If you’re not opting to process the jars, they’ll need to be stored in the refrigerator.
Tracy west says
How many pint jars does this make?
Rebecca says
Hi Tracy- It makes between 3 and 5 pints 😀
Gulledge says
Where is the recipe?
Rebecca says
If you scroll up from the comments, you’ll see a printable recipe.
Grace Smith says
I just found this recipe and because my husband is a ‘heat-o-holic’ I have to make these ! Will return with results.
Also, I have an idea for them….
Paul says
How long will candied jalapeños last when not opened?
Rebecca says
If you’ve processed them in a water bath canner correctly, they should be good for at least two or three years. If you’re just storing them in the refrigerator, I’d go a max of 3 months.
Linda says
These are truly addictive. It’s hard to wait 2 weeks let alone a month. Yes…double the recipe .your friends will thank you.
Rebecca says
You speak the truth! 😀
monica says
Hi Rebecca .I´m from Chile, I just discover your blog. It´s amazing. Thanks for sharing your recipies. I have a question about the amount of sugar. It will be like a jelly?.
Rebecca says
Hello Monica, and welcome! It will not be like a jelly, it will be syrupy, though. What you’re making amounts to a heavy syrup. I’m glad you’re here!
Mandy says
Hi Rebecca. I tried your recipe yesterday, and can barely wait 4 weeks to try the results. I had a lot of syrup left, so thought I’d try to make it into jam / jelly. I kept boiling & did the jam setter test (cold plate in fridge) every 5 minutes. I have a thick jammy condiment, with a lot of heat! Yum, will serve with cold meats & cheeses. I’m in Australia, where jalapeños are expensive, but luckily my father grows them.
Rebecca says
Oh Mandy! That sounds like a wonderful idea!! Waste not want not, right?
R.M. says
I decided to jar candied jalapenos from fresh jalapenos instead of from the jarred kind in the store – caution – Hot! Hot! Hot! So I like really hot things, but I had never tasted a real jalapeno from the veggie depart in the store or off the bush. I was at the store and decided to jar some more candied jalapenos, I just bagged up what I thought I would need (it wasn’t enough). Got home started in…you know put on the gloves, washed the little peppers, cut them up, got the syrup going (I did the syrup per instructions even though I didn’t have enough peppers). I left the seeds in cuz I like things hot. While I was jarring up my jala’s (four jars), one little teeny eeny bit fell on the cutting board where I was filling my jars. I might add here that the fumes from the syrup and the peppers were making me cough, and then I put that little piece of pepper in my mouth. Between the fumes and that wee pepper, I thought the top of my head was going to blow off! My saliva on both sides of my mouth started to gather – you know, like when you are going to heave – I grabbed a glass of water stumbled over to a chair, sat and weakly called for my hubby to come open a window. Of course he has to ask why as it is cold out. I was afraid to open my mouth too much, I said, just do it! He opened two windows. My jaws calmed down a bit, enough for me to get up and go outside to sit on porch. The cold snapped me out of it.
I went back inside and after a while, I eyed those four little jars like they were snakes ready to bite. Going to be truthful, I am afraid to open the little devils when it is time. They will be sitting on the shelf for the full month, then I will determine their fate! This jalapeno candy is really the devil in disguise. I am going back to the store today and get the full three lbs of jalapenos, another bag of sugar, more garlic and I am going to show them who is boss. This time I will leave out the seeds. Heh heh.
Rebecca says
Ah yes… I have been there. I will tell you that the product mellows in the jars as it sits. That’s one of the reasons I suggest letting it sit for the amount of time I do. I’m glad to see that you’re enjoying the pursuit of the perfect candied jalapenos 🙂
Reni says
Canned jalapenos once again, got three pint jars and one half pint out of the batch. I did mix some little red peppers in with the jalapenos for color (they were shaped like jalapenos, but tasted like bell-peppers) These jars are gonna stay on the shelf for a month to mix those flavors. So pretty. I have jars in the frig to keep me happy till then. Heh heh.
I had quite a production line going on: pot of peppers and syrup/vinegar, pressure canner, pot of boiling water for bottles and lids etc…then I made your Muesli Toasting Bread. I was in canning/baking heaven.
R.M. says
Ok. I hacked your Candied Jalapenos cuz I couldn’t wait to make them. I drained my two jars of Jalapenos that were just sitting in the frig doing nothing and a few pepperoncini left over in a jar and dumped everything together to boil.. I tasted the syrup to see how it tasted when they were done boiling – it was yummy! So I know when I make the real thing it will be outa this world! Going to the store today and get what I need.
R.M. says
I hacked your recipe…again. Went to the store and bought a six lb can of pickled jalapenos. I poured juice and peppers into pot, added your ingredients (except for all of your vinegar – I just put in a half cup since there was already vinegar in can), boiled, scooped peppers into hot jars and filled with hot syrup mixture, popped lids and rings on waited for them to “pop” and let them sit over night to cool. Next morning they were all sealed and looking like jewels.
If jars do not seal the candied peppers can be put in frig.
Love love love this recipe!
R.M. says
I forgot to mention, I got 12 half pints of Candied Jalapenos out of this 6lb can of pickled jalapenos!
Rebecca says
Well, that is AWESOME!
Erick says
I’ve never canned before, after the 24hours, do you let them sit out for a month at room temperature or do you put them in the fridge for a month. Also after the month is done and are able to open to eat, do you store them in the fridge to keep fresh or keep at room temperature. thanks
Rebecca says
Hi Erick! If you can it in the boiling water bath, you can leave them at room temperature for the month. They can continue to be stored at room temperature (out of big temperature swings and away from direct light) for at least a year or until you’ve opened them. Once you open a jar, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator. 🙂 Happy Canning and if you have any other questions, please ask!
Rebecca says
Cool, R.M.! I don’t advise leaving them on the shelf even if they do seal if you haven’t water-bathed them! That just means they’ve sealed, but it doesn’t ensure that heat has penetrated enough to the center to kill any pathogens. I’d stash them all in the refrigerator! 😀
R.M. says
All 18 jars are sitting in my frig – took your advice! They are going down fast though, can’t get enough of them. Thank you so much, I will do the fresh ones next, but I think I will always have a quart jar in the frig.
Karen Van Eck says
This recipe rocks! I have made 2 double batches and I cannot keep it in the house. The only changes I made were to add additional peppers that were in my garden at the end of the season. I figure that they will take on the jalapeno juice flavor. So no crime, no foul. Today I am processing another two double batches. Thanks for this great recipe!
Ellen Richardson says
Hi, I’m glad I read the entire post (great pics and humor, btw). But, the instructions at the point where you add the peppers doesn’t say to ‘return to rolling boil’ before turning down to simmer and starting the timer. Since liquid is already at a simmer from the previous step, some folks may not return to a rolling boil first. Making these tonight – unfortunately, I couldn’t double, in fact, had to 1/2 it because that’s all the jalapenos I had (about 1-1/2 lbs). Hope they turn out great. They sound great – I’ll come back later to rate it!