Candied jalapeños, are also known as Cowboy Candy, and Cowgirl Candy refers to a variation that includes pineapple for a sweeter, making a more tropical flavor. This recipe makes a balance of sweet and spicy peppers that can be stored for months. There is no canning involved, just refrigerate your jars. This recipe makes half Cowboy Candy and half Cowgirl Candy (4 to 5 pint jars).
Ingredients:
- 1 lb jalapeños (about 20 peppers), washed and sliced into ¼ inch slices. (wear gloves)
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 3 cups granulated sugar (optional, use less or none if avoiding sugar*)
- 1/2 tsp celery seeds
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup crushed pineapple drained (for Cowgirl Candy)
Instructions:
- Slice the peppers. Wash the jalapeños and slice them into uniform 1/4-inch rounds. Push the center core and seeds out and discard. If your rings are small use a paring knife. Wear gloves to protect your hands from the spice.
- Combine the brine. In a large pot, combine the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, celery seeds, turmeric, and garlic powder. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves.
- Simmer the peppers. Add all the sliced jalapeños to the pot and stir to coat. Return the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and boil for about 10 minutes. The peppers should soften slightly and reduce to about 1/3 of the initial volume
- Fill half of the jars. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pepper slices to 2 of the clean glass canning jars, leaving ½-inch headspace at the top. You can pack the peppers tightly.
- Finish the syrup. Bring the remaining syrup in the pot back to a full, rolling boil. Let it boil hard for 6 minutes to thicken.
- Top off the jars with syrup. Carefully ladle the boiling syrup over the peppers in the two jars, maintaining the ½ inch headspace.
- Seal the jars. Wipe the rims of the jars clean with a damp paper towel. Place lids and rings on the jars and tighten to finger tight.
Cowgirl Step. Add the crushed pineapple to the pan with the remaining jalapeños and syrup. Bring it up to a boil. Fill the remaining jars with jalapeños and then ladle syrup to the top. Wipe the rims and place the lids on top finger tight.
Allow all the jars to cool. Then store them in the refrigerator for 2 weeks before eating for the best flavor. You can eat candied jalapeños straight from the jar, but they are best enjoyed as a topping on cream cheese with crackers, on burgers, sandwiches, or hot dogs.
Arranging the peppers by color in jars makes them quite beautiful! Above are different varieties of jalapenos including green Early Jalapenos, and the pale golden Jaloro Jalapeno, along with Cascabellas of different colors (they turn from golden yellow to orange to red when fully ripe).
Tip: If you have remaining syrup broth, strain it to remove any seeds and pineapple pieces. Transfer the liquid to a jar with a lid and let it cool. Store in refrigerator. It is a fantastic base for BBQ sauce.
This is a great recipe for using up a ton of jalapeños! Did you know that not all jalapeños are the same? They come in different colors and heat levels, there's even a no-heat jalapeño that has all the flavor without the spice. Check out all of our Jalapeño varieties »
* Sugar Note: While Cowboy Candy is typically made with a LOT of sugar, you don't have to use sugar! We typically use just about half a cup in this recipe instead of 3 cups, as we like a little sweetness without being a sugar bomb! But, you can also make the Cowgirl Candy version of this recipe, and omit the sugar and just use the pineapple for sweetness.
