Some home-canned items are practical and versatile but you can buy them just about anywhere. This one is different. Candied jalapeños, aka cowboy candy, are truly special. Sweet, hot, and perfect on everything from chili to nachos. Everyone will want a jar of these.
There are some canning recipes I plan my garden around, and this is one of them.
Table of Contents
Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need
First of all, if you don’t have red jalapeños, you can absolutely make these with just green ones. Letting them ripen to red slows down the production of the plant and doesn’t change the flavor all that much. I only do it because in October I’m sick of hot peppers and I ignore the plants and everything turns red. And then I make a second batch for Christmas gifts, so it all works out. If you don’t grow your own veggies, red will probably be hard to find anyways.
The combination of cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger is just right. Don’t go substituting things on me.
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Wear gloves! Even if you think your hands can handle hot peppers, processing this many jalapeños can lead to seriously uncomfortable burns. Trust me.
If you’re new to canning, you can find starter kits at most hardware stores or online retailers. A mandoline slicer, while not essential, makes quick work of all that pepper slicing. (I don’t have one and manage just fine.)
This makes about 6 half-pints. If you’d like to double or triple this recipe, you can make adjustments in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Though it will be a lot of peppers!
Equipment
- Water Bath Canner and accessories
- Mason jars (pint or half-pint with lids and rings)
- Clean dish towel
- Gloves (you really need these to handle all the peppers!)
- Sharp knife
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of jalapeno peppers (sliced into ¼ inch rings – equals 8 cups of sliced jalapeños)
- 1½ cups white vinegar
- 3 cups white sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ginger
How to Make
Keep your kitchen well-ventilated. The cooking process can release capsaicin into the air, causing you to cough like crazy. Keep your windows open and a fan running.
Step One: Prep Jars
Clean your jars and keep them hot in a 200°F oven or hot water. Heat the lids and rings in hot water too. Get your canning pot boiling.
Step Two: Slice Jalapeños
You need 3 pounds of jalapeños – that’s about 8 cups sliced. Wear gloves! Slice them into quarter-inch rings.
Step Three: Make the Syrup
Combine vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger in a large pot. Bring it to a boil on medium-high heat, then simmer on low for 5-7 minutes until it gets syrupy.
Step Four: Cook the Jalapeños
Turn the heat back up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the sliced jalapeños and cook for 5 minutes. They’ll lose their bright green color.
Step Five: Fill Jars
Fill the hot jars using a funnel, leaving a quarter-inch headspace. Press down the peppers to release air bubbles. Wipe the jar rims clean. Put on lids and rings fingertip-tight – snug but not over-tightened.
Step Six: Process
Process in the boiling water bath for 10 minutes (half-pints) or 15 minutes (pints).
Step Seven: Cool and Store
Remove the jars and cool them on a towel for 24 hours. You’ll hear them seal with a pop sound. Store in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
Storing & Serving
Properly processed jars will keep for up to a year in a cool, dark place. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 1 month. If you’re not interested in canning, you can make a small batch to keep in the fridge. It will keep well in there for about a month.
There are many ways to eat these.
- My favorite way to eat these is on top of chili.
- But most people heat up cream cheese, pour them on top, and serve with crackers.
- You can also use them as a topping for tacos, nachos, or burgers.
- Chop and mix them into cornbread batter or make these jalapeño cornbread muffins.
- Or garnish a cocktail, like this pineapple jalapeño sangria.
More Jalapeño Recipes
- If you already have your canning stuff out, make this spicy jalapeño relish.
- This jalapeño popper sourdough grilled cheese is spicy and creamy and definitely for grown ups.
- Deep fried jalapeño poppers is great for a party appetizer (or just for dinner).
- If you’re getting a little bored with your plain sourdough breads, add some jalapeños and cheddar cheese for a loaf you won’t forget.
Printable Recipe
Candied Jalapenos
Equipment
- Water Bath Canner and accessories
- Mason jars (pint or half-pint with lids and rings)
- Clean dish towel
- Gloves (you really need these to handle all the peppers!)
- Sharp knife
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of jalapeno peppers (sliced into ¼ inch rings – equals 8 cups of sliced jalapeños)
- 1½ cups white vinegar
- 3 cups white sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ginger
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Instructions
- Prep jars. Make sure the jars are clean and heated in the oven at 200°F or in a pot of hot water. Then, heat the rings and lids in a small pan of hot water. Fill your canner with water and bring it to a boil.
- Prep your jalapeños. Get your peppers and if you have a scale, weigh 3 pounds (about 8 cups of sliced jalapeños). Don't forget to wear gloves and start slicing the peppers by hand.
- Make the syrup. Combine the vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger in a large stockpot or high-sided sauté pan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer until the liquid turns into a sticky syrup for approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
- Cook the jalapeños in the hot syrup. Increase the heat to medium-high until the mixture boils again, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the sliced jalapeños and simmer for 5 minutes. The jalapeños will change color and become less bright green.
- Fill the jars. Use a funnel to ladle the hot jalapeño mixture into clean, hot half-pint jars, leaving about ¼-inch of headspace. Use a tool to press down the peppers and let any air bubbles escape. Wipe the edges clean so the lids can seal properly. Take the lids and rings from the hot water and screw them on “fingertip tight.” This means tightening until you feel a little resistance but not too much—you should be able to turn it on or off with just your fingertips.
- Process. Lower the jars into the boiling water bath canner, cover the pot with the lid, and process for 10 minutes for half-pints or 15 minutes for pints.
- Cool and store. Remove the jars from the canner and place them on a clean dish towel to cool at room temperature. Once the lids have been sealed (you should hear a popping sound), let them sit for 24 hours undisturbed. Store the jars in a dark, cool place for up to 1 year.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Can we use Splenda instead of sugar.
I have never tried it and I don’t know that it would cook down into a syrup