Candied Jalapeños Recipe
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.
Candied Jalapenos
Equipment
- Water bath canning equipment
- Mason jars (pint or half-pint with two-piece lids)
- Clean dish towel
- Gloves
- Sharp knife
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of jalapeno peppers (sliced into 1/4 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
- Prepare canner and supplies. If you are going to be water bath canning these, go ahead and prepare your canner and jars. Wash the jars and put them in the oven or hot water to keep them warm. Get the water boiling in your canner and boil a small pan of water for the lids and rings. Make sure you have all the tools you need ready to go before you start making the cowboy candy.
- Prepare your jalapenos. 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 jalapenos 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 1/4 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.
- Seal the jars. 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.
- Prepare canning. 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.
- Process the jars. Lower the jars into the boiling water, cover the pot with the lid, and process for 10 minutes for half-pints or 15 minutes for pints. Gently take out the jars and place them on a towel to cool. Don’t move them while they are cooling, as they need to seal. You will hear a popping sound and the lid will be flat.
- 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
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.
But anyway. 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. Either way.
Tips for Success
Wear gloves! Even if you think your hands can handle hot peppers, processing this many jalapeños can lead to seriously uncomfortable burns. Trust me.
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.
Cook the syrup until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but still liquid enough to pour easily.
Let the jars rest undisturbed for a full 24 hours after processing so they’ll seal up.
Ingredients and Equipment
Jalapeños: You want fresh and firm peppers; skip any that are soft or wrinkled
White vinegar: Standard 5% acidity vinegar
Spices: The combination of cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger creates is just right. Don’t go substituting things on me.
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Equipment-wise, you’ll need basic water bath canning supplies. 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.)
By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.