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Easy Candied JalapeƱos

These Candied JalapeƱos are awesome on burgers, sandwiches, nachos or even by themselves. This recipe only takes 30 minutes to make.

easy candied jalapenĢƒos

I will admit that we eat dishes with JalapeƱos pretty frequently so making these Candied JalapeƱos instead of pickling gave us some delicious options.

celery seed

Super easy to make and can last for months when stored correctly. If you have a lot of jalapeƱos on hand and not sure what to do with them I suggest you try this candied jalapeƱos recipe.

ingredients for cowboy candy
Sugar, Celery Seed, Garlic Powder and Turmeric

So what’s the difference between Candied JalapeƱos and Pickled JalapeƱos you ask? Well not very much actually.

The main difference is this recipe uses a couple of cups of white sugar and a few different seasonings for the cooking process.

sliced jalapeƱos
1 Pound of Sliced JalapeƱos

Sometimes referred to as Cowboy Candy, these candied jalapeƱos can be eaten in a variety of ways.

Put some on your salad, on sandwiches, on nachos, over chicken or you can simply enjoy them as a snack.

Just recently I added some of these candied jalapeƱos to my breakfast eggs. The possibilities are endless.

jalapeƱos boiling in saucepan
Sliced JalapeƱos in Sugar Mixture

The end result is some sweet and spicy jalapeƱos that bring tons of flavor to whatever dish you add them to.

We love to add these candied jalapeƱos to our burgers. Way better than pickles. Especially if you like your burgers to have a kick!

candied jalapeƱos in glass jars

While I like my pickled jalapeƱos recipe a lot, which is just as easy to make, I prefer this candied jalapeƱos recipe a little more. Probably because they bring a little sweetness to the equation.

But I will leave that up to you to determine which you prefer best. Try both recipes and let us know which you prefer in the comments below!

fresh jalapenĢƒos
pepper icon

How to Handle Hot Peppers

  • The capsaicin in hot peppers is what makes peppers hot. If you handle hot peppers gloveless, itā€™s a guarantee that youā€™re in for a nasty case of chili burn, both on your fingers and anywhere you rub. Like your face. Ouch!
  • Even if you wear disposable gloves, be careful about what you touch. The gloves are going to protect your fingers, but touching any part of your body with the gloves after youā€™ve handled hot peppers can lead to severe chili burn.
  • Resist the temptation to rub your eyes. Wait until youā€™ve removed your gloves and washed your hands thoroughly with soap.
candied jalapeƱos on strawberry chicken salad
Candied JalapeƱos on Strawberry Chicken Salad

The Scoville Scale is the measurement that tells you the spiciness of a given type of pepper.

Pepper TypeScoville Rating (Heat)
Bell Pepper0-0
Banana Pepper0-500
Poblano Pepper1000-1500
JalapeƱo Pepper2500-8000
Serrano Peppers10,000-25,000
Manzano Pepper12,000-30,000
Tabasco & Cayenne30,000-50,000
Habanero Pepper100,000-300,000
Ghost Pepper855,000-1,000,000
Carolina Reaper1,500,000-2,300,000
candied jalapeƱos on carnitas tacos
Candied JalapeƱos on Carnitas Tacos

Once cooled, the jars of jalapeƱos should be kept in the refrigerator. If your plan is to make a batch and keep them “long term”, I would suggest using a method similar to this one to seal the jars.

ground turmeric
Ground Turmeric
mason jar icon

How to Seal Mason Jars

  • Using a ladle, fill sterilized mason jars leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace.
  • Remove any air bubbles by inserting a flexible spatula down the sides of the jars. Adjust headspace if necessary.
  • Wipe jar rims, place lids on jar and screw on bands finger tight.
  • Place jars in a large pot of boiling water for 20 minutes. Move jars to a cooling rack and let cool until the lids “pop”. Do not tighten bands. Let jars cool for at least 4 hours. Test seal by pressing the center of the lid. It should not give. If it makes a popping sound, it has NOT been sealed.

You will need the following ingredients to make this Candied JalapeƱos recipe (see recipe card for quantities): JalapeƱos, White Sugar, Apple Cider Vinegar, Garlic Powder, Celery Seed, Ground Turmeric and Crushed Red Pepper Flakes.

  1. Slice the JalapeƱos into rounds. Set aside.
  2. In a saucepan, add the sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, celery seed, turmeric, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until sugar is completely melted.
  3. Add the sliced jalapeƱos. Bring the mixture back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Remove the JalapeƱos from the pot with tongs or a slotted spoon into pint jars. Bring the remaining liquid up to a boil to reduce the mixture, approximately 5 minutes.
  5. Using a funnel, pour the leftover liquid into the jars, covering the jalapeƱos.
  6. Let the jars cool completely. Secure each jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator.
Easy Candied JalapeƱos

Easy Candied JalapeƱos

These Candied JalapeƱos are awesome on burgers, sandwiches, nachos or even by themselves. This recipe only takes 30 minutes to make.
4.09 from 12 votes
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course Sauces
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 145 kcal

Equipment

  • Saucepan

Ingredients
 

  • 1 lb Fresh JalapeƱo, roughly 18 to 20 jalapeƱos
  • 2 Cups White Sugar
  • ā…” Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 Tsp Celery Seed
  • Ā½ Tsp Ground Turmeric
  • Ā½ Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Instructions
 

  • Slice the JalapeƱos into rounds. Set aside.
  • In a saucepan, add the sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, celery seed, turmeric, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until sugar is completely melted.
  • Add the sliced jalapeƱos. Bring the mixture back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionaly.
  • Remove the JalapeƱos from the pot with tongs or a slotted spoon into pint jars. Bring the remaining liquid up to a boil to reduce mixture, approximately 5 minutes.
  • Using a funnel, pour the leftover liquid into the jars, covering the jalapeƱos.
  • Let the jars cool completely. Secure each jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator.

Notes

ā†’ I recommend wearing disposable gloves when handling Hot Peppers.

Nutrition

Calories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 4mgPotassium: 113mgFiber: 1gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 432IUVitamin C: 45mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.

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4 Comments

  1. Cathy Napier says:

    Our harder produced way too many jalapeƱos and I made plenty of pepper jelly. I wonder what to do with all of these peppers and then I saw your recipe. Tried a batch of 8 jars and gave a few away. Everyone including my family went wild over these. They are wonderful. My sister used them on toasted cheese sandwiches and said I have to have more. Wonderful recipe and is will be making many more.

    1. Rodney says:

      Glad you liked this recipe! I have a few jalapeƱo bushes and make this all the time!

  2. Lisa says:

    How long before you can enjoy eating them? Is it one day? One week? One month? Maybe I missed this part somewhere….. thanks! They sound great!

    1. Technically as soon as everything has cooled down but the flavor intensifies with time. I usually wait overnight.

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