Cowboy Candy (Candied Jalapeños)

If you want to add a sweet and spicy kick to any dish, you have to try this Cowboy Candy. It’s sweet, spicy, and addictive. Once you make it, you’ll always want to keep a jar in the fridge. 

Cowboy candy AKA candied jalapeños

This recipe is so easy to make and only takes about 30 minutes. The jalapeños are boiled in vinegar and sugar to create delicious, candied jalapeños you can add to pulled pork sandwiches, on top of cornbread, or over a block of smoked cream cheese.

Ingredients you’ll need 

• Jalapeños —both red and green jalapeños will work. I like adding a bit of additional spice, so I add a few serrano peppers to the mix.
• Apple cider vinegar – the base of your pickling liquid/syrup. Alternatively, you can use distilled vinegar or rice vinegar, but remember that they tend to make the peppers more acidic. 
• Sugar – I use brown and white sugar in this recipe. You can skip the brown sugar and use 100% white. 
• Seasonings – turmeric, chili powder, and smoked paprika. I also add red pepper flakes for extra spice, but those are optional. You can add other spices and seasonings if you want to play around with the recipe. 

Equipment you’ll need 

• Knife – for dicing
• Mason jar – the perfect vessel for storing this cowboy candy. If you don’t have one, any airtight container should work fine. 
• Medium pot
• Slotted spoon

How to make cowboy candy

1. Prep

As I mentioned earlier, I like to use both jalepeños and serrano peppers for this recipe, but you can use all jalapeños if you prefer. The serranos add an extra level of spice that I love, plus they are smaller, so you get a more versatile texture in your final product. 

If you’re sensitive to heat, you can also core the jalapeños before slicing them.

Grab a knife and slice your peppers about ¼” thick. A mandolin works great, but this is a smaller-batch recipe, so a knife works just fine. 

Once your peppers are sliced, set them to the side and get started on the pickling liquid. 

2. Pickling liquid

The key to this recipe is the syrupy pickling liquid. The jalapeños are cooked and stored in it, and this is where all the flavor comes from. 

Add apple cider vinegar, sugars, and seasonings to a pot over medium heat and bring the liquid to a rapid boil.

Once it’s boiling, add your jalapeños and let them cook for about 10 minutes to soften and absorb all of that flavor.

Then, remove them to a plate with a slotted spoon. 

Bring the liquid back up to a boil for a few minutes, then let it simmer and reduce by half. The liquid should thicken and start to get syrupy; that’s when you’ll know it’s done. 

3. Storing 

While your syrup is simmering, you can transfer the sliced jalapeños to a mason jar (or other airtight container). 

Once your syrup is done, you can pour it right over the top of the jalapeños. This is what makes them so delicious. 

Let them cool FULLY before putting the lid on the jar.

The flavors are better if you leave them for about a week, but you can eat them immediately if you really can’t wait.

Store in the fridge for up to three months. 

What to serve Cowboy Candy with

I like to add cowboy candy to tacos, pulled pork sandwiches, and wraps, but my favorite way to eat them is to pour them on top of a block of cream cheese (or smoked cream cheese!). The creamy cheese cools down the heat of the jalapeños, and it’s such a delicious snack! 

Try out some more great condiments

• Easy and Authentic Chimichurri
• Quick Pickled Red Onions
• 24-Hour BBQ Pickle Chips