Cowboy Candy, also known as candied jalapeños, combines sliced jalapeño rings with a sweet, tangy and lightly spiced syrup. The peppers retain their heat while soaking up enough sweetness to make them hard to stop eating.
This jalapeño recipe uses six core ingredients, plus optional chili powder, and takes about 15 minutes to prep. For a fruitier variation, try my Cowboy Candy with Pineapple.
I make this Christmas appetizer recipe every year along with Cranberry Jalapeño Dip.
What Is Cowboy Candy?
Cowboy Candy is a sweet and spicy condiment made by simmering sliced jalapeños in a seasoned sugar and vinegar syrup. The jalapeños soften slightly but retain enough texture to use as a topping for burgers, sandwiches, nachos, cream cheese and more.
The sweetness balances the natural heat of the peppers without completely covering it up. Letting the jalapeños rest in the refrigerator gives them time to absorb the syrup and allows the flavor to improve.
Ingredients
Here are the key ingredients needed to make Cowboy Candy. You’ll find the exact amounts in the recipe card below.
- Jalapeño Peppers – Use fresh, firm jalapeños without soft spots or wrinkled skin. Wear gloves while slicing and handling the peppers.
- Granulated Sugar – Creates the signature sweet syrup that balances the heat of the peppers.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Adds acidity and a tangy flavor. White vinegar can also be used for the refrigerated version.
- Seasonings – Granulated garlic, celery seed and ground turmeric season the syrup. Chili powder is optional.
How to Make Cowboy Candy
Here’s a quick overview of how to make these refrigerated candied jalapeños. See the recipe card below for the exact amounts and complete instructions.
Slice the Jalapeños – Put on a pair of food-safe gloves and use a sharp paring knife to cut the jalapeños into ⅛-inch rounds.
Make the Syrup – Add the sugar, vinegar and seasonings to a large saucepan and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture begins to thicken.
Cook the Jalapeños – Add the sliced peppers to the syrup, return the mixture to a boil and then simmer as directed in the recipe card.
Fill the Jars – Use a slotted spoon to transfer the jalapeños to clean jars. Reduce the remaining syrup, then carefully pour it over the pepper slices.
Marinate – Let the jars cool before covering and refrigerating them. Wait at least one week before serving. For the best flavor and texture, let the Cowboy Candy develop for three to four weeks.
Ways to Use Cowboy Candy
Cowboy Candy is more than a holiday appetizer. These sweet and spicy jalapeños can be used anywhere you want to add a little heat:
- Cowboy Candy Cream Cheese Dip – Spoon the candied jalapeños over softened cream cheese and serve with crackers for an easy holiday appetizer.
- Smoked Queso – Chop the jalapeños and stir them into this popular cheese dip.
- Charcuterie Boards – Add a small bowl to cheese and charcuterie boards for a sweet and spicy contrast.
- Grilled Meat – Spoon the jalapeños over grilled chicken, pork chops, burgers or steak. The reserved syrup can also be brushed over meat near the end of cooking.
- Cocktail Garnish – Add a slice or two to a Bloody Maria or another savory cocktail.
- Salads – Chop the jalapeños and mix them into macaroni salad, potato salad or coleslaw.
- Nachos and Quesadillas – Add the peppers to Carne Asada Nachos or your favorite quesadilla.
- Pizza, Burgers, Hot Dogs and Sandwiches – Use Cowboy Candy anywhere you would normally add pickled jalapeños.
- Little Smokies or Meatballs – Add chopped Cowboy Candy or a spoonful of the syrup for extra heat.
How to Slice the Jalapeño Peppers
There are three easy ways to slice jalapeños for Cowboy Candy. I pick “easy to clean” over “quick” any day of the week, but you may be the opposite.
Mandoline Slicer – If you’re a longtime reader, you know I detest pulling out my mandoline slicer. It works well and creates very even slices, but cleaning it safely is a hassle.
Food Processor – Use the slicing attachment and add the peppers one at a time through the feed chute.
Hand-Cut – Put on a pair of food-safe gloves and slice the peppers with a sharp paring knife. This is my preferred method. It takes a little longer, but there’s less equipment to clean.
Tips for Making Cowboy Candy
Keep these tips in mind before you start slicing the jalapeños:
- Wear gloves. Always wear food-safe gloves when handling sliced jalapeños. Avoid touching your face and eyes while working with the peppers.
- For less heat, remove the membranes. Most of a jalapeño’s capsaicin is concentrated in the pale inner membranes. Removing the membranes and seeds will make the finished Cowboy Candy milder, but it also takes considerably more prep time.
- Wait for a full rolling boil. Don’t start timing the syrup until it reaches a full rolling boil. Shortening the cooking time can leave you with thin syrup.
- Give the flavors time to develop. Refrigerate the Cowboy Candy for at least one week before opening the jar. Three to four weeks produces an even better flavor and texture.
- Save the extra syrup. Drizzle it over cornbread, use it as a glaze for grilled meat or add a small amount to cocktails and salad dressings. Do not reuse leftover syrup to preserve another batch of peppers.
Variations
These variations are intended for refrigerator Cowboy Candy only. If you are using a tested canning recipe, do not change its pepper, vinegar or ingredient proportions.
Pepper Options – Fresh jalapeños are traditional, but you can make the refrigerated version with red jalapeños, serrano peppers, banana peppers, Fresno chiles or a combination of hot and mild peppers. Check the Scoville scale if you’re unsure how hot a pepper will be.
Smoked Jalapeños – Lightly smoke the jalapeños before slicing them for a smoky variation. Go easy on the smoke so it doesn’t overpower the sweet syrup.
Additional Spices – Mustard seeds, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and black pepper can be added to the refrigerated version.
Chopped Peppers – Chop the jalapeños instead of slicing them to create more of a sweet and spicy relish.
Can You Can Cowboy Candy?
This recipe is written and tested as refrigerator Cowboy Candy, not as a shelf-stable canning recipe. Store the finished candied jalapeños in clean, airtight jars in the refrigerator.
If you want to preserve candied jalapeños in a water-bath canner, use a research-tested recipe and follow its ingredient quantities, jar size, processing time and altitude adjustments exactly. Do not use the refrigerator instructions below for shelf-stable storage.
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How to Store Cowboy Candy
Transfer the Cowboy Candy and syrup to clean, airtight jars and keep them refrigerated. For the best flavor and texture, let the jalapeños marinate for at least one week before opening the jar.
Refrigerated Cowboy Candy can be stored for up to three months. Always use a clean utensil when removing jalapeños from the jar and discard the contents if you notice mold, an unusual odor or other signs of spoilage.
I’d love to hear how you’re planning to use your candied jalapeños. Share your ideas and recommendations in the comments below. When you have an abundance of jalapeños, think Cowboy Candy!
This recipe was originally posted in December 2020 and has been updated with new photos and additional information.
Cowboy Candy (a.k.a. Candied Jalapeños)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ lb fresh jalapeño peppers
- 3 cups white sugar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili powder, optional ( *Note 1)
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp celery seeds
Instructions
- Remove and discard stems from the peppers. Cut the jalapeño peppers into 1/8" round slices. Set aside.
- In a large sauce pan, add the sugar, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, turmeric and celery seeds and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer until the sugar mixture has a thick syrup consistency, approx. 5 minutes.
- Add the pepper slices to the sauce pan and toss to coat. Raise the heat to return to a hard boil. Once a rolling boil is achieved, immediately reduce the heat again and simmer for 4 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the jalapeños to clean canning jars. Leave about 1/4" of space at the top.
- Reduce the syrup, one last time, by bring it to a full rolling boil for 5 minutes.
- Ladle the syrup over the jalapeños until the syrup reaches about 1/4" from the top.
- Refrigerate for at least one week before serving. For the best flavor and texture, let the Cowboy Candy develop for three to four weeks. (*Note 2)