Cowboy Candy (a.k.a. Candied Jalapeños)

Top down view of a jar of candied jalapenos (also called cowboy candy)

Cowboy Candy (a.k.a. Candied Jalapeños)

Make this sweet and spicy Cowboy Candy recipe, a.k.a. Candied Jalapeños, to make the best cream cheese dip for your holiday gathering. Spicy jalapeño rings are marinated in a sweet simple syrup. Top your sandwiches, burgers and nachos with this flavorful and versatile condiment. It would also mix well with Little Smokies in Grape Jelly

Course Condiments

Cuisine American

Keyword Canned Recipes, Christmas Appetizer, Dip Recipe, Holiday Appetizer, Jalapeno Recipes, Mason Jar Recipes, Spicy Recipes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings people

Calories 314kcal

Author Darcey Olson

Cost $5

Equipment

Ingredients

1 Lb Jalapeño Peppers
3 Cups White Sugar
1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Granulated Garlic
1 tsp Chili Powder (*Note 1)
⅛ tsp Ground Turmeric Powder
⅛ tsp Celery Seeds

Instructions

Cut the jalapeño peppers into 1/8" round slices.
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.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Let the jalapeños marinate for a minimum of one week, before enjoying. (*Note 2)

Notes

Note 1 - Chili Powder is optional. Most of the major cowboy candy producers includes this ingredient in their recipes, but feel free to omit.

Note 2- Try and let your jars of cowboy candy develop for 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator before enjoying, if possible. You can absolutely wait just a week, but a good month really brings out the texture and flavor.

Try subbing in smoked cream cheese in place of plain cream cheese for an added kick.

Nutrition