Candied Jalapenos
by This post may contain affiliate links.
Sweet, spicy, and seriously delicious, Candied Jalapenos are the bold little condiment you didn’t know your fridge was missing! I’ll show you how to make this “Cowboy Candy” in just 30 minutes using an easy homemade recipe. Spoon them over burgers, tacos, cream cheese, or eat them straight from the jar (no judgment here!). Once you try them, you’ll be hooked!
Why you’ll love these candied jalapenos
With family in Oklahoma and Texas, and a lot of road trips between the two states, we made a lot of stops at Buc-ee’s. If you’re not familiar with Buc-ee’s, it’s a cross between a restaurant, gas station, Walmart, and country market. It seriously has a lot going on, but one thing we always picked up when we were there was a jar of their candied jalapenos.
Since I live in California now, I had to recreate the Buc-ee’s goodness in my own kitchen, so I could get my hands on them anytime. And now I’m here to share my tested and perfected recipe with you! Here’s why I know you’ll love them.
- There are so many ways to use them! I seriously can’t keep them in my fridge longer than a week.
- Sweet and spicy goodness! There’s a reason they’re also called “cowboy candy”. The peppers are spicy, but the candied portion of this recipe is sticky-sweet.
- It’s easy to make! You only need 30 minutes to mix up a batch (or maybe go ahead and make a double batch!) then you can store the jalapenos in the fridge for up to 4 weeks and keep using them over and over again!
Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for this candied jalapenos recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Fresh jalapenos – you’ll need a pound of peppers to make this recipe, which should be about 20 peppers depending on the size. I recommend using the scale at the grocery store to measure the weight so you’re getting exactly one pound.
- Apple cider vinegar – this variety of vinegar has a sweet and tangy taste that works perfectly in this recipe. While you can use white distilled vinegar, it won’t result in the same flavor.
- Granulated sugar – used to candy the jalapenos and add the sweet element to this recipe.
- Garlic powder + onion powder + mustard powder + salt – to season the candied peppers.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Slice the jalapenos. Use a sharp knife to remove the stems from the peppers and discard them. Slice the peppers into 1/4 inch slices using a sharp knife or mandoline. Set them aside.
- Boil vinegar and sugar. Combine apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, and salt in a large pot on the stove on over high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the liquid for 5 minutes.
- Cook the peppers. Raise the heat on the stove up to medium-high heat to bring the mixture back to a boil. Once boiling, add the pepper slices to the boiling syrup. Simmer for 4 minutes, or until the jalapenos are shiny and slightly shriveled.
- Transfer the peppers. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peppers to a glass jar, like a mason jar, and fill the jar to within 1/4 inch of the top of the jar. This will leave enough room to add the candied liquid.
- Cook down the liquid. Leave the sweet vinegar liquid on the stove and continue to boil it for 6-8 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by about a third. Ladle the syrupy liquid into the jars with the jalapeno slices. Place a lid on the jar. Let it cool to room temperature before transferring the jar to the refrigerator to store for up to 4 weeks.
Ways to use it
My favorite thing about this recipe is that it’s really like two recipes in one! You get the candied jalapenos and the candied jalapeno syrup in the jar. They can be used together or separately in recipes.
The candied jalapenos are a great topping for nachos, burgers, hot dogs, cheese fries, tacos, or on top of a fried chicken sandwich. Try it on any of these recipes.
- Nachos or fries: Pulled Pork Nachos, Crock Pot Chicken Nachos, Animal Style Fries, Chili Cheese Fries
- Burgers or sandwiches: Buffalo Chicken Smash Burger, Smoked Burgers, Chili Burger, Meatloaf Sandwich, Slow Cooker BBQ Brisket Sandwich
- Tacos: Quesabirria Tacos, Pork Tacos, Steak Tacos, Grilled Shrimp Tacos
For an easy appetizer, simply pour the jalapenos and syrupy liquid from the jar over a block of cream cheese. Serve with crackers for dipping up this delicious snack. For a little bonus flavor, serve it on top of Smoked Cream Cheese.
If you use up all of the jalapenos from the jar but still have some liquid left behind, use it as a glaze to finish cornbread, grilled meats, or smoked meats. I love to toss the sweet and spicy leftover syrup with my Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends. Talk about delicious!!
More homemade condiments
Fill your fridge with all of these delicious condiments to amp up the flavor of your burgers, tacos, or bbq!
Candied Jalapenos
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh jalapenos, about 20 peppers
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Remove and discard the stems from the jalapeño peppers, then slice them into ¼ inch slices. Set the pepper slices aside.
- Place a large pot on the stove over high heat. Add the apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Raise the heat back up to medium-high to bring the mixture back to a boil. Once boiling, add the pepper slices and simmer for 4 minutes, or until the jalapenos are shiny and slightly shriveled.
- Transfer the peppers using a slotted spoon to a clean glass jar, filling the jar to within ¼ inch of the top of the jar.
- Continue boiling the vinegar and sugar mixture for 6-8 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by about a third.
- Ladle the syrup into the jar with the jalapeno slices. Place a lid on the jar and let it cool to room temperature before transferring the jar to the refrigerator. Refrigerate for up to 4 weeks.
Notes
- If you’re sensitive to spice, I recommend wearing food-safe disposable gloves while slicing the jalapenos.
- This recipe is easy to double and because it stays good for 4 weeks in the fridge, you might just want to do that! Simply click the 2X button above and the ingredient amounts will automatically update to the new serving size.
- Spice level: this recipe is both sweet and spicy. If you want to reduce the spicy element, use a corer to remove the membranes and seeds from inside the jalapenos before slicing them.
- I store the candied jalapenos in a 32 ounce wide-mouth mason jar with a hinged lid. This makes it easy to fill and easy to open and spoon out a few jalapenos whenever I want to use them. You can also divide the recipe between two traditional pint-sized mason jars for storage.
Nutrition Facts
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
