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Cowboy Candy aka “Candied Jalapenos”, is the ultimate sweet and spicy mix! Perfect on burgers, sandwiches, nachos, or on their own! This time of year the jalapenos and banana peppers are in abundance. This is a great way to use them before they turn bad and is one of my favorite dishes.

This year, my jalapeno peppers have not been producing very many peppers. Since I had a handful of banana peppers and a handful of green jalapeños, I just combined them together to make the best cowboy candy I have ever made. This is the easiest way to use up any peppers you have growing in your garden.

What is Cowboy Candy?

Spicy jalapeño peppers and other different peppers if you choose, are marinated in a sweet sugar glaze. The peppers soften while maintaining their heat, which is offset by the sugar-based glaze. The texture of the Cowboy Candy is thick and luxurious and taste perfect on a saltine cracker.

If you want less heat, you can remove the seeds. However, I left the seeds in mine and they are AMAZING!

How to Make This Cowboy Candy Recipe

For this recipe, you need the following ingredients

• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/4 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1/2 tablespoon of turmeric
• 1/2 tablespoon of ginger
• 4 cups of chopped jalapeno slices (you can also chop these in a food processor if you want)

In a large pot, add the apple cider vinegar, white sugar, and brown sugar and bring to a full rolling boil. Once it boils, turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Now, add in the salt, turmeric, and ginger. Mix well. 

Use a sharp knife and slice the jalapenos.

Add in the pepper slices and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Take the clean and sterile canning jars and fill them with the jalapenos and the syrups. Half pints are the best to use for this. Bigger jars make for too much at one time so the smaller jars are preferred.

I use a slotted spoon to add the candied jalapeños to the bottom of the jar and then come back and add in the syrup. Fill until you reach 1/4 inch of the upper rim of the jar. Use a knife to stick down in the jars to remove any air pockets or bubbles. 

Clean the rims on the top of the jar with vinegar and place the lids on finger tight. You do not have to can these if you plan on eating them all within a month.

However, you can water bath can the half-pint jars for 10 minutes in a water bath canner. Remove the jars with canning tongs and let everything cool to room temperature on a cooling rack. When you do this method, it gives them a longer shelf life.

Then, let them rest on your pantry shelf for two weeks before cracking a jar open. That is the hardest part of this recipe!

How to Serve

Of course, while the star of this recipe is the candied jalapenos, don't miss out on that delicious syrup! I take the syrup and some of the jalapenos and serve it over cream cheese or goat cheese with my favorite crackers. It is the perfect combination. If you want to up your game, try adding these jalapenos to hot dogs! They are amazing.

Once you fill your jars with the peppers and the syrup, you will have some leftover syrup. I put it in a jar by itself and use it for things like drinks, ice cream, potato salad, and more. It's like you get two recipes in one with this delicious Cowboy Candy. Spicy peppers really do up most of your recipes.

Love jalapenos? Check these recipes out

• Grilled Pineapple and Jalapeno Margarita Mocktail
• Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich
• The Best Homemade Pickled Jalapeños
• Mummy Jalapeno Poppers #HalloweenTreatsWeek