Candied Jalapeños

By
Cathy Barrow
Cathy Barrow portrait
Cathy Barrow
Cathy Barrow is an award-winning author, a passionate knitter, traveler, gardener, and cook. She has written four cookbooks and has been published by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Serious Eats, FOOD52, The Local Palate, Modern Farmer, Garden & Gun, Southern Living, NPR, and National Geographic.
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Updated on 09/19/23
Tested by
Noah Velush-Rogers
Noah Velush-Rogers
Tested by Noah Velush-Rogers
Noah Velush-Rogers works on food prep for several area caterers. He has worked with a team of prep chefs for a private school group. He was an assistant cooking teacher for children and teen group cooking classes. Noah was hired as an intern and was then trained as a recipe tester for Fine Cooking Magazine. 
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Two jars of candied jalapenos with a small dish of candied jalapeno slices

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 32 servings
Yield: 2 pints

Candied jalapeños are a required summer pickle at our house. It started the year I planted six jalapeño plants. Chili peppers are prolific. Rather than ripening politely one or two at a time, the peppers are ready two, three, four or more pounds at once. 

That summer, faced with (literally) 9 pounds of ripe jalapeños, I needed a delicious solution. Rather than the traditional spice blend in most candied jalapeño recipes, blends that mimic that of bread and butter pickles, I turned to the sweet and aromatic flavors provided from cinnamon (or canela), vanilla, and apple cider vinegar.

Starting in mid-summer, the farmers market will begin displaying gigantic piles of chili peppers. Friends with gardens may deposit grocery bags of peppers on your front porch and skedaddle. That’s when you’ll want to make these incendiary and delightful candied slices.

How To Use Candied Jalapeños

Bright, sweet, spiced, and hot as heck, they belong on every sandwich, scattered over scrambled eggs, tucked into tacos, layered on slices of cheese, or (my favorite snack) placed atop a potato chip. 

I’ve stirred these chilies into pimento cheese, chopped them into a bowl of cottage cheese, and skewered them with olives and salumi for a wickedly delicious bloody Mary garnish.

How To Substitute Other Peppers

Jalapeños tend to be more fruity so the heat is nicely balanced. It is possible to make these with serrano peppers or even Anaheim or other mild peppers. If using chilies that have no heat, add at least one hot pepper to the jar to give the pickle some punch. 

How To Use the Leftover Jalapeño Syrup

The leftover spicy syrup stands in for simple syrup in a margarita that both wets your whistle and raises your eyebrows. Alternatively, try 2 ounces of the syrup mixed with sparkling water for a sizzling non-alcoholic option.

Tips for Making Candied Jalapeños

  • Handle with care—Choose ripe, plump jalapeños or fresnos (red) or a combination and wear gloves when slicing.
  • Make even slices—Use a mandoline for consistent jalapeño slices to ensure even cooking. 
  • Tone down the heat—For candied chilies that carry less chili heat, remove the seeds. The easiest way to do this is to submerge the sliced jalapeños in water, agitating them to loosen the seeds. Drain the chiles well and dry them in a kitchen towel.
  • How to extract cardamom seeds—Crush the cardamom pods with the side of a chef’s knife to extract the seeds.
  • Sensitive to chile pepper fumes?—Open all the windows, turn on the hood fan, wear goggles and/or a bandana or mask if you are sensitive.
  • Can’t get enough?—This recipe can easily be doubled.

“A nice topping to have around the house for various meal choices. They go pretty well with cream cheese on crackers if you’re strapped for time and need a quick appetizer, and they're perfect in some homemade tacos.” —Noah Velush-Rogers

Candied Jalapeños (Cowboy Candy)/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds jalapeños

  • 3 cups (600 grams) granulated sugar

  • 2 cups (475 milliliters) apple cider vinegar

  • 2 cinnamon or canela sticks, about 3-inches each

  • 1 vanilla bean, split, the seeds scraped out and reserved

  • 6 allspice berries

  • Seeds from about 6 green cardamom pods (about 1/4 teaspoon)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make candied jalapenos

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Wash 2 pint jars and one 8-ounce jar, along with their lids, with hot, soapy water. Invert over a towel until ready to fill.

    Three clean pint jars and lids on a kitchen towel

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Wearing gloves, slice 2 pounds jalapeños into rings 1/4-inch thick. Use a mandoline for the best results.

    A cutting board with thinly slices jalapenos and a mandolin

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. In a 3-quart or larger saucepan, bring 3 cups (600 grams) granulated sugar, 2 cups (475 milliliters) apple cider vinegar, 2 cinnamon or canela sticks, 1 vanilla bean pod and its seeds, 6 allspice berries, and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds to a brisk boil over high heat. Boil until the syrup has reached 215 F. Look for a clear syrup, dissolved sugar, and a strong boil with medium sized bubbles that burst at the surface.

    A pot with syrup made from sugar, water, vinegar, cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, and a vanilla bean pod

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Add the jalapeño slices and bring the mixture back to a boil for 5 minutes. The peppers will change from bright emerald green to a dull army green.

    A pot of thinly sliced jalapenos in a seasoned syrup

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Using a slotted spoon, fill the jars with the cooked chilies leaving the syrup in the pot. Tuck a cinnamon stick into each jar. Place half of the vanilla pod in each jar.

    Two pint jars with sliced candied jalapenos, a cinnamon stick, and half a vanilla bean pod

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Return the syrup to a strong boil until it reaches 220 F, about 10 more minutes. 

    A pot of simmering seasoned syrup

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Fill the jars with the syrup to 1/2 inch from the rim. Place any leftover syrup in the smaller jar. 

    Two jars of candied jalapenos topped with seasoned syrup, and another jar of just seasoned syrup

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Wipe the rims carefully with a damp towel and place and tighten the lids. Allow to cool completely and refrigerate.

    Two sealed jars of candied jalapenos

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

How To Store

While the candied chilies will keep at least a month in the refrigerator, for longer, shelf-stable, storage, process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This

  • Swap the spices—Some recipes for these chilies use a classic bread-and-butter pickle combination of spices using turmeric, yellow mustard seeds, and celery seeds.
  • Use different chiles—You can substitute serrano peppers, Anaheims, or even mild small peppers for the jalapeños. If using mild peppers, add a halved spicy pepper to each jar to provide a touch of heat.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
34 Calories
0g Fat
8g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 32
Amount per serving
Calories 34
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 34mg 168%
Calcium 4mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 74mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)