Cowboy candy or candied jalapenos are a perfect sweet and spicy snack that is perfect for sandwiches, nachos, and dips or just to enjoy by themselves. Made with thinly sliced jalapenos, sugar and spices, it is a quick and easy snack that just gets better with time.
So, hear me out, these are the best snack for almost anything when you want a bit of heat added to it. Th best part about making these is that you end up with a ton. If you are like me and like jalapenos you might find yourself just snacking on them on their own. However, having lived in Texas for a good portion of my life I have found all kinds of ways to put jalapenos on everything. These go well with sandwiches, nachos, dips, crackers and cream cheese, and my favorite pizza.
In this recipe
There isn’t much in this recipe except a whole lot of jalapenos and then some sugar, cider, and spices. Simple ingredients for a simple recipe. One of my favorite types of recipes.
Jalapenos: these are the key to the recipe. You want peppers that are heavy for their size and firm.
Sugar: there is a lot of sugar in the recipe but add the necessary sweetness to the jalapenos.
Apple cider vinegar: the acid in the vinegar is essential for the pickling of the jalapenos
Protect your hands
If you have sensitive skin or are prone to touching your face it is important to make sure you protect your hands. I encourage you to use gloves to keep all of that capsaicin from getting on your hands. It is a fast way to find a cut on your hands but also protect your face, or if you are like me your pet’s skin. Even if you wash your hands the capsaicin may stay on your skin for quite a while afterwards. Wearing gloves will prevent any sore eyes or sensitive skin issues from arising.
The fun thing about candied jalapenos
When it comes to jalapenos they have a wide range of heat levels. You will find that within each individual batch of candied jalapenos you will have some that are quite hot and others that are pretty mild. One of the good things is as they sit in the brine the spicier ones will mellow out a bit as the capsaicin is leeched into the brine and the milder peppers will get a little spicier as they marinate in the brine.
How to make candied jalapenos
With this recipe you don’t want to cook the peppers too long otherwise they will get too soft to use later. You also want to make sure that all of the sugar gets dissolved into the brine before you add the jalapenos. Once you add them cook for 5 minutes before using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon to remove them and place them in mason jars. You want to bring the brining liquid back to a boil and cook for at least 5 minutes. This will help get rid of the excess water from all of the fresh jalapenos.
How to store candied jalapenos
There are only a few things that you need to do to make sure that these jalapenos stay nice and fresh in your refrigerator. The first thing you want to do is make sure the mason jars and clean and sterile. Once the jalapenos have been added make sure he syrup covers the tops of the jalapenos. Personally, I like to add the syrup until it reaches the top of the jar. After the jar has been closed the jalapenos will last up to a month in the refrigerator however they will probably be gone well before that time.
Candied Jalapenos (Cowboy Candy)
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Spider skimmer or slotted spoon
- Sterile mason jars
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds jalapeños thinly sliced
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- In a saucepan bring the sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, cumin and chili powder to a boil. Allow to boil for 3 minutes and then add the jalapenos. Reduce to a simmer and boil for exactly 5 minutes.1½ pounds jalapeños, 3 cups sugar, 1 cup apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- Using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon to remove the jalapenos and place into clean mason jars leaving about a ¼ inch clearance at the top of the jar. After the jalapenos are removed bring the liquid to a boil and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Pour the liquid into the mason jars covering the tops of the jalapenos. Cover and refrigerate.
- You can save any remaining liquid to add to marinades, margaritas, and sauces.
Nutrition
