Candied Jalapeños

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

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

Gather the ingredients.
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.
Wearing gloves, slice 2 pounds jalapeños into rings 1/4-inch thick. Use a mandoline for the best results.
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.
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.
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.
Return the syrup to a strong boil until it reaches 220 F, about 10 more minutes.
Fill the jars with the syrup to 1/2 inch from the rim. Place any leftover syrup in the smaller jar.
Wipe the rims carefully with a damp towel and place and tighten the lids. Allow to cool completely and refrigerate.

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
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.