Candied Red Jalapenos – Refrigerator Cowboy Candy
Sweet, tangy candied red jalapenos in a syrup flavoured with star anise, citrus peel and ginger. A refrigerator cowboy candy recipe to serve with cheese, toasties or bean burgers.Sweet, tangy candied red jalapenos in a syrup flavoured with star anise, citrus peel and ginger.
These candied red jalapenos combine tender pepper rings with a sweet, tangy vinegar syrup, gently flavoured with star anise, citrus peel and ginger. Making at home is a useful way to enjoy your chilli harvest, with enough syrup to spoon over cheese toasties, serve alongside crackers and cream cheese or simply eat straight out the jar as a spicy sweet treat.
Our jalapeño plant went wild this year, and we’d already made two batches of pickled jalapeños, so I wanted to try something different with the next harvest. We let the peppers ripen red to develop a little more sweetness, though we were slightly disappointed with this plant’s heat overall. A little of our home-grown Lemon Drop chillis gave the cowboy candy the extra kick we were after.
This batch produced a 300ml jar full, but the recipe can be easily scaled up to make as much as you want. The cooking method remains identical.
Candied Red Jalapenos Ingredients
- Red jalapeños: Slice the peppers evenly so they soften at the same rate; to increase the heat, finely slice and add a couple of hotter chillies.
- Granulated sugar: Sugar creates the sweet syrup that coats the peppers.
- Apple cider vinegar: Vinegar balances the sweetness with acidity; use vinegar labelled 5% acidity.
- Star anise: A whole star anise flavours the syrup during cooking and reduction; remove it before pouring the syrup into the jar.
- Orange or similar citrus peel: A strip of peel adds citrus aroma; use as little white pith as possible to avoid bitterness.
- Ground ginger: A small pinch adds gentle warmth alongside the citrus and star anise.
How to make Red Jalapeno Cowboy Candy
Slice the chillies
Wash the red jalapeños, remove the stalks and slice into rings about 5 mm thick. Keep the slices even so they cook uniformly.
For extra heat, finely slice a little hotter chilli and add it with the jalapeños. I added 2 lemon drop chillis to this batch which was enough to give it a real kick.
If you are sensitive to chillis, wear disposable gloves for cutting. If you don’t wear them, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after!
Make the spiced syrup
Combine the sugar, apple cider vinegar, whole star anise, citrus peel, ground ginger and salt in a small saucepan. Trim away excess white pith from the peel to avoid bitterness.
Heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then simmer uncovered for about 3 minutes.
Simmer the jalapeños
Add the chillies and return to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cook uncovered for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rings look glossy, slightly darker and softened but still hold their shape.
Transfer the peppers
Lift the peppers into a clean, warm, heatproof jar using a spoon. Leave the star anise and citrus peel in the saucepan while you reduce the syrup.
Reduce the syrup
Simmer uncovered for approximately 2–5 minutes, checking frequently. Stop when the syrup lightly coats a spoon but still pours freely; it will thicken further as it cools.
For a thicker finish, simmer a little longer. If it becomes too thick, stir in a small splash of apple cider vinegar over low heat; this will also make it slightly tarter.
Fill the jar and refrigerate
Remove the star anise and citrus peel, then pour the syrup over the peppers to cover them, leaving a little space at the top. Cool promptly, cover and refrigerate within two hours.
Let the flavours develop
Leave the candied jalapeños in the fridge for at least a week, preferably two, before serving so the syrup and spices have time to flavour the peppers.
Eat within one month. They should theoretically last significantly longer due to the high sugar and vinegar content, but as I have not tested their shelf life, I wouldn’t recommend longer than a month.
How to Use Candied Red Jalapenos
Spoon a few rings onto crackers with cream cheese, tuck them into a cheddar toastie or use them to top a bean burger. Their sweetness and acidity also work well alongside mushroom pâté or roast squash.
The syrup is useful too: stir a little into a dressing or drizzle it over grilled halloumi, tasting as you go because it carries some of the chilli heat.
More Chilli Recipes to Try
Candied Red Jalapenos with Star Anise
Ingredients
- 150 g red jalapeños
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 90 ml apple cider vinegar 5% acidity
- 1 whole star anise
- 1 strip orange or similar citrus peel approximately 3–4 cm long, with minimal white pith
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 1-2 whole another hotter chilli optional
Instructions
- Wash the jalapeños, remove the stalks and slice into rings approximately 5 mm thick. Wear gloves when preparing the chillies. If using additional hotter chillis, finely slice them.
- Combine the sugar, vinegar, star anise, citrus peel, ginger and salt in a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then simmer uncovered for 3 minutes.
- Add the jalapeños and optional hotter chilli. Return to a gentle simmer and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until glossy and slightly softened but still holding their shape.
- Transfer the peppers into a clean, warm, heatproof jar using a slotted spoon. Leave the star anise and citrus peel in the saucepan.
- Simmer the syrup uncovered for 2–5 minutes, until it lightly coats a spoon but still pours freely. It will thicken as it cools.
- Remove the star anise and citrus peel. Pour the syrup over the peppers to cover them, leaving a little space at the top.
- Cool promptly, cover and refrigerate within two hours. Allow at least a week for the flavours to develop before serving.
Notes
Variations and Substitutions
- Extra heat: Add finely sliced Lemon Drop chillies or another hotter variety. Start sparingly, as their strength varies.
- Citrus and ginger: Omit the star anise for a simpler flavour, keeping the citrus peel and ground ginger.
- Fresh ginger: Replace the ground ginger with 2–3 g thinly sliced fresh ginger. Remove the slices with the other aromatics before filling the jar.
- Green jalapeños: Substitute the same weight of green jalapeños for a less sweet, more grassy pepper flavour.
- Vinegar and peel: White wine vinegar labelled 5% acidity can replace cider vinegar. Orange, tangerine or satsuma peel can be used interchangeably.
Candied Red Jalapenos FAQs
Yes, green jalapeños work with the same method. They give a more grassy pepper flavour, while ripe red jalapeños generally taste sweeter; either can vary in heat.
For more heat, finely slice a little hotter chilli and cook it with the jalapeños—we added home-grown Lemon Drops because our peppers were mild. For less heat, remove some of the pale inner ribs before slicing.
The syrup for these sweet and spicy jalapeños thickens as it cools, so stop reducing while it still pours freely. If it becomes too thick, gently reheat it with a little apple cider vinegar; this also adds a sharper finish.
For a simpler variation, leave out the star anise and use just citrus peel and ginger, or omit the ginger too. Orange, tangerine and satsuma peel all work; you can also replace ground ginger with a few thin slices of fresh ginger, removing them before pouring the syrup.
Make it at least a week before you plan to serve it to give the flavours time to develop. Keep the peppers refrigerated throughout the resting period.
Yes, this is a refrigerator recipe for candied jalapeños without canning. Keep the jars chilled; for cupboard storage, follow a tested canning recipe rather than processing this version.
