Refrigerator Candied Jalapeños (aka Cowboy Candy) – The Perfect Way To Preserve Without Canning!

There is nothing better than pulling out a jar of candied jalapeños from the refrigerator and adding a slice or two of the sweet and spicy cowboy candy to add great flavor to your favorite deli sandwich. Or once you add them as a topping for your burgers and hot dogs and you take the first bite, you know that you have something special.

Especially when you know that you made them yourself! Every garden season, when the tomato harvest begins to slow down, our focus turns from how to can and preserve tomatoes to all about using the fresh peppers in the garden.

We start by using both bell peppers and jalapeno peppers to finish off our last batches of salsa. However, we always find ourselves with more jalapeno peppers than we could ever imagine.

Whether we use them fresh, or turn them into Pickled Jalapeno Peppers or a large batch of canned Cowboy Candy, they are one of the last items that we preserve before we shut the garden down for the year.

However as we began to downsize our garden, the volume of peppers that we need to preserve has dwindled. Therefore, instead of canning several jars of various items, I have begun to develop smaller batch recipes.

These recipes make the perfect amount to store in the refrigerator or freezer rather than processing them by canning. And for many of us, that is the preferred way to preserve items from the garden.

Canned Candied Jalapeno Recipe

However if you would like our larger batch recipe for canning Cowboy Candy, you can find it here: Canned Candied Jalapeno Recipe.

Ways To Enjoy Refrigerator Cowboy Candy

Refrigerator candied jalapeños, often referred to as “cowboy candy,” are a versatile and delicious treat that can be used in a variety of dishes to add a sweet and spicy kick. Here are some ideas for what you can do with candied jalapeños:

Topping for Burgers and Sandwiches:

Add candied jalapeños to your burgers, sandwiches, or sliders for an extra burst of flavor. They complement the savory elements and add a sweet and spicy contrast.

Pizza Topping:

Sprinkle the sweet and spicy jalapeño slices over your pizza before baking to give it a unique and zesty twist.

Salad Ingredient:

Chop the refrigerator cowboy candy and toss them into salads to add a unique flavor profile. They work well in both green salads and grain-based salads like this Baja Chicken Bowl Recipe.

Cheese and Charcuterie Platters:

Add a few slices of the refrigerator candied jalapeños to your favorite cheese and charcuterie board. The addition makes for a great balance to the other ingredients.

Taco and Quesadilla Fillings:

Incorporate the jalapeños into your taco or quesadilla fillings for an unexpected burst of sweet and spicy flavor.

Grilled Cheese:

There is no better way to add flavor to a plain grilled cheese sandwiches than by adding slices of candied jalapeños for a sweet-spicy-cheesy combination.

Egg Dishes:

Top scrambled eggs, omelettes, or breakfast burritos with the peppers for a unique and tasty breakfast treat. We even use them in our deviled egg and deviled egg salad recipes when we have them on hand!

Salsa and Dip:

Chop candied jalapeños finely and mix them into fresh salsa or dips for a sweet and spicy kick. This can work well with guacamole, hummus, or our favorite cream cheese-based dip (see below for the recipe).

Jalapeno Poppers:

Use the refrigerator candied jalapeños as a filling for jalapeno poppers. Combine them with cream cheese, shredded cheese, and other ingredients for a flavorful appetizer or side dish that is the perfect appetizer to serve on game day!

Cocktail Garnish:

Use candied jalapeños as an eye-catching garnish for cocktails, especially those with a spicy profile including our famous Bloody Mary’s.

As mentioned above, one of my favorite ways to serve candied jalapeños is to turn them into a dip. It is a crowd favorite recipe that I make quite often when friends and family are gathering at a tailgate party or other casual social gatherings.

Candied Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup candied jalapeños, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon candied jalapeño syrup from the jar
• Crackers, tortilla chips, or toasted baguette

Instructions:

1. In a medium size mixing bowl, mix the softened cream cheese and chopped candied jalapeños until well combined. You can use a hand mixer or simply mix with a wooden spoon.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of candied jalapeño syrup to the mixture and stir to incorporate. This will add extra flavor but also thin out the dip a bit for easy spreading.
3. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and then garnish with a few additional chopped candied jalapeños on top for added visual appeal.
4. Serve the candied jalapeño cream cheese dip with your choice of crackers, tortilla chips, or toasted baguette.

This dip offers a perfect balance of creamy richness from the cream cheese and a delightful kick of sweetness and spice from the candied jalapeños. It is the perfect dish to serve for potlucks, parties, and of course at those weekend tailgate get togethers.

Refrigerator Candied Jalapeños Recipe

*Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to keep reading for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 pound fresh jalapeños, washed (about 4 cups sliced or about 44 2 inch long jalapeno peppers)
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 4% or 5%
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

Wearing gloves cut the stems from each jalapeño pepper and then slice them into 1/8 to 1/4 inch rounds. Set aside.

In a large pot, bring the apple cider vinegar, sugar, turmeric, celery seed, garlic and cayenne pepper to a boil. Reduce the heat and then let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the jalapeno pepper slices to the pot and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Then use a slotted spoon and transfer the pepper slices into 2 half pint mason jars or heat tolerant glass container similar in size. Be sure to leave ¼ inch space at the top of the jar to decrease the risk of spillage.

Turn up the heat and then bring the syrup to a full rolling boil. Allow the syrup to boil for 5 minutes.

Pour the syrup over the jalapeños in the jar but still leave ¼ inch space at the top. Cover and let the jar cool to room temperature.

Place in the refrigerator and wait at least 2 weeks before enjoying. However, it is best to wait 4 weeks before using the refrigerator candied jalapeno peppers for best flavor.

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

As always, feel free to email us at thefarm@owgarden.com with comments, questions, or to simply say hello! You can sign up for our free email list in the subscribe now box in the middle of this article. Follow us on Facebook here : OWG Facebook. This article may contain affiliate links.