Around 2020 we started to make the traditional cowboy candy with excess jalapenos from our garden. We had heard about the cowboy candy dip, so we made this candied jalapeno dip, and I’m so glad we did! It blends the perfect combination of creamy and spicy and is now an excellent way for us to keep creating the traditional cowboy candy. We don’t have a specific recipe for cowboy candy/candied jalapenos, but you can find numerous recipes online, and they are rapidly becoming a grocery store staple. If you don’t can them yourself, a local craft fair is a good option to find them too. They pair well with lots of other sides and dishes.
Ideas for candied jalapenos
Breakfast – These are great to add your scrambled eggs in the morning or even an omelet.
Lunch – Add them in place of pickles to any deli-style sandwich, or mix them in with your favorite mayonnaise, and add to thick submarine sandwich. It creates the prefect combination of creamy and spicy and sweet.
Dinner – Layer a good portion of these into your favorite creamy white chicken enchiladas. There’s lots of room in a recipe like that for more heat.
Appetizer – Serve them with a thick sturdy cracker with a smear of cream cheese. This is a must for us every holiday season.
It’s always a good idea to have these on hand for an added extra layer of sweet and spice on most any dish. For a less spicy version for kids, we made a batch without the seeds. For the adults, we’ve also added some extra cayenne pepper. Slice both ends of a cayenne pepper, and water-bath can, following the recipe as normal.
Candied Jalapeno Dip ingredients
- Sour Cream
- Cream Cheese
- Candied Jalapenos
- Bacon Bites, or pieces
- Dry Ranch Mix
Candied Jalapeno Dip
Equipment
- 1 Medium Bowl
Ingredients
- 16 oz. Sour Cream More or less if you wish.
- 8 oz. Cream Cheese
- 1 Pint Candied Jalapenos (diced) We water-bath can in pint jars, so we use and entire jar. Use more if you'd like.
- 3 oz. Bacon bits or pieces. You can also use pre-cooked bacon or cook a few slices of your own and crumble them up.
- 1 Packet Ranch Mix
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients into a medium sized bowl and mix well. It will mix better if the cream cheese is softened.
- Chill in the fridge for several hours, or overnight.
- Pour some of the excess juice over the top and garnish with a few whole slices.
We’ve had numerous jars of candied jalapeños in our pantry for several years. Water-bath canning many of our vegetables in the garden, preserving herbs, and dehydrating, has been a budget saver for our family. Also, we are able to enjoy things like this all year around, and we can even gift them out around the holidays as gifts. Don’t be afraid to try your hand at water-bath canning either. There’s lots of resources out there, and it isn’t as hard as you would think.
Serving – This dip is excellent served with corn chips, bagel chips, or a small Crostini. Place a spoonful of cream cheese, or candied jalapeño dip on a small slice of dipping bread, top with a few rings, and you have an easy appetizer for almost any occasion.
Assembling the dip
This recipe is fool-proof, and it’s next to impossible to mess it up. It’s really forgiving. You can add more of less of the ingredients until you get the heat and the flavor that you’ re looking for. This also keeps well in the fridge for a few days in an air-tight container.
We would love to know if you have any additional tips, tricks, or even if you have tried this. Please leave us a comment, feedback, or give it a rating! It’s much appreciated. WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU!
