Sweet Heat Pickles: Why We Use Red Jalapeños

Sweet heat is the pickle style that wins over people who say they do not like spicy food. The first thing you taste is sweetness, then a gentle warmth builds behind it. By the time you notice the heat, you are already reaching for the next one.

Here is how sweet heat pickles work, why we make ours with red jalapeños instead of green, how our pepper jars compare, and the easiest ways to eat them.

What are sweet heat pickles?

Sweet heat pickles combine two things that sound like opposites: a sweet, tangy brine and real chile peppers. Sugar rounds off the edges of the heat, so the pepper reads as warmth rather than burn. That is why a sweet heat jar feels gentler than a sour pickle made with the same pepper.

You will sometimes see the style called "sweet and spicy", "candied jalapeño" or "hot and sweet". The idea is the same: sweetness up front, heat on the finish.

How hot are they?

It depends on the pepper. Ours sit at the gentle end of our spicy pickles heat scale. The Heat and Sweet is a 2 out of 5, compared with 3 out of 5 for every jar we name "Spicy" (those use habanero) and 4 out of 5 for The Ghost Pickle.

Why we use red jalapeños, not green

A red jalapeño is not a different pepper. It is a jalapeño that has been left on the plant long enough to fully ripen. As it ripens it turns from green to red, the flavor gets rounder and fruitier, and the warmth gets fuller.

Most pickled jalapeños you see on store shelves are green, because green jalapeños are cheaper and easier to buy in bulk. Red jalapeños cost us much more and are harder to find. We use them anyway in The Heat and Sweet for three reasons:

• More flavor. Ripe red jalapeños taste fruitier and less grassy than green, which suits a sweet brine.
• Fuller warmth. A red jalapeño brings a rounder heat that lingers pleasantly instead of a sharp, quick bite.
• It looks the part. Red pepper against a golden brine is a jar that gets noticed on a cheese board.

Put simply, green would be the cheaper version. We did not want the cheaper version.

Our sweet and pepper jars, compared

The Heat and Sweet: our sweet heat pickle

The Heat and Sweet is the jar most people mean when they search for sweet heat pickles. Made with red jalapeños, it leads with sweetness and finishes with a gentle 2 out of 5 warmth. It is brilliant on burgers, pizza and boards with mild cheeses like Monterey Jack.

The Red Jalapeños: pickled red jalapeños on their own

Want the pepper itself? The Red Jalapeños are pickled red jalapeño slices with a smoky, sweet heat. Scatter them on fish tacos, BBQ pizza and sandwiches.

The Sweet Jalapeños: jalapeño heat, sugary finish

The Sweet Jalapeños bring classic jalapeño heat with a sugary-sweet finish. Think of them as a topping you can use anywhere you would use candied jalapeños: on pizza, burgers and cream cheese with crackers.

The Jalapeños: tangy and straightforward

If you want heat without the sugar, The Jalapeños are spicy, tangy pickled jalapeños for tacos, nachos and cocktails.

How to eat sweet heat pickles: 8 ideas

1. On a burger

Sweet heat cuts through a rich, cheesy burger better than almost anything. Layer them under the top bun.

2. On pizza, after it comes out of the oven

Scatter Heat and Sweet or Red Jalapeños over pepperoni or sausage pizza. Sweet, salty and warm in one bite.

3. With cream cheese and crackers

A Southern party classic: a block of cream cheese, a spoonful of sweet jalapeños and their brine poured over the top, crackers on the side.

4. On a cheese board

Pair with Monterey Jack, white cheddar or a creamy goat cheese. The sweetness flatters mild cheeses.

5. In tacos and nachos

Red Jalapeños on fish tacos, Heat and Sweet chopped over pulled pork nachos.

6. In a grilled cheese

Tuck a few slices inside before grilling. The warmth wakes up the cheese.

7. In a spicy-sweet margarita

Muddle a slice or two, or add a small splash of the brine, for a margarita with a gentle kick.

8. Chopped into tuna, chicken or egg salad

A spoonful of chopped sweet heat pickles turns a plain sandwich filling into something people ask about.

Sweet heat pickles FAQ

Are red jalapeños hotter than green?

Red jalapeños are simply riper green jalapeños. Ripening tends to make them fruitier with a fuller warmth. Pepper heat also varies plant to plant, so any two jalapeños can differ. In a sweet brine, the sugar keeps the heat gentle.

Are sweet heat pickles the same as bread and butter pickles?

No. The Bread and Butter is sweet with no heat: brown and white sugar with a warm cinnamon pickling spice. Sweet heat adds chile peppers. For more sweet jars, see our guide to sweet and tangy flavors.

What is the mildest spicy pickle you make?

The Heat and Sweet, at 2 out of 5. If you want pepper flavor with no heat at all, try The Banana Pickle, which is named for banana peppers and is not spicy.

How long do they keep?

Every jar is shelf-stable for up to two years unopened. Once open, keep it in the fridge and use a clean fork.

Where to buy sweet heat pickles

You can order all four jars straight from our site. Every jar is 17 oz, made in small batches in Atlanta, and shipping is free in the US on 2 or more jars. Browse our Pickled Peppers and Spicy & Hot collections, or give The Peppers Box to the pepper lover on your list. Our customers rate us 4.9 out of 5 across 280+ reviews.

Planning a gift? See how to build a pickle gift basket.

Get the jars

Small-batch, made in Atlanta, and free US shipping on 2+ jars.

The Heat and SweetRed jalapeños, sweet first. 2 out of 5.Shop · $16.95The Red JalapeñosPickled red jalapeños. Smoky, sweet heat.Shop · $16.95The Sweet JalapeñosJalapeño heat with a sugary-sweet finish.Shop · $16.95The Peppers BoxThree pepper jars in one gift box.Shop · $65.00