Homemade pepper jelly with jalapeños is a sweet, thick preserve with just a bit of a kick. It requires no canning, just 20 minutes of prep and stores beautifully in the fridge or freezer.

I’ve grown jalapeño plants in my garden for years and years. And they always do so well and produce so many!

As a result, I have the lovely problem of figuring out what to do with the jalapeño surplus I bring in from the backyard.

Previously, I’ve shared easy fresh jalapeño relish, which is a great way to use up a lot of them. I also love making jalapeño cream cheese dip for a fast appetizer.

And there’s my jalapeño cheddar drop biscuits and chicken breasts with jalapeño cheese sauce that I’ll serve at dinner time.

Today though, we’re turning to an old classic that I’ve made for years and years!

Pepper jelly is a sweet, thick preserve with a slight kick. It’s a Southern favorite and somewhere in the crosshairs of a jam, relish and jelly.

The sweet-heat combination is seriously tasty and it’s got a ton of uses. (Read on for ideas.)

It’s a summertime favorite every year and the beauty is, this freezes great so I can store it for later. (A nice bonus when you have jalapeños coming out of your ears.)

It actually makes a really love holiday appetizer too with those red and green bits throughout.

Also, to be clear, this recipe does NOT require canning. Nothing against it, but I love that I don’t have to deal with canning equipment here.

Nope, just 15-20 minutes of prep needed and then this cools down, thickens up perfectly and is ready to chill or serve.

(And if you've got other summer or garden produce you need to use up, check out these quick pickled vegetables for a great way to preserve them.)

So let’s get cooking! 

Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make pepper jelly. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Ingredient Notes:

• Bell pepper: I use and recommend the red and green bell pepper combo listed in the recipe; it adds great color and also the right balance of sweetness. However, I think it’d be fine to use all of one or the other in a pinch.
• Jalapeños: You need ⅓ cup of diced jalapeños. Depending on the size of yours, this could be anywhere from 3 big ones to 6 small ones. Remove the seeds. Also remove the membranes if you really want to cut down on the heat.
• Sugar: This amount of sugar works out perfectly for a sweet but not overly sweet pepper jelly.
• Vinegar: Red wine vinegar is a good choice here for the color and flavor, but I think a white wine vinegar would work well, too. You could also try an apple cider vinegar or plain white vinegar.
• Pectin: You need 6 ounces of liquid pectin for this recipe. I use the Certo brand and it is exactly one pouch. You can find it in many grocery stores or buy it online.

Otherwise, this recipe is super easy to make.

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a pan on the stove until warmed through and sugar is dissolved.
2. Pulse the mixture in a blender briefly then return to the saucepan and bring to a boil.
3. Simmer for 5 minutes, skimming off any foam that forms, then stir in the pectin. Increase the heat, bring to a boil, then turn off and allow to cool.

That’s it!

Safety tip: Wear gloves when working with a bigger quantity of jalapeños like this because those oils can be difficult to get off your fingers.

Also, be patient, because the pepper jelly will still be liquid-y when you first turn off the heat. And even when you go to store it once it’s cooled slightly. That’s OK!

It will continue to thicken as it cools completely and sets up in the refrigerator. 

OK, let’s tackle some FAQs about making pepper jelly.

Recipe FAQs

Lastly, let’s get ready to enjoy it!

Here are a few ideas.

Ways to use pepper jelly:

• Serve spooned over cream cheese to use as a dip with crackers.
• Use as a glaze for chicken wings or pork chops.
• Spread on a turkey sandwich.
• Make a bagel with cream cheese and pepper jelly.
• Use as a dip for fried shrimp, egg rolls or dumplings.
• Add to your favorite stir fry with soy sauce for a sweet heat.
• Use as a spread for turkey burgers.

My personal preference for serving jalapeño pepper jelly is over some cream cheese as a spread for crackers. It’s a classic appetizer and everyone goes crazy for it!

The jars also make a great gift for teachers, neighbors, grandparents, friends, hostess gift, or just anyone!

I hope you give this a try so you can see how easy it is to make your own homemade pepper jelly.

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn