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 tablespoons of liquid pectin for this recipe. I use the Certo brand and it is exactly 1 3-ounce pouch. You can find it in many grocery stores or buy it online.
Otherwise, this recipe is super easy to make.
- Combine all of the ingredients in a pan on the stove until warmed through and sugar is dissolved.
- Pulse the mixture in a blender briefly then return to the saucepan and bring to a boil.
- 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
Nope! This recipe doesn’t require canning. You just store the pepper jelly in jars or small containers in the fridge or freezer.
However, if you’d like to can this, you certainly could. Just follow the instructions on your canning equipment.
Once cooled, store the pepper jelly in a covered container or glass jar in the refrigerator. Use within a week for best results. (But full disclosure, I often keep mine for at least 2 weeks and it does just fine.)
Yes, you can freeze this once it’s cooled. Just put in a freezer-safe container, leaving a little room at the top for it to expand, then label and date it. Freeze for up to 6 months.
I love these small 8-ounce mason jars for storing pepper jelly. It’s a great smaller amount to pull out at a time.
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
Homemade Pepper Jelly
Ingredients
- ¾ cup red bell pepper, diced
- ¾ cup green bell pepper, diced
- ⅓ cup jalapeños, seeds removed, diced
- 2 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 6 tablespoons liquid pectin (such as Certo brand, 1 3-ounce pouch)
Instructions
- Combine the peppers, jalapeños, sugar, vinegar and lime juice in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook until warmed through and sugar is dissolved.
- Add the mixture to a blender or food processor and blend for 5 seconds. Return to the saucepan and bring to a boil. (WATCH carefully, it can boil over quickly.)
- Skim off any foam that forms on the surface. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the pectin, increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Turn off and remove from heat and allow the jelly to cool. It will set up and thicken as it cools.
- Once cooled, transfer to a small jar or container and refrigerate for up to 1-2 weeks.
Notes
- 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.
Donna
How much sugar?
Kathryn Doherty
Hi there! It's 2 ¾ cups granulated sugar. All of the ingredients are listed in the recipe card. Hope that helps!
Sandra Hall
Is it ok to water bath this recipe.
Sylvia B Thompson
Can the recipe be doubled? Make more than one batch at a time?
Kathryn Doherty
Absolutely! Just make sure to use a big enough pot so the mixture doesn't boil over. Hope that helps!
Melissa
How much pectin do you use?
Your notes say 6 oz of pectin, but the recipe calls for 6 tablespoons. There are 2 tablespoons per ounce.
Kathryn Doherty
Thank you for pointing out that discrepancy! I'll go adjust the recipe card. Use 3 ounces of liquid pectin for this recipe (6 tablespoons). It's often sold as a pouch of 3 oz. so it should be one pouch of that size. Hope that helps!
MELISSA JONES
Hello, any idea what size jars work best? How many cups does this make? I am getting ready to make this and I'm hoping I have all the jars I need.
Kathryn Doherty
Hi there! The recipe makes about 2 1/2 cups of pepper jelly. I use and love a small jar for storing and for sharing. It's a great amount to freeze as well. It's these 8 ounce ones: https://amzn.to/3Lk49LX
Other sizes would be fine to use as well, depending on what you have. I hope that helps and I hope you enjoy it!
Kristie
Going to attempt making jelly for the first time. I already have powder pectin. Csn I use that instead of the liquid?
Kathryn Doherty
I haven't tried that and I imagine there needs to be some other adjustments to have it work correctly and set the jelly up the right way. If the powder container tells you how to use it in place of liquid pectin, I would follow those directions. If not, you can try adapting these instructions that I got from a quick search online: To substitute powdered pectin for liquid pectin, typically use 2 tablespoons of powdered pectin for every 1 tablespoon of liquid pectin; meaning you need roughly double the amount of powdered pectin when converting, and remember to whisk the powder into the sugar mixture before adding the fruit, unlike liquid pectin which is usually added near the end of cooking.
Would love to hear if you try it!