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Why I Love Hot Pepper Jelly
There’s something super satisfying about taking the peppers you grew from seed in the garden and turning them into a spread that can live in the pantry after the season is over. Hot pepper jelly is a recipe that may seem complicated, but it’s actually super simple. To be successful, you just need to follow the measurements and timing closely.
Delicious on just about everything, this hot pepper jelly turns summer’s peppers into a foolproof sweet-and-spicy favorite that sets beautifully every time.
This recipe could not be any easier or quicker, and the result is simply amazing. It can be adapted for all red or all green peppers, depending on what you have in your garden or what you want your result to be. Most times, I use a combination of both to get a color that’s lightly orange.
Here’s why you should make this recipe:
- Reliable texture – Sure-Jell and the full amount of sugar give this jelly the structure it needs to set.
- A little heat, but not too much – Hot peppers bring the spice, while sweet bell peppers round everything out.
- Perfect for preserving season – This is a great way to use a small amount of hot peppers when the garden is winding down.
- Made for gifting – The jars are beautiful, colorful, and easy to pair with crackers and cheese.
Food safety tip – Home canning is safest when you follow research-tested recipes and proper processing times. Improper canning can risk botulism. New to canning? See my Canning 101 Guide and consult the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning.
Hot Pepper Jelly Ingredients
You only need 5 ingredients to make this hot pepper jelly:
- Hot peppers – Seeded with stems removed, these bring the heat along with some fresh pepper flavor. I like to use jalapeños since they’re easy to find and add the perfect amount of heat.
- Bell peppers – Seeded with stems removed, these add color and some sweetness. You can use any color, but I opt for red and green.
- White vinegar – Provides the clean acidity needed for this preserved jelly. Make sure to use vinegar with 5% acidity.
- Sure-Jell – The pectin that helps the jelly set with the proper cooking method.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens the jelly and helps create the proper gel.
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Hot Pepper Jelly
There are 4 steps to prepare this jelly recipe:
Step 1: Cook the peppers, vinegar, and pectin – In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the finely diced hot peppers, sweet bell peppers, white vinegar, and pectin. Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and stir often. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, which means the boiling does not stop when stirred. This will take about 6-8 minutes.
Step 2: Add the sugar – Once the mixture is at a full rolling boil, add all of the sugar at once. Stir continually until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture back to a full rolling boil and boil for exactly 2 minutes while stirring constantly.
Step 3: Fill the jars – Remove the pan from the heat. Ladle the hot pepper jelly into sterilized jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe each rim clean so no jelly interferes with the seal. Add a prepared lid and ring to each jar and tighten to fingertip tightness.
Step 4: Process the jars – Lower the jars into a water bath canner fitted with a rack. Bring the water to a boil and process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude if needed. Remove the jars from the canner and set them on a cooling rack. Let them cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours before removing the rings to check the seals.
Recipe Tips
Let’s make sure your pepper jelly recipe turns out perfectly:
- Use vinegar labeled 5% acidity – This is not the time and place for a special type of flavored vinegar with unknown acidity. Distilled white vinegar keeps the flavor clean while also making sure the recipe is consistent.
- Do not reduce the sugar – This recipe uses a box of regular Sure-Jell pectin, which needs the full amount of sugar to set properly. Also remember that this is jelly and that a serving size is a tablespoon, so the sugar is divided across lots of small servings.
- Measure the peppers after dicing – Too many peppers can change the balance of the jelly. Finely dice first (I like to use a food processor to get a fine dice), then measure.
- Know the rolling boil – A rolling boil should continue bubbling even while you stir. Start the 2-minute timer only after the jelly returns to that point.
- Make one batch at a time – Doubling jelly recipes can lead to a softer set because the mixture may not heat and boil the same way.
- Let the jars cool undisturbed – Moving the jars too soon can interfere with sealing and settling. You want to make sure the jars are left to seal on their own (which usually takes only a few minutes after coming out of the water bath canner).
Follow These Tips
Serving & Storage
Serving – Once the jars have cooled, they can be enjoyed right away. This pepper jelly recipe is wonderful served with so many items: pretzels, sliced baguettes, crackers, even toast. It can be added to a grilled cheese sandwich, spooned over pork tenderloin and chicken, and spread on burgers.
For an easy appetizer, drizzle a jar over a block of cream cheese and let people take their own. The mixture of sweet, spice, and creamy is wonderful!
If you want a simple charcuterie board that uses this hot pepper jelly, pair a jar with crackers, hard cheese, cream cheese, summer sausage, and a few pickles. Everyone will love it!
Pantry – Once the jars have sat for 12-24 hours, remove the rings to ensure a proper seal has been achieved. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year for the best flavor and color.
Refrigerate – Instead of canning, you can put the hot jelly into jars, add lids and rings, and let it come to room temperature. Once a jar has been opened (whether it was canned or not), refrigerate the jar and use it within 3 weeks. Plus, if any jar does not seal after cooling, refrigerate it and use it first.
Freeze – If you’d rather freeze the jelly, you can skip the canning and instead add the hot jelly to freezer-safe containers, leaving room for expansion. Let the jelly come down to room temperature, then place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Preserving Recipes
- Peach jalapeño jam
- Preserving sour cherries
- Canned apples
- How to can orange and rhubarb jam
- How to can cherry jam
- Pickled vegetables
- Make sure to check out my canning 101 guide to learn more.
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Canned Hot Pepper Jelly
Equipment
- 7 jam jars
Ingredients
- ¼ cup finely diced hot peppers (such as green jalapeños) seeded and stems removed
- 1 cup finely diced sweet bell peppers (mixture of red and green) seeded and stems removed
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar (5%)
- 1 box (1.75 oz) original Sure-Jell pectin
- 6 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- Cook: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the hot peppers, bell peppers, vinegar, and Sure-Jell. Stir and set over medium-high heat. Stir and bring the mixture to a rolling boil, which is a boil that does not cease when stirring, 6-8 minutes.¼ cup finely diced hot peppers (such as green jalapeños), 1 cup finely diced sweet bell peppers (mixture of red and green), 2 cups distilled white vinegar (5%), 1 box (1.75 oz) original Sure-Jell pectin
- Add sugar: Once at a rolling boil, add the sugar. Stir continuously and allow the mixture to return to a rolling boil. Let it boil for exactly 2 minutes.6 cups granulated sugar
- Fill: Remove from the heat and ladle the jelly into sterilized jars. Clean off the rim of each jar to ensure none of the jam will interfere with the jar's sealing. Place a prepared lid and ring on each jar. Tighten to finger-tip tightness.
- Water bath: Lower the jars into a prepared water bath canner fitted with a rack. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Then, remove the jars from the canner and set them on a cooling rack. The jars should seal quickly. Allow to cool for 12 hours before checking the seals.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Love your recipes….simple, easy to make and delicious. Your peach jalapeño jam turned out much better than other jalapeño jams I’ve tried. Wish you would post a good lemon jam recipe.
Why doesn’t your hot pepper jelly recipe call for a hot water bath?
Your recipes are excellent. Tried your pork with squash and apples. Omg! The best. 5 stars. Keep up the great work. ( Your grandma would be proud.)
I love watching and sharing your recipes with my friends and family. You have inspired me and my daughter to plant a small garden in our yard and try different dishes. Thank you for this amazing experience.