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Deliciously Easy Homemade Hot Pepper Jelly Recipe

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Beautiful in color & sweet with heat; this homemade hot pepper jelly recipe is perfect for entertaining when served on the top of cream or goat cheese.

Homemade Spicy Pepper Jelly

Homemade Hot Pepper Jelly

Here in the South, Pepper Jelly is a beloved jelly. Beautiful in color, and sweet with a little heat; this classic jelly is perfect for entertaining by serving it on top of cream cheese or goat cheese. It also makes a great glaze for a pork tenderloin, hot wings, or salmon. Follow these steps and to learn how to make your own homemade hot pepper jelly.  Be sure to make extra, this Homemade Hot Pepper Jelly is great for gifts.

Easy Homemade Hot Pepper Jelly Recipe

My family loves this hot pepper jelly recipe. We have it over cream cheese at all of our gatherings. Homemade is the best. I hate it when we run out of our homemade jars and have to put out the store-bought stuff. It is never as good. While there are a few steps and it is a little time consuming, the Hot Pepper Jelly is pretty easy to make.

How to Make Homemade Hot Pepper Jelly

How to Make Homemade Hot Pepper Jelly

*This post contains affiliate links. My mother came over recently and we spent some bonding time making jars of this stuff. We had a great time making it.

Step by Step Tutorial on How to Make Pepper Jelly

step by step How to make pepper jelly image

  • Next, you will need to wash your jars and screw bands. Then sterilize them in boiling water to kill off any germs and bacteria
  • Set your jars and screw bands to dry in a clean area.
  • Finely chop your peppers.
  • Add your peppers to a large pan over high heat. Mix in vinegar and fruit pectin.
  • Stir constantly and let it reach to a rolling boil. Once it reaches a rolling boil, remove from heat.
  • At this point, you want to add sugar. Stir well and put it back on high heat, continually stirring.  Let it reach to a rolling boil and boil one minute. Remove from heat. Skim off all foam.
  • Ladle jelly into 8oz jars filling to 1/4in from the top. Cover with flat lids and screw on screw bands tightly.
  • Place jars into canner. Water should cover jars completely. Water should be hot, but not boiling.  Bring water to boil and process 5 minutes. Pull jars out and cool. *NOTE* If you live in a high altitude,  you will need to adjust processing time. Here is a chart.
  • You will start hearing a popping noise as the jars seal. When jars are completely cooled, check seals by pressing centers of lids with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

    Pepper Jelly Tips

  • Cooking Note: Scoop one ladle of pepper jelly in each jar to evenly distribute peppers before completely filling each jar. The peppers rise to the top. If you do not evenly distribute them, you will have no peppers left for the last jars.
  • Cooking Note: If you do not want your Pepper Jelly Hot, substitute Jalapeños with Red Bell Peppers.  If you want a spicier jelly, use a hotter pepper. I used red jalapeños for this batch.
Fresh Hot Jalapeño and Garlic Relish

Fresh Hot Jalapeño and Garlic Relish

If you like this recipe, check out: Jalapeño Cilantro Hummus , Fresh Hot Jalapeño and Garlic Relish, and Jalapeño Chimichurri Sauce.

Hot Pepper Jelly Recipe

Hot Pepper Jelly Recipe

step-by-step video on how to make Homemade Hot Pepper Jelly

My step-by-step video on how to make Homemade Hot Pepper Jelly is located in the recipe card. It will help you make the jelly easier.

Deliciously Easy Homemade Hot Pepper Jelly Recipe

Course: Jelly, Sauce
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: pepper jelly
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 96 tbs or 6 (8oz jars)
Calories: 44 kcal
Author: Katie Crenshaw

Beautiful in color & sweet with heat; this homemade hot pepper jelly recipe is perfect for entertaining when served on the top of cream or goat cheese. This recipe makes six 8oz jars.

Print

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup finely chopped and seeded Red Bell Pepper
  • 1 cup finely chopped and seeded Yellow Bell Pepper
  • 1 1/4 cup finely chopped and seeded Green Bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped and seeded Jalapeño
  • 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1.75 oz package powdered pectin
  • 5 cups sugar
  • 6 8 oz canning jars

Instructions

  1. Sterilize six 8oz canning jars and lids in boiling water.
  2. Place all peppers in a large saucepan over high heat. Mix in vinegar and fruit pectin.
  3. Stir constantly. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat.
  4. Add sugar and place back on high heat. Return to a rolling boil for one minute.
  5. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam from top.

  6. Ladle jelly evenly into sterile jars, filling to ¼ inch from top of jar. Cover with flat lids and screw on screw bands tight.

  7. Place jars into canner with hot water that is not boiling. Water should completely cover jar. Cook on high heat to reach a boil. Process for 5 minutes,

  8. Remove from heat.
  9. When jars are completely cooled, check seals by pressing centers of lids with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Scoop one ladle of pepper jelly in each jar to evenly distribute peppers before completely filling each jar. The peppers rise to the top. If you do not evenly distribute them, you will have no peppers left for the last jars.

If you live in a high altitude, you will need to adjust the processing time. Here is a chart for reference.

Nutrition Facts
Deliciously Easy Homemade Hot Pepper Jelly Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 44
% Daily Value*
Sodium 1mg 0%
Potassium 13mg 0%
Total Carbohydrates 11g 4%
Sugars 10g
Vitamin A 1.7%
Vitamin C 9.3%
Calcium 0.1%
Iron 0.3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

How to Make Homemade Hot Pepper Jelly

Comments

  1. This looks awesome, Katie! I love spicy things. I’ve never made my own hot pepper jelly before (though, I’ve eaten my fair share). Great idea with the gift suggestion. Typically during the holidays, I make some homemade goodies for family and this would be a lovely addition. Pinning 🙂

  4. Omg these look awesome and so easy to make! I am all about homemade all-the-things.

  5. My goodness, this hot pepper jelly looks incredible. I’m sure I would find excuses to put it on absolutely everything.

  9. Pepper jelly is a family holiday favorite in my home, too. I love that your mom came over to make these with you! More hands the merrier when it comes to canning, and what a great way to enjoy some mother/daughter time 🙂

  10. Making homemade preserves is so labor intensive, but I still love doing it! My favorite thing to make and can is rhubarb jam. This recipe looks delicious!

  11. This is look wonderful! I have tons of pepper in my garden. I definitely will try this and will add couple of habanero cause my husband love it.

  12. Just made a batch of these. Used a combination of banana, Priscilla and jalapeño peppers. Will be on the spicy side for sure. Hope they turn out ok.

  13. I like the pictures you posted of your family making this together! The instructions are great too, nice presentation! I made this jelly a few weeks ago, it is easy and looks very pretty in the jars. It tastes wonderful, just had some last night on a brick of cream cheese, served with crackers. Guests loved it!

  15. I made this yesterday and everything worked perfectly – down to the sealing of the jars (the pop of the lid is my favorite sound!). Should the jelly be firm or fluid? The pepper bits are mixed throughout, so there is some ‘gel’ there, but it moves quite easily. Is this ok? Maybe I’m thinking jam rather than jelly 🙂

  16. This recipe doesn’t get perfectly firm… So it should be fine if it moves a bit. It will firm more as it sets. It does resemble more like a jam.

  17. Katie I made some last year using a different recipe it just wasn’t hot enough and didn’t set up so had to open all jars and reboil add more pectin. What a hassle. . I used your recipe today on a batch made one slight change I substituted more jalapeños for green peppers, my family likes a bit more heat. It’s in the water bath now I I can’t wait to try it.

  18. Hi Katie. I made this a couple weeks ago. I make rather large batches and use a meat grinder for the peppers. I end up with a lot of juice from the peppers which I drained. I cooked according to your instructions and it looks beautiful but as it sat it became very thick. What could cause this. It will not pour out of the jar, need to use a spoon. Any ideas how to thin it? Planning on making more next week and could use your help.

    Thank you
    Patti

  19. Hi Patti. This is a jelly, so it is supposed to be thick…however, if you heat the jelly before using it, it will melt into a sauce. It is wonderful as a jelly on cream cheese, brie, and goat cheese served with crackers. It is also good over cream cheese on a bagel. Mine usually comes out a bit loose almost like a jam because I don’t drain the juice. If you want yours a little more loose, I would suggest keeping the juice. Either way, I am sure it tastes fantastic and you will love it.

  21. Thanks Katie. Appreciate your help. Will be making some today. Will let you know how it turns out. The last batch was really thick, but does have great flavor. Will try it leaving in the juice from the peppers. Will let you know how it works. Have a happy day.

  22. Hi Katie, I made this jelly last night and it came out beautifully. Only one jar did not pop so I put it in the fridge. But my question is this, How long does it take to set up. This morning it is still liquid. Should I give it a day or two.

  23. Hmm…. it shouldn’t be liquid. It can take up to a week to set. Is it runny or liquid? If it is liquid, I am not sure it will set. Here is a site that gives tips on what to do if it does not set properly: http://foodinjars.com/2011/08/canning-101-how-to-save-runny-jam/ If you don’t want to go through the process again, you can use the jam as a glaze for things like fish and chicken… It is really great as a glaze over meatballs as an appetizer. Hope this helps.

  24. A few years back my husband took up the hobby of growing extremely hot peppers. The first year he grew ghosts and reapers, fatiliis and a few others that I had never heard of along with some that I had: habenaros and jalapenos. By the time we harested those 25plants had produced enough fruit to cover my dinning room table and then some. So while he insisted that he was going to use all of them, only about half of them got used even after a make your hot sauce party we had with 6 other couples in our neighborhood. Needless to say I searched high and low for any recipes that used hot peppers. This was one of those recipes. I add different fruit sometimes and basically follow the recipe for that particular fruit from the ball canning recipes or on the pectin packages. My favorite is cranberry and jalapeno jam that we add hlf a ghost to. Most people are amazed that a ghost pepper has such a wonderful flavor to it once you are able to cut down the heat of it 20 fold.
    Anyway, thanks so much for posting this recipe and if you have never tried pepper jelly I would highly recommend it to anyone…no matter whether you like spicy food or not. Pepper jelly over cream cheese is an absolute must in our house. Even for my 10 yo daughter whom hates anything spicy.
    Well time to go make some jellies

  25. I made this yesterday and my friends said it was good!It was easy thanks to your step by step instructions and pictures.

  30. What a great recipe! Flavors really blend. I doubled the jalapeño peppers and it was still very mild. I’m adding 3/4 c to the next batch for those who like a bit more heat. This makes beautiful gifts for Christmas. Thank you for sharing!

  31. Thank you so much for the recipe! I’m excited to try this out tomorrow as i just bought the cans today. My question is, what is the shelf life for this jelly?

  33. Made this wonderful pepper jelly today….soooooo goood! I followed the recipe exactly except I did drain the peppers do excess water. This has just the right amount of heat for normal people, however, since I like it HOT HOT and Hotter, I will make another batch just for me tomorrow. Thank you for a great recipe. I would have given this a 10 Star!

  35. I loved your video, and I usually don’t like cooking videos, so easy, straight forward, and fun music.

  36. Thank you Lynda! I appreciate the positive feedback! Videos are not my strong point so I am glad that someone likes them !

  41. I made a batch of pepper jelly using this recipe and it didn’t gel immediately. Woukd you tell me why it didn’t gel?
    Another question… can you use Splenda instead of sugar to make pepper jelly?

  42. It takes 24 to 48 hours to set so it is normal that it did not gel immediately. This recipe also is a bit runnier than the thick, stiff store bought versions. If it is too runny after a couple of days, here is a link to help.

  44. Hey there! I tried making this last week and it was quite mild. Definitely going to swap out the green pepper for jalapeño.
    Unfortunately all of our peppers enddd up at the top of the jar. Any suggestions to prevent that? We are using 125ml jars as these will be our wedding favors!
    Thanks so much

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