Jalapeño Jelly {a.k.a. Hot Pepper Jelly}
Get this delicious and simple recipe for jalapeño jelly (a.k.a. hot pepper jelly) plus a helpful step-by-step tutorial on canning the jelly.
This jalapeño jelly is is incredible. Sweet and spicy (the heat level is totally in your control), it is heavenly over cream cheese and served on crackers.
How to Make Jalapeño Jelly
The process for making hot pepper or jalapeño jelly at home is simple!
First, start with peppers.
For this recipe, you can use any combination of bell peppers and jalapeños to equal 3 cups (about 18-20 ounces) of finely chopped peppers.
My preferred combination of peppers is:
- 1 to 2 medium or 1 very large red bell pepper (weighing about 9 to 10 ounces before coring and seeding)
- 1 to 2 medium or 1 very large green bell pepper (weighting about 9 to 10 ounces before coring and seeding)
- 10 medium jalapeños (weighing about 12 to 13 ounces before coring and seeding)
How to Adjust the Spiciness of Jalapeño Jelly
The number of jalapeños and whether the seeds/membranes are removed will affect the spiciness of the jelly.
I leave the seeds/membranes in 3 to 4 of the jalapeño peppers for medium heat. Adjust as needed for spicy/less spicy jelly.
Finely chop all the peppers and then measure. I use a food processor fitted with the blade or fine shredder attachment. It makes the chopping super quick and easy!
Using Liquid Pectin vs. Powdered Pectin
The original recipe for this jalapeño jelly called for liquid pectin (those instructions are still included below!).
However, after a decade of making this jelly and reading hundreds of your comments, I have also included directions for using powdered pectin in place of the liquid pectin.
Many reports, including my own experience, conclude that the jelly sets up better and more consistently using powdered pectin.
In my experience, using two full boxes of powdered pectin results in a firm set jelly. For a softer set jelly, experiment with using less powdered pectin (1 1/2 boxes or less). Do NOT use low sugar or sugar free pectin.
The cooking method varies slightly for liquid pectin vs powdered pectin, so make sure to read through the recipe thoroughly to understand which method you should use.
How to Process and Can Jalapeño Jelly
After the jelly has cooked, fill each jar within 1/4-inch of the top. Wipe around the rim of the jar to clean off any jelly and then top with a canning lid and ring.
Jalapeño jelly can be processed and canned with a water bath canner or a steam bath canner.
Below the recipe, you’ll see a full tutorial for water bath canning.
These days I always use a steam bath canner (approved by the NCHFP).
Process the jelly for 10 minutes, adding additional time for elevation, if needed (it is recommended to add an additional 5 minutes for every 3,000 feet elevation).
Once the jelly has processed, carefully remove to the counter to cool completely and allow the lids to pop/seal.
How to Serve Jalapeño Jelly
This jalapeño jelly (or hot pepper jelly, whatever you want to call it) is sweet, spicy and tangy, and is delicious served over cream cheese and spread on crackers.
It also makes a tasty topping for panini or other sandwiches, and is delicious on a charcuterie board.
We always serve it on New Year’s Eve for our traditional appetizer spread, and it is often the first thing devoured.
Commonly Asked Questions About Jalapeno Jelly
You can alter the ingredients of the jelly if you are planning to refrigerate or freeze the jelly. However, if you want to can the jelly so it is shelf stable, it is recommended not to alter the ingredients as it can affect the acidity levels and possibly make it unsafe for canning.
Yes, other types of peppers can be subbed in for the bell peppers and jalapeños, such as anaheim, habanero and serrano peppers.
It is not recommended to pressure can jalapeño jelly – the texture and taste can be affected because of the longer heating time/higher pressure.
Home Canning Resources and Tips
I almost always can this jalapeno jelly in small batches using a steam canner (which is approved by the NCHFP). It’s so easy and the cleanup is a breeze!
Other Helpful Comments
Diana: I make this every year and gift it for Christmas. My entire family loves it. ❤️ Thank you for taking the guess work out of holiday shopping! Every year I have to add more jalapeño plants. If you like it a little hotter, try adding a couple of Serrano peppers, but not too many, they bring the heat.
Dave: I have made this recipe about 5 times. On a scale of one to ten I would give it a 15. I went with the chop the peppers pretty small with a knife and did not use a blender. The only problem I have with making this recipe is the jars of Jam (not Jelly) go very fast. Everybody who has tried it wants more. I have about 35 pepper plants in my garden, so I use a variety of peppers along with the Jalapenos. I am very happy with the results and plan on making more in the future. Thanks Mel!
Deb: I used 1/2 pint jars and each batch made about 5-6 jars. I also used red and yellow/orange peppers, as either the store didn’t have green or I had a brain malfunction!! I made this last year and gave away many jars. People loved it and so do I! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Leslie: Delicious and super easy to make! I have been making this recipe for the last four years and friends and family rave about it. It is delicious and soooo addicting! I’ve shared this recipe over and over. I like more texture to the jelly, so I chop up 4.5 red and orange bell peppers (rather than the two peppers in the recipe). Because we grow habanero and jalapeño peppers, I’ve used this recipe to make both both versions and combined the peppers to make jalapeño-habanero pepper jelly too. This recipe is the best, thank you so much for your work on this and sharing it!
Jalapeño Jelly {a.k.a. Hot Pepper Jelly}
Ingredients
- 1 large red bell pepper (see note)
- 1 large green bell pepper (see note)
- 10 jalapeños (see note)
- 1 ½ cups white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5-6 cups granulated sugar
- 3-ounce pouch liquid fruit pectin or two boxes (1.75 ounces each) powdered pectin – NOT low sugar or sugar free pectin
Instructions
- Clean and sterilize canning jars according to manufacturer's directions.
- Finely chop the bell peppers and jalapeños in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment or using the fine shredder attachment, or finely chop the peppers by hand. Drain excess liquid from the peppers before proceeding (this helps ensure the jelly will set up).
- For liquid pectin: to a 5- or 6-quart pot, add the peppers, vinegar, salt and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the liquid pectin and boil at a rolling boil (that can't be stirred down) for 1 more minute. Remove the pot from the heat.
- For powdered pectin: to a 5- or 6-quart pot, add the peppers, vinegar, salt and powdered pectin. Bring the mixture to a boil for 1 minute.
- Add the sugar and bring to a boil again, stirring constantly. Boil at a rolling boil (that can't be stirred down) for 1 full minute. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Pour jelly to within 1/4-inch of the top of prepared canning jars. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean rag. Place a lid and ring on each jar.
- Process in a water bath or steam bath canner for 10 minutes adding additional time for elevation, if needed (see note).
- Remove from the canner and let sit on the counter until fully cooled and lids have popped/sealed.
Notes
-1 to 2 medium or 1 very large red bell pepper (weighing about 9 to 10 ounces before coring and seeding)
-1 to 2 medium or 1 very large green bell pepper (weighting about 9 to 10 ounces before coring and seeding)
-10 medium jalapeños (weighing about 12 to 13 ounces before coring and seeding) I leave the seeds/membranes in 3 to 4 of the jalapeño peppers for medium heat. Adjust as needed for spicy/less spicy jelly. Finely chop the peppers and then measure 3 medium-packed cups (weighing 18 to 20 ounces). Setting Up: if jelly isn’t setting up, it could be due to several issues including pectin (type or not enough) and water content in the peppers. Liquid: After the peppers are shredded in step #1, drain off any extra liquid before adding the peppers to the pot. Pectin: the original recipe called for liquid pectin (and the recipe still includes details to use liquid pectin). However, I’ve also included instructions for using powdered pectin – many reports, including my own experience, conclude that the jelly sets up better and more consistently using powdered pectin. In my experience, using two full boxes of powdered pectin results in a firm set jelly. For a softer set jelly, experiment with using less powdered pectin (1 1/2 boxes or less).
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Recipe Source: from my Aunt Marilyn
Recipe originally posted July 2014; updated August 2023 with new recipe notes/photos/tutorial, etc.
How to Make Jalapeno Jelly
Make sure to check out the notes in the recipe about draining excess liquid from the peppers before using in order to help the jelly set up properly!
Canning Jalapeno Jelly
Below is a step-by-step guide for water bath canning this jalapeno jelly. More recently, I use a steam bath canner, but the basic principles are the same for the jars and timing.
I love pepper jelly and have never attempted to make it – until now. Your recipe and instructions were fantastic! I had oodles of peppers from my garden, plus I have experience canning. It tasted delicious going into the jars… However, it is SO runny! It has been 2 weeks now and it never set up 🙁 Any ideas? I followed your instructions, but I did double the recipe and used Certo liquid pectin.
Shoot, Letti – I’m sorry your jelly hasn’t set up! Doubling the recipe, did you double the pectin also? My jelly is definitely soft but not runny. I’m not sure what would have happened! It’s a bit of work but you can always reprocess it (dumping out the jelly into a pot and adding more pectin and then canning it again).
Can I do a double or triple batch of this?
Melanie – Yep!
Made it! Love it!!!!
Thanks,
K
Hi,
Just wanted to say thanks for this great recipe. I made it and I added the zest of two oranges. Wow, it turned out so great. Thanks for the inspiration though, never would have tried it if it wasn’t for your site!
What a brilliant variation, Jared. Love it!
Yum! It turned out perfectly and I can’t stop eating it!
Is there a reason for your choice of one red bell pepper and one green? I have a purple one in my garden and will soon have a green one that I want to use for this recipe, so I wasn’t sure if it was a taste preference or just what you happen to have.
Erin – It’s just what I prefer to use but you could definitely vary based on what you have.
I made this earlier this week. I followed the recipe exactly except left the seeds/membranes in six peppers. Absolutely delicious. Happily my garden has a lot of jalapeños still growing. I will definately be making this again!
So, it is NOT strained so to be a clear jelly????????????
Cheryl – I don’t strain it so technically it is probably more like a jam but I still like to call it jalapeno jelly. 🙂
So, it is NOT strained so it is a clear jelly?????????
Hi Mel, I was thinking of buying a food processor–this recipe may be the last one in a long line of recipes that have made me want one (finely chopping 20 jalepenos by hand has very little appeal–pepper jelly, however, I desire). My question for you–which size bowl would you recommend? I saw your My Favorites Things processor is quite large. But your Bosch attachment processor is quite small. I do have a Bosch but not the processor attachment. If I can only have one food processor, what’s the magic size, magical Mel?
Jillene – Hmmm, good question, Jilene. I actually hardly ever use my small Bosch food processor now that I have the 12-cup Cuisinart one. It does everything I need it to. The only reason I didn’t use it or this jalapeno jelly is because I misplaced my small shredder attachment and didn’t really desire huge chunks of jalapeno in the jelly, know what I mean? So if I had a vote, I’d say go big. A large food processor can do anything a small one can but also handle those big batches of your favorite hummus or pie crust or whatever. Have fun shopping!
This post made me think of a recipe I have called “Easy Elegant Salmon” I found on Pinterest. I made it once with some Jalapeno jelly and it’s fantastic! If you want to try something new with the Jalapeno jelly… http://onlineri.com/articles/ri_cooks/easy-elegant-salmon-0
Made this Jelly a couple of days ago. I used Certo and cooked the pepper/sugar mixture until the instant read thermometer read 220 degrees. Then I added Certo and brought back to a boil and timed it for one minute.The set up is perfect.
It is divine! Next time I am making a double batch.
I planted jalapenos this season for salsa making, but will have more than I need, so this is an excellent way to use them! I just need to find someone with canning supplies I can borrow :0) Thanks Mel, you are amazing!
Any idea on if you could use a powdered pectin?
I caught my four year old son making a jalapeno jelly and peanut butter sandwich last fall, then he ate it. I don’t think i would ever be that brave 🙂
So delicious! We loved it!!
Your used to be neighbor (me) loves this I’m so happy you posted this
I made this today and I have nine little jars of jelly waiting to be eaten. I have always been wary of canning because it seemed so complicated but your instructions were so detailed that it made it easy to do.
We are fans of pepper jelly in our house. We put it on cream cheese and crackers, over baked brie, and it’s great as a sauce on chicken wings. I’m looking forward to tasting this in a couple of days. Thanks for the recipe!
My sister-in-law shared this recipe with me from her mom’s cookbook, “Just Ask June” It is delicious!!!
PEACH JALAPENO JELLY
Combine in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil:
Simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally
8 C. diced fresh peaches
6-8 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 1/2 C. cider vinegar
6 1/2 C. sugar
1/3 C. lemon juice
Allow mixture to cool for 10 minutes
Stir in and boil for 10 minutes, until jelled:
6 oz liquid pectin
Fill half-pint sterilized jars, wipe jar rim and top with lid and ring
Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.
CjR – That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I’m looking for a peach pepper jelly, but I LOVE pepper jelly. Will this give me the same results as a pepper jelly with a peach zing or is this more of a sweet peach jam with a little hint of jalapeno?
Thank you for sharing this peach jalapeno jelly recipe! I made it and it turned out amazing! It set up beautifully and tastes sweet and peachy with the heat coming through so nicely. Yum! I think the boiling for 1-2 hours was key. I was worried about all the vinegar, but it didn’t taste of vinegar at all. It was perfect!
My favorite way to use jalapeño jelly is to pour a good amount over a Brie and pop it in the oven until the cheese is melty. Bliss! Thanks for the recipe!
that sounds HEAVENLY!!!
CJR do you peel the peaches? I bought 10 pounds of peaches to make this but I thought I had read 5 cups of peaches instead of the 8 cups. I am making 2 batches. Can I just use more peppers instead of using that many peaches? If so how many more peppers do you think I would need. I would be using 5 pounds of peaches for each batch.
Do you think that you could freeze this instead of canning it? It looks delicious!!
Kim – Certainly worth a try although I haven’t done it myself yet so I can’t say for sure how it would work. Might try googling a recipe for freezer jalapeno jelly to see how it compares.
Such a great and informative post! It’s always great to catch myself laughing out loud to a food blog! Doesn’t happen too often on other sites I read, but you crack me up! I wonder if using low sugar pectin would allow you to cut the sugar back even more?
By taking half of the seeds out of the jalapeño is your jelly mild or medium or somewhere between?
My husband and I both love jalapeño jelly, and our grands love it too now. They were all a bit skeptical to try it the first time but it only takes one bite to win you over. Even just a plain old peanut butter and jelly sandwich tastes amazing when made with this sweet and spicy treat. I believe you have talked me into my first canning experience. Wish me luck!
I love Jalapeno Jelly and have made it before. I’m anxious to make your recipe as you haven’t let me down yet. And I’ve got a greenhouse full of jalapeno pepper.
We like making our own spices. Instead of discarding the scrapings I dehydrate them and pulse in a coffee grinder I use for spices. It’s a great way to add heat to guacamole, taco meat, etc.
My Mom has always been big on canning. She canned fresh fruits when I was little, when we had a pear and apricot tree in our backyard. When we moved she became a master at making and canning jams and jellies. Recently I decided to learn the ropes and spent a whole day making jam with her. As she was teaching me she said your exact words… “Hearing the little jars pop after they have sealed is like music to my ears… and you know you’ve done a good job!” : ) Since then I have been obsessed with canning and have tried different things. Jalapeno Jelly was next on the list (it is VERY popular here in the south) and I am so excited to try this recipe! I haven’t tried the liquid pectin yet, so I might try a batch with the powdered pectin to see how it goes. Thank you for sharing another great recipe!
OOOH! I hope I have an opportunity to try this soon at some point! I don’t live near a Costco, but I’m staying a my parents right now and they introduced me to this raspberry chipotle jelly stuff sold at costco. sure enough i looked at the ingredients and it’s so close to yours but no green/red peppers but instead raspberries. so excited to make my own! you rock lovely!
this is a seriously good idea.. never thought to make a jalapeno jelly before, definitely need to try this in my kitchen – perfect with a good cheese and a glass of wine!
Jalapeno jelly is our favorite. We put it on turkey burgers all the time. Thanks for another recipe!
Oh my goodness! You tell your aunt Marilyn thank you for sharing that yummy recipe. I think we’re in heaven!!! I do have a question about the consistency though. My jelly is still a bit runny (but delicious) maybe the consistency of a thin hot dog relish… (I cannot for the life if me what it’s the consistency of!!! Lol) is that what yours is like?? Also all the peppers and seeds seemed to have floated all to the top.
Hi Jenny – glad you loved this and happy you tried it so quickly! This jelly tends to do best if left to sit for 1-2 days. Mine looks fairly runny right out of the canner and even a few hours later but by the 2nd day it’s set up. It’s not quite as firm as a normal jelly but it shouldn’t be completely liquid either. My peppers and seeds settle towards the top, too (that actually happens a lot when I can anything that has solids in it). Whenever I open a jar of this, I give it a good stir with a long handled spoon and it combines perfectly. Also, when I’m ladling it into the jars to can it, I try to stir the mixture with the ladle before scooping (kind of swirl it around) to get a good mixture of peppers and jelly. Hope that helps!
Is it necessary to process the jars in boiling water if it the lid seals without doing that? In the past when I’ve canned, once I’ve filled the jars with hot liquid, the lid seals as it cools to room temperature. Therefore, does the processing make have another purpose besides just sealing, is there some other safety reason to do so?
Thanks!
JG – good question. I know a lot of people can the way you mentioned but it isn’t recommended by most of the extension services and/or in Ball’s blue book of canning (which is kind of my canning bible). I play it safe and process it even if the hot jelly seals the jars that way I know it is officially shelf stable.
It will often unseal very shortly and can spoil, which means a lot of your hard work is wasted.
The boiling process kills spores which can lurk behind after cooking or on jar surfaces. Use the amount of boil time recommended in the recipe, and store your jars with the rings OFF so it will be easy to see any expansion (bad) or color changes on the surface of your canned goods. If the appearance of the canned treat changes or the jar lid bulges, THROW IT OUT. My grandma taught me to preserve, and many of her recipes hail back to the days of wax and gluing writing paper over the juice glasses. Heat sealing was a huge improvement!
Can you tell me about how many cups of the pepper mixture you’d end up with after shredding it? I think I’m finally ready to make the leap into canning and I have at least a quart sized freezer bag from last summer’s garden of sliced jalapenos I’d like to use up.
Thanks!
Kate – Hmmm, I didn’t measure but I’m guessing about 2-3 cups (the liquid and the jalapenos).
I LOOOOOOVE Jalapeño jelly! Of course we love it with cream cheese and crackers, but my favorite is to eat it with Coconut Shrimp. Mmmmmm, now I’m hungry.
Eating it with coconut shrimp sound divine!!! thanks for sharing!!!
I have been seeing a lot of recipes for chia seeds rather than pectin in jellies. Have you ever tried it? I’ve been meaning to experiment. Love your site. I use your recipes several times every week. Thanks. I’m sure it is a lot of work 🙂
Oh, Ilene, chia seeds instead of pectin — very interesting! What a novel idea! We love chia seed. Thank you for sharing this concept. I’m going to try to discover more information on this.
I have been excited to see what other canning recipes you were planning on posting! I can’t wait to try this one, my husband loves that stuff, and maybe I will too if it’s homemade. I’ve never really cared for the store-bought stuff but homemade is always better!
Oh my gosh, I can not wait to convince my husband to make this! I’ve never really been inspired to try canning anything until this post. I want some right now!
blushandbacon.com
I have trouble finding canning supplies in my area, and I was just wondering what kind of pot you are using and where you got it. I will probably be buying all my canning supplies online, and hope that I can find one like that. It looks like it holds a lot of jars. Can’t wait to get started!! This is the perfect recipe to use up all the jalepenos from my garden. Thank you for all your inspiration!! 🙂
Erica H. – THIS is the pot I got from outdoorcooking.com. Good luck!
This jelly is especially delicious on Triscuit crackers w/ cream cheese! I think the Triscuits are best because of the texture, very wheat-y flavor and the salt balancing the sweet-hot jelly. :-))
Perfect timing for me! I planted jalapenos in my garden this year, and I am now going to try making this jelly with them. Thank you for the great post!
I appreciate how much work you must have put into this post! I’ve never tried canning, but it’s on my list to conquer at some point. This jelly sounds so good. I was just cooking with my husband’s homemade jalapeño wine yesterday and love a sweet + heat combination.
Yay!! Jalapeño Jelly is on my list of things to learn how to make this fall! My husband looked skeptical but I LOVE it!! Thank you so much!! Going back to read your canning tutorials! I grew up canning with my mom but have never done it as an adult on my own kitchen. Can’t wait!!
We make a jalapeño – lime version that is DIVINE, especially on salmon! I agree with you, I’m obsessed with this stuff.
Laurel, I’d love to see that recipe!
Your tip last year about using a camp stove outside to can items was a great one. So far I’ve only done pressure canning, but this looks like it’s up next on the list of things to do. Once it is no longer 116 degrees outside (thank you, AZ summers!).
With every new post of yours explaining canning, I keep thinking I’m nearly ready to go for it. This one finally did it, though, Mel. I know we’re going to go from nearly no tomatoes to a garden full of them late in August, and I’m going to be making sauce. This finally does it. I’m going to can that sauce, with your step by step instructions, if it’s the very last thing I do! And maybe make some jalapeño jelly, too. 🙂
I’d love to give it a try. We grow jalapenos every year and I’m sure we’d enjoy this if I took the time to make it. I’ve really learned to enjoy canning.
Maybe this will be next on the list.
Looks DeLish!
I’m just hoping to have enough jalapenos from the garden to make this!
It’s an interesting concept for me as well. I like organising a nice collection of jar’s yummies for winter, but never thought about jalapenios 🙂 Thank you for sharing.
This is great! I’ve always wanted to make my own!
This recipe is so tempting . . . after all, it is a famous Aunt Marilyn’s recipe. 🙂 We really like hot pepper jelly and often have it over cream cheese with crackers. Never thought of using this jelly as a dipping sauce for meat. Your site is always so interesting pouring forth unique, fun recipes. This tutorial and the instructions are so well done. Unlike Kim, I know I won’t have time to squeeze this into my hectic summer schedule but there is always the joy of having an exciting recipe awaiting next summer.
Mel- it’s like you are reading my mind! My mother-in-law’s garden is exploding with gorgeous vegetables, and I was thinking just yesterday that I need to can some. Especially abundant are the tomatoes and jalapeños! My family loves jalapeño jelly, but I have never made it myself. I am so excited to try this recipe! My MIL will be very impressed, thanks to you! 🙂
LOL! I’ve been wanting to make jalapeno jelly for awhile, too. Yes, Mel {and “Kim in MD”}, you read my mind, too. Thanks for the post!
From your whole foody!
Janie Lynn