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.
Thank you so much! My pepper plants were out of control this year–maybe because I planted four of each. Anyway, I made 4 double batches of pepper jelly yesterday (I thought it would make cute Christmas gifts for teachers/neighbors and it’s very festiv with it’s red and green peppers). I thought I would post my adaptions because I used dry pectin (worked like a charm and required less boiling time). This is my feeble attempt to pay it forward because I enjoy your recipes and benefit from the comments section.
Ingredients:
10-12 jalapenos (I liked using half red and half green for better flavor and color with half seeded),
2 poblano peppers (I had these in my garden I liked the flavor with them), 1/2 cups white vinegar,
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 Tablespoons of Pectin
Directions:
Finely chop the bell peppers and jalapenos in a food processor fitted with a fine shredding blade.
Add the peppers to a large pot.
Stir in the vinegar and Pectin. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring often.
Add the sugar (may need to whisk to get it all worked in) and bring back to rolling boil and boil for 1 more minute.
Remove the pot from the heat. Pour the jelly to within 1/4-inch of the top of clean, warm canning jars. Wipe the rim of the jar with a damp rag. Place a lid and ring on each jar and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.
Once removed from the water bath canner, let the jelly rest for 1-2 days to let it fully set up.
Thanks, Britney!
Britney, did you use the bell peppers also? I notice yours says 1/2 c vinegar and the original says 1 1/2 c vinegar. Just checking before I make it.
Hi Britney. I used dry pectin, it was certainly nice and thick when I poured it into my jars! Can’t wait to dig in.
Britney is this recipe a single batch ?
Well unfortunately I join the many whose jelly didn’t set up. I even drained nearly 2 cups of liquid out of my peppers before starting. I should have realized it was not set before I canned them, but I didn’t. I’m not sure if it’s worth it to redo it but I think I might. I did little quarter pint jars for gifts and a double batch so I have a lot of jars and lids (to reuse or not is the question?). We all love the flavor though! As it is right now it will make a great dipping sauce for spring rolls. 🙂
Mine did not setup either and I drained a bunch of fluid off as well. Can we pour in to a pot again, add more liquid pectin and reprocess again? I’ve never canned before so I want to make sure I don’t compromise the taste.
Yes, you can definitely reprocess.
I do find once I open and refrigerate it, it is the consistency I want so I don’t worry about it too much!
Any idea how many cups of chopped peppers go in to one batch? My jalapeños are really small this year and I’m afraid 10 won’t be enough. Is it critical if the ratio to other ingredients is off a bit? I’m somewhat new to jellies.
I probably should have paid more attention and taken notes when I made this last year.
Thanks!
No, there’s wiggle room for actual amount of peppers to vary a little. I’m not exactly sure on cups – but if your jalapenos are small, maybe judge the “10 jalapenos” in the recipe based on 10 average sized jalapenos. If yours are super shrimpy, maybe calculate you’ll need 15-17 jalapenos instead of 10?
I haven’t done an exhaustive search but from what I’ve been reading, the ratio of peppers to vinegar does matter: http://www.pomonapectin.com/allison/canningcraft-creates-pepper-jam/
Thanks for your input, Nancy! I agree that the overall ratio is really important…most recipes, thank goodness, have a little bit of wiggle room for differences. So using 12 jalapenos instead of 10 should be ok. But I’ll take a look at that link for sure!
I don’t know if this helps, but the sure jell pectin instructions say 10 jalapenos chopped to make 1 cup. Their instructions also say 1 1/2 cups EACH chopped green and red pepper. I hope it helps!
I just made a batch of pepper jelly using Pomonas Pectin and it turned out fabulous! I had no idea canning could be addictive. I also used the same pectin to make plum jelly and blubarb jelly. Thanks for your helpful canning instructions…definitely nudged me to start learning something new!
That’s great to hear!
Hi Mel, I was wondering if you ever used apple cider vinegar instead of the white vinegar. I have a large 4L container of the cider vinegar (I bought for my beets), so I’d like to use that instead.
Btw, I made your salsa recipe last night and it turned out amazing!
Hi Susan, I’m glad you loved the salsa! I haven’t used apple cider vinegar in this recipe…I wonder if the flavor might be too strong? I’m not sure! Sorry I’m not more help.
Hi, I always use apple cider vinegar in making pepper jelly. Also, I make it hot because the ones I give it to like it that way. So I only use hot peppers (no bell peppers) and I leave all the seeds in! I also add a few cayenne peppers too. Like I said the ones I make it for like it hot!
Beyond delicious. I added some sweet wine to a batch and lemon thyme t0 another. My 4 children love it as do all my relatives. I used jalapeños and time bomb peppers, the latter being hotter. Thanks for sharing!
Beyond delicious. I added some sweet wine to a batch – great with triple cream Brie and baguette pieces.
I made alot of hot pepper jam from your recipe last year from ghost, scorpions, habeneros all turned out great. One suggestion is add just a little more certo when doing jalapeños. The hotter peppers I only used 3 or 4 peppers and did not need extra certo! I live in Southern Ontario it’s been a very very wet and no heat summer all my hot peppers have not matured and probably won’t I put in 60 plants this year cuz I was so successful last year anyway just doing my jalapenos today hopefully they turn out as good as they did last year thanks for your recipe I really appreciate it. A little off topic I also did some ever bearing strawberries yesterday meant to tell u in spring! To remove green top and core simply use a straw (like the size from McDonalds). Simply start from pointed end of Berry pushing towards green end core and top comes out very quickly! Try it u will luv this method.
Great tip, Reece – thank you!
Thank you so much for the tip to drain the peppers before making the jelly!
With all the rain this summer the peppers were huge yet full of water. My red pepper jelly that I have been making for years didn’t set and I am sure it would have if I had drained the fruit like you suggested.Wonderful tip! All of the Jalapeno Jelly set up extremely well after draining before cooking. Wife loves the jelly and it sure is a change from the red Pepper Jelly I usually make.
Glad it worked to drain the peppers, Tim – thanks for checking in!
My jelly did not set either. Can I dump it all back in a pot and add more Certo to see if it will set? Is that “safe?”
Yes, you can definitely do that. I also added a note to the recipe (that was in the comment thread but not in the recipe notes) – most people who have had success with jelly setting perfectly have drained extra liquid from the peppers before adding them to the pot since peppers probably vary in water content. That may help if you make future batches.
I made it again, draining the juice from the peppers, and it set up beautifully. Thanks!
Glad to know the draining tip is helping!
Just found this recipe this year. I made two single batches, one with a red and green pepper and 12 jalapeños, one with an orange and green pepper and 10 jalapeños that were a bit more ripe. The color difference between the red/green and orange/green combination is significant but the taste isn’t.
Both batches worked great but I did deviate a bit. Before I put the pectin in I skimmed off a full cup of pepper mash from each batch; I just wanted to make the jelly a but more clear. Instead of pitching the mash, I canned it and it is probably even more amazing than the jelly; it will either be labeled as a ‘sweet hot pepper compote’ or as ‘candied hot peppers’.
That sounds amazing, Lorne!
I have made this recipe so many times and like some of you the batch set up great and others I had to put back in the pot the next day and recook…this is what I have learned-the boiling time is the actual time that it is boiling not the cooking time to get it to the boil and after the pectin is added wait til it returns to the boiling point and then time the boil for one minute….I learned the hard way on this trick…good luck everyone!
I just made my second batch of this in less than a week and am so proud of those little jars! I read some of the comments about the jelly not setting, so I strained all the extra liquid from the peppers (especially the bell peppers), like some readers suggested, and both batches have turned out great!
Now I just need to convince my jalapeño loving husband that jalapeños also taste amazing in jelly form.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Is that 13 oz of liquid pectin or one 3oz
One 3-ounce package. I’ve edited the recipe ingredient list to avoid confusion.
Has anyone ever tried this as a Cranberry Jalapeno Jelly? A local company makes a version with cranberries that is fabulous. They call it Cranpeno. I’d love to tweak this recipe to copy their version.
Yes! I did last year and it was great. I subbed cranberries for the red and green pepper. I believe I used a small bag of cranberries.
A friend of mine has been making this for over 20 years for our yearly deer camp every fall. I watched him make it last weekend and he uses Jel Ease Fruit Pectin packets and the recipe is inside the box. He also used cidar vinegar. Tasted great as usual. You can also use Sure Jell.
Did not read through all of the comments, cause there are so many! But I used Pomona’s pectin and followed recipe on their web site. Yum, yum, and I successfully sextupled the recipe. Bring on the peppers!
Yay, Angela! I’d love to convert this recipe to a Pomona’s Pectin one (that’s the pectin I use most). Thanks for the heads up!
My son made ghost pepper jelly, but it tastes like vinegar? What happened? He used the correct amount.
Will there be any difference in the finished product by using Cider Vinegar over White Vinegar?
I want mine to be hot so I will be using Cayenne, Thai, Serrano and other hot peppers and fewer Jalapeno’s.
I am not a cream cheese eater so I use this on white toast and toasted english muffins where it is delicious.
The flavor will differ slightly with different types of vinegars but should be delicious either way.
Just made this! Yum! Mine seems to be setting up already (the small amount that didn’t fit in a jar). I did drain the peppers I shreded. Thanks for the recipe and the beautiful picture tutorial!
This is lovely, especially the photos. The jelly/jam ended
up runny. It did not set et all. I make jams all the time and never had this problem, maybe the CERTO is the problem.
I’m not sure, Jeanette. Many others have said their jalapeño jelly didn’t set up either. I hadn’t had this problem until I made it a couple weeks ago, and sure enough, mind didn’t set up either (however, I had added peaches which might have been the problem).
I made this last year and it was a huge hit! I was passing out jars to everyone because they loved it so much. Just made two double batches this weekend. Neither one set up! The first batch, I used 2 packets of certo and in the second batch, I added an extra certo packet. They both look exactly the same- completely runny. Any idea what I can do to fix it?? I hate to waste all of it and my friend was so excited to do it with me so she would have her own stash and not have to keep asking me for it. It’s super disappointing.
Hey Christine, I can’t be completely sure what happened, but because I’ve also had some batches set perfectly and others not, I’ve come to suspect it’s the size/type/variety of peppers used in the recipe. My guess is that if a pepper is extra large or has more water content (this can definitely differ if using garden peppers vs storebought peppers) that the jelly doesn’t set as well or as quickly. There may be other factors, but that’s what I can determine from my experience. I’m making more of this jelly in the next few weeks which will give me a chance to finally add specific weight measures to the recipe for more exact amounts. In the meantime, you can reprocess your jelly and boil it longer (usually don’t need to add more pectin but you can if you want) – and boil it until it jells (if you drop a teaspoon amount on a chilled dinner plate, it should firm up to the desired consistency).
i must say that your site is one of the best i have seen. it makes prepping things very easy totally informative with pictures and all. i used site for jalapeno jam. i have a little garden in back grew peppers the jam turned out so well that started selling them made 50 jars of jalapeno going sell them in fall fair in Niagara peninsula this fall. only thing that i would suggest is to add another half of packet of pectin in single batch as this will make jam set better. my question to you is i also grew habanero , ghost and Trinidad scorpion peppers, any suggestions on recipe’s for them ?
I don’t use those types of peppers very often (so spicy!) so I’m not much help; sorry!
Mel i used your recipe for all my peppers everyone thinks they are great! like you mentioned you can control the heat by the amount of peppers and veins you put in. Thank’s again.
I don’t see what size jars to use – pint or half pint and how many of pint or half pints does 1 batch make?
Hello Penni. It makes 4 pint jars.
Try it in the mini crockpot with a brick of cream cheese….melt them together and dip you crackers in it….yummy!!!
I’d love to try this. I’ve been buying a local product but can’t always find it. We love it over vanilla or bittersweet chocolate ice cream. Better than a sundae.
Jalapeno jelly is awesome with rack of lamb!! (lamb lollipops!) I’m making this recipe today. Not sure about how “jam” is going to be v. clear “jelly”. Hopefully better!!
Hi Mel,
I was running low on my Pepper Jelly that was gifted to me a few years ago so I went looking for a recipe. So glad I found yours. I used a combination of Green, Red, Yellow and Orange Peppers…. give it a lot of color.
Your recipe and canning instruction were GREAT! I have never canned before and was able to get every jar to seal. I seem to be having a non-set that others have expressed. I am going to give it another day, but may have to reprocess with more pectin (I used powdered).
I will definitely be planting jalapenos and bell peppers in the garden this year.
Can u use strawberries in this recipe? If so how meney would u suggest
You could definitely experiment; I haven’t tried it with strawberries.
I ran out of jars when I was filling them. I put the left over jelly in freezer containers. Do you think it is safe to eat it after it sets and I refrigerate it? Is the canning process necessary?
You might have to do some online searching to see, Joy, as I’m not really sure. Other jams/jellies are fine from the freezer so I’m guessing it will be too but I’m not 100%.
With powdered pectin you bring everything EXCEPT sugar to a boil you can’t stir down. Then add sugar and bring back to the same boil. Boil for exactly one minute, remove from heat, ladle into jars and proceed.
This is my new go to favorite recipe. I love the flavor and how it turned out. Mine set up just fine (of what was not canned and left over after cooling was a perfect soft set. I have not opened any jars to check them yet because I am letting them set for 2 days) but I did let the mix boil for 15 minutes rather than 10 before adding my pectin and timed it perfectly boiling for a full minute after stirring in the pectin completely. I don’t know if that makes a difference or not. I did make one tweek to the recipe. I had like 5-6 fresh strawberries in my fridge so I tossed those in the processor with the peppers and only used 5 cups of sugar and it was perfection. Next time I will most likely leave out the berries and still only use 5 cups of sugar and I will let you know how it turns out.
I too had issues with this recipe setting up…half my jars did…the other half did not. Very odd and remained fully liquid days later.
I’d like to try and make this next week. How do you use this jelly? It seems it’s only good with cheese and crackers.
I use it on paninis (a lot) with turkey and cheese or a lot of different combos. We also eat it with cream cheese and crackers.
OMG, it turned out wonderful! I had no problem getting it to set. I added a red bell pepper to add a little color with all the fresh jalapeno’s from my garden harvest and the recipe is spot on. Thank you!!
Absolutely love this, today is my second time making this recipe. Guess I got lucky
because mine set perfect first time. The taste is one of a kind, when I tell people what I have made their lips curl…..but hen they try it, WoW you should see their faces. Again LOVE this recipe. Thank you so much
We made another batch of jelly from this wonderful recipe again this year. Last year, on a whim I added in some orange zest and it’s been a hit with everyone who’s tried it. So this year I thought I’d try something different again and added pureed peaches and also a can of crushed pineapple. I also left in more of the seeds and this years batch definitely has more heat! Thanks again for this great recipe! Our family thanks you!
Yum! What a delicious combo!
Did you drain the pineapple?
Yes, I did drain the pineapple (8 oz Crushed). For the peaches, I used two cans of low sugar sliced peaches. I whizzed them in the food processor just a few times to dice them up. I wasn’t sure the peach flavor would come through, but it really does. Ours didn’t set up perfectly either. I attributed it to the fact that I made a double batch, but maybe it wasn’t. In any case, we don’t mind that it’s a bit on the runny side, and as another poster said, it does firm up a bit when refrigerated.
I make this stuff all the time. And yes I found that you almost have to double the amount of certo to have it set nicely, sort of like grape jelly. I’m am interested in the lime jalapeño recipe. Sounds really different and good.
Hi I just made some yesterday and it’s not setting yet. I read it can take a long time to set but I didn’t have problems last year. I think the issue is size of the sweet peppers because they give a lot of liquid. Anyways I’m waiting to see and if I feel it’s too runny, I’ll reprocess and add more Certo. I plan on doing another batch with jalapeños because I ised another type of hot pepper and it wasn’t hot enough for me. This stuff is addictive!
Just thought I’d come back to let you know what I ran into while making two batches of this. I had (and have successfully used before) liquid certo, but realized while cooking that i only had one packet, so I sent my husband out to grab another. The store was out, and he came back with a Sure Jell powdered pectin. The batch with the Sure Jell did not set and is still very liquidy.
Can I open them, re-heat it, and try again with the Certo, then re-can?
As long as it’s reprocessed correctly for food safety reasons, you should be able to do add more pectin and can it again.
This is a fantastic recipe! Easy to follow & delish! I canned a bunch to put away for Christmas gifts, and opened one for my husband to try…. I’ll need to make some more, as he’s gone through that jar & then got into the Christmas jar stash! Luckily my jalapenos have had a productive year!!
I did something terribly wrong… Jalapeno toffee anyone?
For what it’s worth, when I make pepper jelly from a similar recipe I use both packs (6oz total) of certs liquid pectin and it sets quite well.
I have made several batches of this jelly, this summer. It is seriously wonderful. I have made it with all types of mixed peppers, hot banana, sweet banana, bell peppers, jalapeños, habanero, all straight out of my garden. I just use whatever I have available. Always turns out great! My friends can’t get enough of it. Some are even returning jars, asking for refills!
As far as the set, mine is typically a softer set that becomes more firm when refrigerated. Perfect for spreading. I, also, have had to use powdered pectin, as that is all that has been available in my small town. No issues. None at all.
Hi there…I just made a batch of this jelly. It has been sitting in a quiet place for 48 hours & still no set up, it’s still very thin & runny. Any suggestions on what could have gone wrong? I followed your directions to a “T”. It tastes amazing, I think I’m going to leave it as is & just have “honey” consistency for my jam. Thanks, Diane
Hi Diane – it seems like others are experiencing the same thing. I’ll add a note to the recipe and test a batch out this week to see what might be happening.
I am making jalapeno jelly to sell at our church bazzar for the 2nd year. I tried a different recipe for the first two batches and they 2 days later have not set up. those recipes called for 1 3oz envelope of liquid pectin. Today I made another recipe that called for 2- 3oz packages of liquid pectin and they have already setup. So tomorrow I will finis the 1/2 bushel of peppers using second recipe. and redo the others with more certo. Question I have several boxes of surejell powder could I use that for my redo?
Good question, Mary – but I’m not sure. I’ve had the best luck with this recipe using the liquid pectin.
I think I am doing something wrong. My jelly doesn’t set. Is anyone else having this issue? Any ideas on what I could be doing differently would be great!
Hi Michelle – a few others in the comment thread have had that issue – the jelly is pretty soft set (not really firm). You can always reprocess with more pectin if you want it to set up to be more firm. Did you use certo pectin?
I am making it now! Love Harry and David’s Jalepeno relish with cream cheese and hope this is similar!
I did as the recipe states and only ended up with 5 and a half little half pint jars. Not sure if maybe my Jalepenos were smaller or what? I used 5.5 cups sugar.
Anxious to see how it turns out!
Love so many of your recipes!
Thank you for the very detailed post! I made this today and am looking forward to tasting it soon. This was my first time making jam or canning anything, and your instructions were invaluable! I’ll be subscribing to see what else I can learn from you. Thanks again!
I went ahead and made this. It was a very pale color so I added five tablespoons of blackberry juice left from another jelly project. Oh!!! This is sooooo delicious. Will make more. I did have to add a bit more pectin.
Why is the jelly in the pictures red? I would prefer red over the green.
I think it’s red from the red peppers in the recipe. I am glad it turned out for you!
I made this on Saturday evening, following the directions, it is now Monday morning and my jelly still has not set. It is still liquid is my jars. Is this normal? The taste was divine going into the jars and they sealed well, I suppose I expected them to have a jelly consistency. Is this where I’m mistaken? Should I make another batch and use a different type of pectin? More pectin? Can I re-can this batch with more pectin? Thanks!
Hi Billie Jo – the jelly I make with this recipe definitely has a jelly-like consistency but much softer than say a super firm jelly (like grape jelly). Not liquidy and runny, though. It sounds like it may have not set up fully for you and I’m not sure why. It’s a lot of work but you can recan this batch with more pectin if you’d like it to be more firm. Did you use the certo brand of pectin? Not sure that it matters but it’s a starting place to figure out what may have gone wrong.
I am lazy, live in an apartment, and have a 1 year old and twin 7 week old girls. So..I decided to try making this freezer jelly – and it worked great! Just put the lid on the jar and stick it in the freezer. Take it out and let it thaw and it’s perfect! My father-in-law requested another batch for Christmas! Thank you for the great tutorial.
Can you make this with cayenne peppers also? I am not the “cooker” but I’m going to give this a shot. Thanks for the recipe.
I’ve only ever made it as the recipe states but I think you could definitely experiment with different kinds of peppers. Good luck!