Easy Hot Pepper Jelly
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I absolutely adore hot pepper jelly! One of my favorite ways to enjoy it is to pour over a brick of cream cheese and serve it with crackers. It’s such an effortless appetizer that never fails to impress, especially when made with this easy homemade hot pepper jelly.
For years, I relied on store-bought pepper jelly, but this year, I decided to make my own. Let me just say it was much easier than I anticipated and absolutely worth the effort. The process is straightforward, and the flavor is leagues beyond anything you can buy at the store.
The best part? You can customize the heat level to suit your taste. My family isn’t big on spice, so I used the seeds from just half a jalapeño in my batch. It turned out perfect—just enough of a kick for me but mild enough for everyone else to enjoy.
This jelly also makes a fantastic gift idea! Pair a jar with a box of crackers and a block of cream cheese, and you’ve got an instant crowd-pleaser. I purchased these 5 oz containers from Amazon to gift them in. This recipe will give you 9 containers worth. Then I used this printable for a tag on each container.
Or use it to create a festive appetizer, like the cream cheese pepper jelly tree I shared last year—holiday entertaining made simple and delicious!
Ingredients for Easy Hot Pepper Jelly
- JALAPENO PEPPERS
- ASSORTED COLORFUL BELL PEPPERS
- WHITE OR CIDER VINEGAR
- SUGAR
- NO SUGAR NEEDED PECTIN (I USE SURE JELL IN THE PINK BOX)
Instructions for Easy Hot Pepper Jelly
Prepare the Jalapeños:
Wash the jalapeños thoroughly and trim off the stem ends. Wear gloves during this step to avoid burning your skin or transferring the spicy oils to your face. Remove the seeds if you prefer a milder jelly—leaving or adding some seeds will adjust the heat level to your preference. For a mild jelly, use seeds from only half a jalapeño. Roughly chop the jalapeños and place them in a food processor. Pulse until finely minced. Be cautious of the strong fumes—stand back to avoid irritation.
Prepare the Bell Peppers:
Wash and trim the bell peppers, removing the inner ribs and seeds. Roughly chop the peppers and process them in the food processor in batches until finely minced. Avoid overcrowding the processor for even chopping.
Cook the Jelly Base:
In a heavy-bottomed stock pot, combine the minced jalapeños, minced bell peppers, vinegar, and sugar. Stir to combine, and then bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add the Pectin:
While stirring continuously, sprinkle the pectin into the boiling mixture to prevent lumps. Let the mixture boil for one minute while stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Jar the Jelly:
Ladle the hot jelly into clean jars, leaving a little room at the top. Set the jars aside to cool before sealing with lids. If the pepper bits float to the top, stir the jelly occasionally as it cools to redistribute the peppers evenly.
Refrigerate or Freeze:
Once cooled, seal the jars and refrigerate. The jelly will thicken as it cools and even more as it chills. For longer storage, freeze the jars. The jelly keeps well in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for longer.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve this delicious hot pepper jelly over goat cheese on baguette slices or with cream cheese and crackers for an irresistible appetizer. Makes about 4 cups of jelly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this jelly spicier?
Yes! To increase the heat, include more jalapeño seeds and membranes when chopping the peppers. The seeds and membranes hold most of the heat, so you can adjust the spice level to suit your preference. You could also add a spicier pepper variety like serrano or habanero for an extra kick.
How can I make this jelly milder?
For a milder jelly, remove all the seeds and membranes from the jalapeños before processing them. You can also use a greater proportion of sweet bell peppers to balance out the heat.
How long does the pepper jelly last?
When stored in an airtight jar in the refrigerator, the jelly will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks. If you want to store it longer, you can freeze it for up to 6 months.
Do I need to use pectin?
Yes, pectin is essential for this recipe to help the jelly set properly. Make sure to sprinkle the pectin in slowly and stir continuously to avoid clumping.
Why is my jelly not setting?
If your jelly doesn’t set, it could be undercooked or insufficient pectin. Try boiling the mixture again with a bit more pectin. Keep in mind that the jelly will thicken further as it cools and chills in the fridge.
Easy Hot Pepper Jelly
Real Mom Kitchen
Ingredients
- 8 jalapeno peppers
- 12 oz of assorted colorful bell peppers I just grabbed a 1 lb. bag of colorful mini peppers from Walmart and used 3/4 of the peppers
- 2 cups white or cider vinegar
- 3 cups sugar
- 1.75 oz box no sugar needed pectin (I used Sure Jell in the pink box)
Instructions
- Wash the jalapenos and trim the stem end off. I recommend using gloves when doing this and be sure to not touch you face with doing this. The juice will cause your face to burn if you touch it. Using gloves will also prevent any burning with you hands and also prevent your hands from smelling like jalapeno all day.
- Remove the seeds from the jalapenos if you want a milder jelly. I only used the seeds from 1/2 of a jalapeno and it was mild, so adjust according to how hot you want it.
- Give the jalapenos a rough chop and then place them in the food processor. Pulse until they are finely minced. Be careful, the fumes will be strong. Stand back to keep the fumes from getting in your eyes.
- Pour the peppers into a heavy bottomed stock pot.
- Wash and trim the bell peppers, then remove the inner ribs and seeds. Give them a rough chop and add them to the food processor. Pulse until finely minced. You may want to do this in a couple batches, because you can chop more evenly if you don’t crowd the bowl.
- Add the bell peppers to the pot with the jalapenos. Then add in the vinegar and sugar; stir to combine.
- Bring it up to a boil, and then sprinkle in the pectin while stirring. You don’t want to get lumps of pectin. Then boil while stirring for one minute. Remove from heat.
- Ladle the hot liquid into clean jars. Set aside and allow to cool before capping and refrigerating.
- If your pepper bits float to the top, give the jelly an occasional stir as it cools to distribute them more evenly.
- When the jelly is cool, cap and refrigerate the jars. They will thicken as they cool, and even more as they chill. This will keep well in the fridge for 2 weeks or can be frozen. Makes about 4 cups.
- Serve with goat cheese on baguette slices or with cream cheese and crackers.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from The View From Great Island.
