Hot Pepper Jelly

This easy hot pepper jelly recipe cooks down fresh peppers, sweet red pepper, and a touch of sugar into a glossy, savory spread with just the right kick of spice. It’s delicious spooned over cream cheese, served as an appetizer dip, or brushed onto anything that needs a hint of candied heat. You’ll get clear steps that show exactly how to make jalapeño jelly at home so your homemade batch turns out the best every time.

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Prep Time 1

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1 30

Course Condiment

Cuisine American

Servings ounces

Calories 75 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

3 cups red bell pepper any combination of red, orange, yellow, or green, finely diced
1 cup jalapeno seeded and finely diced
5½ cups white sugar
1 cup white vinegar
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3½ ounces powdered fruit pectin measured by weight
4 drops red gel food color or green, optional

Instructions

Wash and sterilize the canning jars according to manufacturer's directions, set aside.
Add the bell peppers, jalapeños, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, salt, and powdered pectin to a 6-quart pan. Bring the mixture to a boil for 1 minute.
Add the sugar all at once and bring to a rolling boil (a boil that can't be stirred down) for 1 full minute.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in food coloring, if using.
Follow the instructions for water bath canning on the Ball Mason Jars website. (Ball is the company that actually makes the jars you're using, and they do a much better job of explaining the process than I can.) Basically, you need to fill your jars, put the lids on, and boil them for 10 minutes. But please go get the real instructions because if you do it wrong, your jelly will spoil in the jars.
Use a jar lifter to remove the jars from the water bath and let them sit on the counter until fully cooled and all the lids have popped and sealed.

Notes

If you live above 1,000 feet, you'll have to Adjust for High-Altitude Canning | Ball® Mason Jars

Once the jars have sealed, they can be stored at room temperature, but after the jars have been opened, they should be refrigerated.

If you don't want to can your jelly, you can make freezer jelly instead. Freeze the jam up to one year. Use containers especially for keeping jelly in the freezer , and wait to fill them until the jelly mixture has cooled.

Nutrition

Keyword jam, peppers