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Sweet and spicy pepper jelly, when properly prepared, is a unique and interesting condiment with so many applications. The tricky part is hitting the right balance of heat and sweet, and many recipes miss the target.
As a classically-trained chef, I was excited to take on this challenge. After testing different kinds of peppers, including jalapeños which surprisingly missed the mark, I settled on a combination of red bell peppers and fiery habañeros.
I rounded out the recipe with plenty of granulated sugar and distilled white vinegar. Liquid pectin made for the best texture, firm and jelly-like. Just make sure you boil it or it won’t set up properly. Be sure to try pepper jelly over a block of cream cheese with crackers, or see below for many other creative uses.
Table of Contents
What is Pepper Jelly?
Pepper jelly is a sweet and spicy gelatin-based condiment made with bell peppers, habañeros, sugar, vinegar, and pectin. It’s a perfect accompaniment with savory, cream snacks like cheese boards, charcuterie, or on a sandwich. My favorite use is to spoon it over a block of cream cheese and enjoy with crackers.
Hot Pepper Jelly Recipe Ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Bell peppers: Red bell peppers make red pepper jelly, but you can substitute any color bell pepper.
- Habañero chilies: These fiery peppers bring the heat. If you’re a chile novice, use rubber gloves while cutting and seeding them, and don’t touch your eyes or face. Or, for a milder jelly, substitute 2 jalapeño peppers.
- Pectin: Liquid pectin is sold in boxes with 3-ounce pouches; Ball and Certo are good brands. Don’t rush the boiling step: liquid pectin needs to boil and reach a certain temperature before it does its work. Usually pectin is stocked in the baking aisle of the grocery store, but sometimes you can find it in hardware stores and online (Culinary Hill may earn money if you buy through this link).
How to Make Pepper Jelly
- Cut off the stems of the peppers, and remove their seeds, but hold on to the habañero seeds in case you like a spicier jelly. Chop the peppers into rough pieces, then add them to the bowl of a food processor. Quickly pulse the peppers (and habañero seeds, if desired) in the food processor, about 12 to 15 times, until finely minced.
- Then pour out the mixture into a piece of cheesecloth set over a bowl and squeeze out any extra moisture in the peppers. A clean kitchen towel works for this, too. Transfer the peppers to a Dutch oven or (non-reactive) stainless steel pot, then add the vinegar and sugar. Cook over medium heat until fully boiling. Add the pectin, then bring the peppers back to a full boil, stirring frequently.
- Keep boiling and stirring until the temperature reaches 221 degrees, which could take 10 to 15 minutes. Skim off any foam on the surface with a wide spoon.
- Once the pepper jelly reaches 221 degrees, spoon the jelly into clean jars with screw-on lids. Allow to cool at room temperature before refrigerating, then let the jelly set up in the fridge for another 12 to 24 hours before using.
Hot Pepper Jelly Recipe Tips and Variations
- Yield: Depending on the size of the peppers, the recipe makes about 5 cups, enough for five 8-ounce jars.
- Skimming the foam: If you don’t skim off the foam in Step 3, your pepper jelly will migrate to the top of your jar and you’ll have an inch or more of clear, unflavored gelatin at the bottom of the jar.
- Make ahead: Plan on making the jelly at least a day or two before you need it so the pectin has time to thicken.
- Fun ways to use: Stir a spoonful into mayo for a sandwich. Add a dollop to a cheeseboard. Most importantly, spoon it over a block of cream cheese and eat it with crackers (like on my Midwest charcuterie board).
How to Use this Pepper Jelly Recipe
- Try as a glaze on meats like grilled pork chops or roasted pork tenderloin
- Mix with barbecue or chili sauce and serve over crockpot meatballs
- Make a sandwich with peanut butter
- Use as a dipping sauce with chicken tenders or nuggets
- Makes the perfect dipping sauce for crab rangoon or cream cheese wontons
- Spread on a bagel with cream cheese or as part of a bagel bar
- Use as a topping for baked brie or on baked brie wrapped in puff pastry
- Serve with jalapeño poppers
How to Store Sweet Pepper Jelly
Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. To can, quickly pour hot jelly into hot, sanitized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rim and center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight. Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool, and store.
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Hot Pepper Jelly Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large red bell peppers stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped (see note 1)
- 2 habañero chilies stems removed, seeded and reserved, and coarsely chopped (see note 2)
- 5 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups white vinegar (distilled)
- 1 (3-ounce) envelope liquid pectin (see note 3)
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse bell peppers, habañeros and habañero seeds (if desired) until finely minced, about 12 to 15 pulses. On a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth over a bowl, transfer pepper mixture and squeeze to remove excess liquid.
- In a dutch oven over medium heat, combine pepper mixture, sugar, and vinegar. Bring to a vigorous boil. Add pectin and return to vigorous boil and stir frequently until temperature reads 221 degrees, about 10 to 15 minutes. Skim foam from jelly using a large spoon (see note 5).
- Transfer mixture to clean jars with tight-fitting lids. Allow to cool, uncovered, to room temperature then cover and refrigerate. Allow jelly to set, about 12 to 24 hours. Jelly can be refrigerated for up to 2 months (or see note 6 for canning instructions).
Recipe Video
Notes
- Bell peppers: Red bell peppers make red pepper jelly, but you can substitute any color bell pepper.
- Habañero chilies: These fiery peppers bring the heat. If you’re a chile novice, use rubber gloves while cutting and seeding them, and don’t touch your eyes or face. Or, for a milder jelly, substitute 2 jalapeño peppers.
- Pectin: Liquid pectin is sold in boxes with 3-ounce pouches; Ball and Certo are good brands. Don’t rush the boiling step: liquid pectin needs to boil and reach a certain temperature before it does its work. Usually pectin is stocked in the baking aisle of the grocery store, but sometimes you can find it in hardware stores and online.
- Yield: Depending on the size of the peppers, the recipe makes about 5 cups, enough for five 8-ounce jars.
- Skimming the foam: If you don’t skim off the foam in Step 3, your pepper jelly will migrate to the top of your jar and you’ll have an inch or more of clear, unflavored gelatin at the bottom of the jar.
- Storage: Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. To can, quickly pour hot jelly into hot, sanitized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rim and center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight. Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool, and store.
- Make ahead: Plan on making the jelly at least a day or two before you need it so the pectin has time to thicken.
- Fun ways to use: Stir a spoonful into mayo for a sandwich. Add a dollop to a cheeseboard. Most importantly, spoon it over a block of cream cheese and eat it with crackers.
Awesome!! I had to substitute the Habanero Peppers with Scotch Bonnet peppers (a close cousin in the pepper family). Still turned out terrific!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Kimberly
You’re welcome, Kimberly! I’m so happy you loved it! – Meggan
Hi There, the recipe states 3 large peppers but I would like to and rather see that related to how many cups of minced peppers are required. Large is a very vague measurement. Thank you.
Hi Janice, thank you so much for your question! I understand completely, sometimes we’re at the mercy of what’s available in the produce aisle. One large bell pepper should yield about 1 cup coarsely chopped, so about 3 cups total. Please write back and let me know how you like this jelly! Take care! – Meggan
Excellent recipe, easy to follow and seems to have worked out really well (the jars all sealed and look really nice). I did 5 jars using red peppers and habernero peppers and 5 jars using green peppers and jalapeño peppers. This might be a stupid question, but can the liquid squeezed from the peppers be processed with Knox gelatin to make a similar pepper jam?
Hi Janice, thank you so much for your lovely comment! I don’t see why you couldn’t. I haven’t tested it, though, so I would recommend following a recipe developed for making jelly from juice. Take care! – Meggan
This is awesome! Such a great flavor. This will be the families new favorite go to!
I’m so glad you loved it, Debbie! Thanks! – Meggan
HELP is there an error in the 2 cups of vinegar I am making it now and compared to other recipes it seems too much
Hi Victoria, I hope I’m not too late to help! Yes, it is 2 cups vinegar. The vinegar taste will dissipate some after the jelly is refrigerated. I hope you love it! – Meggan
I made your Red Pepper Jelly. Exactly as laid out in the recipe. Skimmed the foam and still had separation in the jars when cooling. Disappointed. So I did what any guy would. I tipped them over while cooling. Wait! Should I shake them? Well shake one and see what happens. Hmmmmm. That seems to be working. Proceed to shake, turn, invert, invert again to mix the contents of the jar. Long story short: It worked! Thanks, can’t wait to sample the product.
Hi Geffois! Thank you so much for your comment! I hope you love the jelly! – Meggan
Great recipe! I canned mine and it was perfect set up. Will make it a part of my canning repertoire. Thank you!
You’re so welcome, Robin! I’m glad I could contribute to your repertoire! Thank you so much for your lovely comment. – Meggan
I made this on the weekend. I’ve tried red pepper jelly before and it was very sweet with a bit of a kick from the peppers.
I found this recipe has a really strong vinegar taste.
Was that user error, or is that the goal?
Should it be sweet or vinegar tasting?
Hi Cindy, sorry about that! It should taste a little sweet, a little spicy, and a touch of vinegar. Did you taste it before it set? I’ve found that the vinegar taste dissipates after it’s set in the refrigerator. Also, is it possible you may be sensitive to vinegar tastes? The vinegar is essential for this recipe to set properly and be acidic enough to be canned, so I don’t recommend changing the amount. Sorry about that again. Hope this helps! Take care! – Meggan
I made this , it is delicious . I do have a question , can you use apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar ?
I’m so glad you loved it, Brenda Leigh! I haven’t tried swapping it out myself, but I don’t see why not! Take care!
Have made this recipe numerous times and have always used apple cider vinegar.
Turns out perfect every time.
Enjoy!
Is it possible to cut the sugar down as you’re using pectin for thickening ?
Hi Susan, thank you for the question! I haven’t tried reducing the sugar in this recipe, and it may not work since pectin needs sugar and acid (vinegar) to set, since these vegetables do not contain large amounts of pectin and sugar themselves. There is no-sugar pectin, but I haven’t tested this recipe with it. Sorry about that! – Meggan