This red pepper jelly recipe is unbelievably easy to make and doubles as the ultimate easy appetizer. Just pour jelly over a block of cream cheese, serve with Ritz crackers, and watch it disappear.
If you’ve got pepper plants that won’t quit or just love recipes with a little sweet heat, this is about to become your favorite pepper jelly recipe. Whether you’re making it as a snack for a charcuterie board, giving neighbor gifts, or spicing up pork chops, this homemade jam is a total win.
The great thing about this hot pepper jelly recipe is that it uses simple ingredients like red bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, and apple cider vinegar. With just a few glass jars and a large pot, you can make enough to stash in your fridge for months—or share with friends as holiday gifts. Either way, it’s a great recipe to have on hand, and once you make it the first time, you’ll want to make it again and again.
Why I Love It!
- It tastes so good and is fun for an easy snack.
- Make up a few jars and grab them when you need an easy appetizer to serve.
- Works great as a quick side dish when served over cream cheese and with crackers.
Ingredients
- 3 large red peppers
- Chile peppers (I used a half can, or you can use your favorite variety of hot peppers )
- Sugar
- Liquid pectin
- Vinegar (plain white)
How to Make Homemade Pepper Jelly
Wash your peppers and remove the tops, seeds, and ribs.
Chop peppers into strips and dice into smaller pieces.
Place in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Transfer the pepper mixture into a cheesecloth over a bowl to drain off extra liquid. Squeeze until most of the moisture is out (this helps your jelly set properly).
Add the chile peppers into the mixture, and discard the liquid.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine sugar and vinegar over medium heat and stir until dissolved.
Stir in your drained peppers and increase to high heat, bringing the mixture to a rolling boil. Remove the peppers from the cheesecloth and place them in a bowl.
Once boiling, add your packet of liquid pectin and continue stirring for about 10-15 minutes, until the temperature hits 220°F and the jelly thickens.
Remove from heat and ladle jelly mixture into jars using a funnel. Fill to about 1/4 inch from the top of the jar and wipe the rims clean.
Place lids and screw bands on the jars. Let them cool to room temperature on the counter.
Store in the fridge for up to three months, or process in a water bath canner for long-term storage in a dark place.
Quick tip: Transferring the jelly into a measuring cup first makes it easier to pour jelly into small jars or half-pint jars without making a mess.
Helpful Tips
- Next time, try swapping out red bell peppers for a mix of peppers, like green bell pepper or jalapeño peppers, for different colors and spice levels.
- For holiday gifts or neighbor gifts, pair a jar of jelly with a sleeve of Ritz crackers and cheese knife set. It’s the ultimate simple recipe to share!
- Want to get extra fancy? Add a splash of lime juice or finely chopped garlic cloves for an added burst of flavor.
- If you have a water bath canning setup, process the last jars to make them shelf-stable. Just place them in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes using a jar lifter.
- Half pint jars are the perfect size for storing.
Common FAQs
It’s totally up to you! Use more or fewer hot peppers based on your personal preference. I usually add half a can for mild heat, but you can bump it up if you like spicy jelly.
Stored in the fridge, it’s good for up to three months. For long-term storage, use water bath canning and keep the jars in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
Besides pouring over cream cheese, I love adding it to chicken wings, as a glaze for pork chops, or on a charcuterie board with goat cheese.
Nope! If you plan to eat your jelly within a few months, you can store it in the fridge. But if you want better way to store it for longer, a hot water bath is the way to go.
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Red Pepper Jelly Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Cheesecloth or dishtowel
- 1 Food Processor
- 1 Knife
- 1 Large Pot
Ingredients
- 3 Peppers, diced
- 1 can Chili peppers
- 5 cups Sugar
- 2 cups Vinegar
- 1 packet Liquid Pectin
Instructions
- Start by washing off the three peppers and cut into small diced pieces. Make sure you remove seeds and stems.
- Once you have diced them place them in a food processor and pulse for around a minute or until they are in small little pieces.
- Transfer the red peppers into a cheese cloth (or kitchen towel) over a bowl.
- Add in the canned chili peppers at this time. I added about half a can to keep it from being too spicy. You can add more or less to adjust the spicy level.
- Squeeze the cheese cloth to remove most of the liquid from the peppers. You can discard the liquid.
- In a large pot add 5 cups sugar and 2 cups of vinegar. Place on medium heat.
- Remove the peppers from the cheese cloth and place in a bowl.
- Carefully stir in the peppers to the sugar/vinegar pot.
- Continue to stir the mixture on medium heat until it begins to boil.
- Once the mixture has reached a vigorous boil you can add the liquid pectin.
- Stir the mixture for another 10-15 minutes. When the mixture gets to 220 degrees remove it from the heat and pour into canning jars.
- Wipe around the lip to remove any jelly and place the lids on them.
- Let them sit on the counter until they reach room temperature. Then place them in the refrigerator.
- The jelly can be stored for up to three months in the fridge.
Mom02 says
I love making this every year for Christmas gifts. Just wondering does anyone do anything with the juice you drain off the peppers?
Theresa says
Can i omit the chilies and do I have to add more red peppers in its place?
Julie says
This should work just fine to leave the chilies out. I don't think you would need to add more red peppers, there are so few chilies in it to begin with. I would love to hear what you think of the recipe!
Deanna says
I just finished eating a sandwich with red pepper jelly on it. I bought it from the annual Amish auction and sale in September and was wishing I had bought more because this jar is over half gone. Now I think I'll try making it myself. Thanks!
Julie says
I haven't tried red pepper jelly on a sandwich yet, I will have to try it some time. It is so easy to make and they look so pretty, they are great for hostess gifts for the holidays.
Kelly says
Do these have to be in the refrigerator after 24 hours? If I can a few I'd want them in the cupboard could I do this? I have only canned jam I'm a newbie to canning
Julie says
They will need to be stored in the refrigerator. Hope that helps.
Louise says
Thanks for the recipe, my mother in law and I have been making this for years (can't keep it on the shelves) but lately the jelly has become too firm and not jelly like. Our recipe is almost the same as yours but we use a bit more sugar, we don't strain the peppers and we use cider vinegar. We will try your recipe and maybe it will give us the consistency we want. Thanks!
This is also great with ham (try mixing with mustard)
Julie says
I hope the new recipe does the trick! I haven't tried it before on ham, but I bet my husband would love it! I think I have one more section of frozen ham in the freezer. I will have to pull it out and try it. Thank you for sharing.
Echo says
My husband would LOVE this! Thank you so much for sharing this at the #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup!
Nancy W says
I love pepper jelly but have never made it myself! I'll have to give it a try! Thank you so much for sharing your post on the HomeAcre Hop. As one of the cohosts I would love to feature it but I didn't see a link back to the blog hop! 🙁 Hope you come back again tomorrow!
- Nancy
http://alifebeyondmoney.blogspot.com/2015/03/weird-uses-for-dehydrator.html
Shelly says
I've made different types of jams and jellies before but I haven't tried red pepper jelly before. I'm going to have to make a batch, I think it would be a great gift for my father-in-law. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Julie says
Your right, it would make a great gift! I hope you enjoy.
Sarah@TheOrthodoxMama says
This looks amazing! I will definitely be trying it. Can I confess that I've never used a cheesecloth, though, and it makes me nervous. Silly, isn't it?!
Julie says
I hadn't used a cheesecloth until a couple of years ago, so your not alone. 🙂 You can always use a clean kitchen towel if you don't have a cheesecloth.
Kristen @ Joyfully Thriving says
Hmmm. I've never made red pepper jelly before, but it is good over cream cheese! I'll have to add this to my canning recipes.