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This homemade Jalapeño Jelly is so flavorful! It tastes like a fancy jelly you would find at Williams-Sonoma or Harry and David.
Featured With This Recipe
I know this sounds strange, but hear me out, this jalapeño jelly recipe is AMAZING! It tastes like a fancy jelly you would find at Williams-Sonoma, Harry and David, or Trader Joes. When you hear the word jalapeño, you probably imagine something super hot, but I promise it’s not. It is perfectly sweet with just a tiny little kick. My Mom loves this and she doesn’t tolerate anything much spicier than ketchup.
My sister gave me this recipe and it has quickly become a favorite in our household, especially when we have it with cream cheese and Triscuits. We have made these as an appetizer many times and EVERYONE who has tried them has absolutely loved them! This jelly also makes for a great gift for friends and neighbors. You are going to love the flavor and versatility of this jalapeno jelly recipe!
Ingredients in Jalapeño Jelly
Most pepper jelly recipes, including this jalapeño jelly recipe, are made primarily from fresh peppers, sugar, vinegar, and pectin.
- Peppers – We use jalapeños, green peppers, and red peppers for this recipe. The jalapeño peppers give the jelly its distinctive spicy flavor. You can also use serrano peppers or habaneros for this recipe but keep in mind it will drastically increase the heat.
- Sugar- this adds sweetness to balance the heat
- Vinegar – Vinegar provides acidity, which helps to preserve the jelly and enhances the overall taste
- Pectin – Pectin is a natural thickening agent that gives the jelly its gel-like consistency.
Steps for Canning Jalapeño Jelly
Prepare the canning jars: Sterilize the jars and lids before filling them with the hot jelly to maintain freshness and extend the shelf life. For a beautiful presentation, consider using small, decorative jars to gift or store your jalapeño jelly.
Prepare the peppers: Rinse the peppers and remove the stems and seeds. If you like your jelly spicy, don’t remove the jalapeño seeds. Finely chop the peppers in a food processor or blender.
Cook the peppers: Combine the chopped peppers, vinegar, salt, and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat, and continue to boil for 10 minutes, stirring often.
Make the jelly: Stir in one Certo pouch (liquid pectin) to the mixture and boil for 1 more minute. Be cautious when handling pectin, as it can create lumps if not properly dissolved. Follow the package instructions for the best results.Skim off any foam that forms during the simmering process to ensure a smooth texture in the finished jelly.
Fill the jars: Use a canning funnel to fill the canning jars with the hot jelly. Use a lightly damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars and remove any stickiness before canning. This will allow the lids to seal to the jars better. Place the center lids on the jar, and screw on the band until just tight, but not tightened completely.
Water bath canning: Add jars to a hot water bath canner for 10 minutes. Follow the instructions on your water bath canner for the best canning times. You may need to adjust your canning time for your altitude. After the water bath, remove the jars with a canning jar lifter.
Remove and cool the jars: Allow the hot jars to cool before you screw the lids on tightly. Once the jars are cooled, the lids should pop down letting you know the jar has been safely sealed. Check all the jars and lids before storing.
Storing the jars: Label the jars with the date of canning to keep track of their freshness and use within a reasonable timeframe. Store the canned jalapeño jelly in a cool, dark place, such as a pantry or cupboard for proper preservation. Wait a day or so before serving the jelly. It needs time to “gel” or set.
Tips for Making Jalapeño Jelly
- Wear rubber gloves when handling jalapeño peppers to avoid skin irritation from their natural oils.
- Adjust the spiciness and sweetness levels according to your taste preferences. You can use more or fewer jalapeño peppers and sugar to achieve the desired balance.
- To make your hot pepper jelly green (like the store-bought kind), just add a few drops of green food coloring to the mixture while boiling.
- Experiment with different types of peppers for unique flavors. For instance, you can mix in other hot peppers or use bell peppers for a milder version.
Why is My Jelly Runny?
If your pepper jelly is runny, there are a few possible reasons for this consistency, and you can try these methods to fix it:
- Insufficient Pectin: Pectin is the natural thickening agent used in jelly-making. If you didn’t add enough pectin or used the wrong type, it may result in a runny jelly. To fix it, you can reheat the jelly and add additional pectin according to the package instructions.
- Undercooking: If you didn’t cook the jelly long enough, it might not have reached the proper gel point. To fix this, return the jelly to the heat and continue cooking until it thickens and reaches the gel stage. You can test for the gel point using the spoon or plate test, or by using a candy thermometer to reach the desired temperature (usually around 220°F).
- Incorrect Ratios: The ratio of sugar to liquid in the recipe plays a crucial role in jelly consistency. If you used too much liquid in proportion to sugar, the jelly might turn out runny. We have tested the ratios in the recipe below with great success. As long as you follow the recipe exactly you should be fine.
- Cooling Process: Sometimes, the jelly may appear runny while still hot, but it can thicken as it cools. Allow the jelly to cool completely at room temperature, or you can place it in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process. Check the consistency after it has fully cooled.
- Overripe or Underripe Peppers: The ripeness of the peppers can affect the pectin content, which impacts the jelly’s consistency. Make sure to use peppers at the proper level of ripeness for the best results.
- Time and Patience: If you’ve followed the recipe correctly and your jelly is still runny, it might need more time to set. Some jellies take a day or two to fully set, so be patient and give it some time.
By addressing these factors, you can usually fix a runny pepper jelly and achieve the desired gel-like consistency. If all else fails, you can use it as-is as a glaze or marinade instead of a spreadable jelly. You can also wait a few more days for it to set, or you can follow this super helpful guide we found online to fix it.
Ways to Serve Jalapeño Jelly
I love pouring this jalapeño pepper jelly over a block of cream cheese and serving it as an appetizer. It is so simple and always a huge hit. The smooth, tangy cream cheese combined with the sweet pepper and salty crackers is a winning combination that everyone will love! It takes 30 seconds to throw together (if that) and it will be polished just as quickly! Once you start to dip, you won’t be able to stop!
There are so many ways you can enjoy this delicious jalapeño jelly. Use it as a glaze over your favorite grilled meats or veggies, just brush it over chicken, steak, pork, fish, kabobs, or veggies as they are being grilled. You won’t be sorry! Here are some delicious uses for jalapeño jelly:
- Glaze for Meats or BBQ: Brush jalapeño jelly over grilled or roasted meats like chicken, pork, or salmon for a deliciously sticky glaze that adds a burst of flavor. You can also mix it with your favorite BBQ sauce to give it a new flavor twist.
- Appetizer Spread: Pair jalapeño jelly with cream cheese or goat cheese and serve it with crackers or toasted bread for a delectable and easy appetizer.
- Sweet and Spicy Dip: Use it as a dip for jalapeño poppers, chicken nuggets, or coconut shrimp (the latter being my VERY favorite).
- Cheese and/or Charcuterie Board: Include jalapeño jelly as part of a cheese and charcuterie board for a sweet and spicy element that complements various cheeses and cured meats.
- Sandwich and Wrap Spread: Add jalapeño jelly on sandwiches or wraps to add a unique and tasty twist to your favorite lunchtime meals.
- Condiment for Burgers and Tacos: Use jalapeño jelly as a condiment for burgers or tacos to elevate their flavor with a hint of heat and sweetness.
- Marinade for Vegetables: Toss roasted or grilled vegetables in a mixture of jalapeño jelly and olive oil for a tangy glaze that enhances their natural flavors.
- Topping for Baked Brie: Spread jalapeño jelly over a wheel of brie cheese before baking it for a mouthwatering and impressive appetizer.
These are just a few examples of the many uses for jalapeño jelly. Get creative and experiment with this versatile jelly to discover new and exciting ways to enjoy its sweet and spicy flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
If it is processed correctly, it can last up to two years in a cool, dry place. After opening, it can last two-three months in the refrigerator.
In this recipe, you use pectin for the thickener. If you like a thicker jelly, you can always add a little extra pectin. Use the pectin package instructions as a guide for thickening and re-thickening.
We like to chop them pretty fine. It is helpful to use a food processor to get them chopped small.
You did nothing wrong. The color you got is right, like the pictures above. The green colored jalapeño jellies that you find in the store are an unnatural color. Food dyes are added to get the green color.
No, the jelly should be acidic enough as it is.
More Jam and Jelly Recipes
How to Make Jalapeño Jelly
Jalapeño Jelly (Pepper Jelly)
Video
Equipment
- funnel (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 10 mild jalapeños
- 1 1/2 cups white vinegar (apple cider vinegar can also be used)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 cups sugar
- 1 pouch Certo liquid fruit pectin (usually by the Jell-O in grocery stores)
Instructions
- Rinse jalapeño peppers and remove stems and seeds (you can leave the seeds in if you like it spicy). In food processor or blender, finely chop peppers.
- Place peppers in a large pot or heavy large saucepan with vinegar, salt and sugar and bring to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Add Certo pouch (liquid pectin), stir, and boil 1 more minute. Skim off any foam that forms to ensure a smooth texture in the finished jelly.
- Use a canning funnel to fill the sterilized, half-pint, canning jars leaving 1 inch headspace. Use a lightly damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars before adding sterilized canning center lids, the screw on the band until just tight, but not completely tightened.
- Add jars to a water bath for 10 minutes (follow water bath canner instructions carefully and adjust for high altitude, you may need to process longer). Remove the jars using a canning jar lifter.
- Once the jars have cooled, completely tighten the band around the lid. The lids on the jars should pop down letting you know the jars have been safely sealed. Check all the jars and lids before storing. Label the jars with the date to track freshness. Wait a day or so before serving so the jelly has a chance to 'gel' or set.
- Serve on crackers with cream cheese. This jelly is also delicious as a dipping sauce for steak or chicken nuggets.
Notes
- UPDATE – We have had some people comment saying their jelly turned out hotter than they like it. Be sure to use milder jalapeños if you don’t like it hot. You may use hot jalapeños but remove most or all of the seeds depending on if you want your jelly spicy or not. How can you tell the hotness level of your jalapeños? Read this article: How to check for the hotness of jalapeños?
How many ounces are in the pouch of Certo? I see the liquid Certo comes in 3 and 6 ounce pouches.
We usually use the 3 oz pectin but it wouldn’t hurt to use a little extra seeing as that some people have been having trouble getting their jelly to set. Hope this helps!
Hi I was wondering if you were to add bacon to this how long would you put in on a pressure cooker for? Any idea?
We haven’t tested this recipe for adding bacon and pressure canning. You can refer to the National Center for Home Food Preservation for the safest guidelines on canning and pressure canning different types of jellies. Hope this helps!
Very delicious and super easy to make!!! I put 1/2 Tablespoon of bottled lime juice to add extra pectin…just in case…
Thank you for the great recipe!!
Planning to make this recipe in a couple days. Do I have to core the Jalapeños and take out the seeds?
You can take out the seeds if you want to make it less spicy, but you don’t have to!
I was wondering if this recipe could be made using roasted jalapeno peppers. Unfortunately, I bought a TON of them and am looking for ways to use them other than just freezing them. This looks amazing, so I’m hoping that it might be a good way to use them. Thank you!
We haven’t tried it with roasted jalapeno. We have only tested the canning safety as the recipe is written.
I grew my own Japalenos & Thai hots. We like hot. I didn’t use the red or green sweet peppers as I don’t have them. Didnt have Certo, used dry pectin. Turned out great.
How many jalepenos did you use when you did all jalapenos?
Thanks, I was wondering if dry pectin was okay. Going to try this now.
How much dry did you use to substitute the liquid?
I made this recipe today and I doubled the batch. The flavor is wonderful and it started setting up right away. I wrote this recipe down and placed in my cook book. It is a keeper!!!
I used this recipe today, my first time ever making jalapeño jelly. It turned out great! Thank you!
For those of us who’ve never used pectin before, it might be helpful to say in the directions, “Prepare pectin according to the packaging directions.” I could only find powdered pectin. I’ve never used it before and now I’m starting from scratch.
I too can only find the powdered pectin. I’m trying to figure out a way to add strawberry into mine too.
Hi Erica – thanks for posting this – here in the UK liquid Certo comes in bottles, not pouches – can you tell me what is the quantity in a single pouch?
In the U.S. it is usually 6oz in a pouch of liquid pectin. Hope this helps!
Each certified pouch is 3oz.
Hot water bath or cold water?
Hot!
Hello. Going to try this recipe but I have a question. Can I substitute powdered pectin because I don’t have liquid pectin?
We haven’t tried this recipe with powdered pectin, so I can’t say if it will work. Let us know how it comes out if you try it!
I love the flavor of this recipe but I never have a jelly consistency, only syrupy. I’ve tried adding more pectin as well as increasing the boiling time and nothing has worked yet. Anyone have this problem that they’ve found a solution for?
I tried adding a little lime juice (bottled). It has natural pectin and the flavor is still delicious. I don’t notice it. For this recipe I added 1/2 tablespoon.
This jelly is so easy to make and it’s sooo delicious!!
Amazing! I take this to every potluck or get together and people can’t get enough! Delicious!
first time on using this recipe. how can you tell if it jells after it put in jars . and how long does it last like til August
How large are the jalapeños you use mine are 4 in long and I’m worried I’m putting too much in
Our jalapenos are usually about 2-3 inches! I hope this helps!
Absolutely delicious! Love the white wine vinegar in this recipe. Slurrrrrp!
My jelly didn’t set properly. It’s more syrupy.
It can take a few days to set. How long ago did you make the recipe?
This is the bomb? I get rave reviews and returning customers!
How much does this recipe make. 1 pint , 4 pints? Thanks
This recipe makes 6 half pint jars with approximately 16 (1 Tbsp) servings in each jar.
Where does the salt get added?
In step two when you are boiling the peppers!