Name: Jalapeno Pepper Jelly Recipe - Quick & Easy Instructions!
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 1 d 21 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 large red bell pepper; 10-12 large jalapenos; 1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar (you can use white vinegar); 6 cups of sugar; 1.5 pouch of liquid pectin

If you like red pepper jelly but want a bit more of a spicy punch, this jalapeno pepper jelly will be your new best friend.

It’s sweet, sticky, and spicy – in my opinion, the only thing it’s missing is smokey (my flavor trifecta). But I can tell you that it goes great with smoked cheeses! If this is your first time making pepper jelly, you are in for a delightful surprise. (spoiler alert, it’s fantastic!)

A wooden spoon resting on the top of an open jelly jar filled with jalapeno pepper jelly

Step 1: First, Choose fresh ripe Jalapeno peppers

The trick to getting a delicious jalapeno jelly is to ensure that your peppers are fresh. Soft, overripe, old, and dried hot peppers will not yield a good product. You want your jalapeño peppers freshly picked or at least plump without any lines on the surface and no soft spots.

The best way to get fresh peppers is to grow them. Every year, we grow several plants to make pickled jalapenos (my husband’s #1 canning request) and copycat cowboy candy (sugared, sweet, and unique!).

If you decide to grow your own, we especially like the variety Jalafuego. It grows 6-inch peppers with glossy dark green skin and slightly higher heat than your regular old jalapeno. They also grow abundantly, and I have grown them in Canada zone 3a, a very short season, which tells you how well they grow.

Learn More: Jalapenos’ spiciness can vary wildly for several reasons. We have a full guide on the heat of jalapenos, and jalapeño scoville rating, including ways to increase the heat of your growing peppers. Depending on how you grew your peppers, you could end up with a mild pepper jelly or a homemade hot pepper jelly recipe!

Fresh ripe green jalapeno peppers against a bright white background.

Step 2: read over safe water bath canning practices before you start

Wear rubber gloves while handling the jalapeno peppers. The peppers are hot and can cause serious skin irritation. If you do get some jalapeno juice on your hands, wash thoroughly with warm soapy water.
Be sure to sanitize everything your pepper jelly will come in contact with, from the jars to the tools you will be using. This ensures that all your work will not spoil and go to waste.
You MUST use a boiling water canner. Old-fashioned methods, such as inverting jars to create a seal, are no longer recommended as safe canning practices.
While the peppers, sugar, and vinegar are cooking, resist the urge to get your nose in there to peek around. The mixture is quite acrid and can make you cough and water your eyes, so be careful.
It’s also a good idea to open the windows to allow fresh air while canning with vinegar and hot peppers.

Jalapeno pepper jelly in a wooden spoon resting on a open can of jelly.

Step 3: Gather ingredients Before You Start To ensure you have everything you need

2 large red bell peppers (or orange or yellow bell peppers)
10-12 large jalapenos
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar (you can use white vinegar)
6 cups of sugar
1.5 pouches of liquid pectin

You can use green bell peppers in this recipe instead of red, it’s not a problem, but the final product will be olive green.

We’ve made this recipe with all green peppers, and it tastes great, but it’s not as visually appealing as the red pepper version.

Our recipe has been adapted from the Ball-canning jalapeno jelly recipe and the Certo jalapeno jelly recipe.

Can I Make jalapeño Jelly With Powdered Pectin?

You cannot substitute powdered pectin for liquid pectin in most recipes.

Liquid pectin and powdered pectin have different methods of use. Liquid pectin is always added to the cooked fruit and sugar mixture at the end of the cooking process and immediately removed from the heat source.

Powdered pectin is added to the start of the recipe to the uncooked crushed fruit before cooking.

An image of a jar of sugar, apple cider vinegar, liquid pectin, jalapenos and red bell peppers.

4. clean your jars, lids, and prep area, and get your water bath canner boiling

First, clean your mason jars and lids. Clean your jars in warm soapy water and rinse well. Set up a steamer rack in a 16-quart pot or water bath canner. Place the jars on the rack and fill the pot with water, enough to cover the jars.
Bring the water to a boil and boil the jars for 10 minutes. Remove the jars with tongs when you’re ready to use them.
While the jars are boiling, be sure to clean your prep area and tools.

A clean mason jar being lifted from a hot water bath.

Step 5: Clean and finely chop your Peppers

Clean your peppers in cold water and a splash of vinegar. Swish them around for a minute or two and then rinse with cold water. Give them all a soft pat dry with a clean tea towel or piece of paper towel.
Finely chop the bell peppers and jalapenos in a food processor fitted with a fine chopping blade. You can also use a knife and a cutting board, it works the same way! You will want to ensure that the pepper bits are quite small. Large chunks of pepper do not look good in the final product.
Use ALL the excess liquid in your food processor that is left over after the peppers have been minced. That juice will help the jelly set.
Add the peppers to a large stockpot. You need a large pot because the peppers will foam during the boil, and you do not want the sugar mixture to boil over on your stove.

Tip: You can remove the seeds and innards to reduce the heat in this jelly. My favorite way to make this is to leave the seeds in!

Jalapeno and red bell peppers chopped (with seeds) in a clear bowl)

Step 6: Cook the Jalapeno pepper jelly To a rolling boil For 10 Full Minutes

Add to the pot and combine bell peppers, hot peppers, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil for ten minutes, stirring constantly. You want to ensure that the mixture is not sticking or burning.
Add the liquid pectin and boil for one more minute.

Tip – The recipe calls for a package and half of the liquid pectin. You can store the leftover pectin in the fridge for up to a week to use in other recipes.

A 4 panel image showing the chopped peppers in a deep stainless steel pot with additions of sugar and cider vinegar and a final image showing the mixture before it goes on the stove.

Step 7: Process the Jars of jelly for ten full minutes

Remove the pot from the heat. Ladle hot jelly to within 1/4-inch of the top of clean, hot jars. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean damp cloth. Place lids and screw bands on each jar and twist until finger tight. Process the jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. ( 250 ml jars will be processed for 10 minutes, and 500 ml jars will be processed for 15 minutes)
Adjust processing time for altitude.
Once removed from the water bath canner, let the jelly rest undisturbed at room temperature for 24 hours to set fully.
Once cooled, be sure to test the lids. Use your finger and press down on the middle of the lid. If there is any give and the lid pops back up, you do not have a proper seal. You can keep these jars in your fridge for up to two weeks, but they cannot be used for long-term storage.

Hot jalapeno jelly being filled into a mason jar with a stainless steel funnel.

Step 8: Store the hot pepper jelly for up to a year

The jelly will last up to a year if stored in a dark, cool, dry place. Once opened, you should finish the jelly in two weeks.

This jelly recipe is excellent if you have a lot of peppers you need to use up. It will last well into next summer!

Everyone LOVEs this jalapeno jelly recipe, and it’s a great addition to any cracker or cheese plate during the holidays. It also makes a great DIY gift.

Related: We stock our pantry every year with what we consider to be must-have pantry staples. Check our recipes for:

Pickled Jalapenos
Copycat Cowboy Canning Recipe
Pickled red onions ( SO good on sandwiches and hot dogs!)

Tip: You can get creative with this recipe and change the flavor profile by adding peaches or blackberries. Blackberry pepper jelly is outstanding, especially when used as a BBQ with chicken. Mix 50% blackberry jam and 50% jalapeno jelly for a sweet fruity heat sauce.

A jar of fully processed jalapeno jelly against a bright white background.

Step 9: Pair your Jalapeno pepper jelly with cheeses, crackers, and meats

What to make with pepper jelly?

As we said before, spicy jelly goes excellent with all kinds of cheeses, especially smoked ones. We also like to add it to the charcuterie board with red pepper jelly during the holidays – so festive. A block of softened cream cheese smothered in pepper jelly makes a fantastic cracker dip!

When mixed with mustard, the jelly also makes a wonderful glaze for ham and chicken, and my father loves it on pork chops.

A small wooden spoon filled with jalapeno pepper jelly resting on a bright white surface.

Looking for More Ways to Preserve the Harvest?