Homemade Pepper Jelly (Sweet or Hot)

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My Homemade Pepper Jelly Recipe takes just 20 minutes to make. It's a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors, and the gorgeous color makes this versatile jelly a popular home-crafted holiday gift. Pepper jelly is a classic addition to charcuterie boards over cream cheese or goat cheese.

Make it your way! This foolproof liquid-pectin recipe can be mild and sweet or as spicy as you like.

Jars of homemade pepper jelly on a wooden countertop.

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I always grow a variety both hot peppers and sweet peppers in my garden, and I've been making this pepper jelly recipe for years, as well as my mango habanero hot sauce, and my cayenne pepper sauce. Family and friends always expect and look forward to receiving these sparkly, festive jars as holiday gifts.

Karen says ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I have made this the last 4 years, for quick Christmas gifts for co-workers. They all request it now!"

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Why you'll love homemade pepper jelly
Ingredient Notes
How to make it, step by step
My top tips
Frequently Asked
How to Use Your Pepper Jelly
Recipe
Comments

A close up of a jar of pepper jelly on a wooden countertop.

Why you'll love homemade pepper jelly

Simple and quick. With just four ingredients and twenty minutes, this recipe is one that you'll want to make again and again.
Versatile. Pepper jelly is a pantry staple that you'll love having on hand for entertaining, gifting, and so much more.
Customizable. Use more hot peppers for a hot pepper jelly, or less for a sweeter version.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredient quantities and complete instructions are in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Peppers. Depending on what I have in the garden, I use three colors of peppers (green peppers, red peppers, and yellow peppers) if possible, to achieve the festive color of my homemade pepper jelly. However, feel free to use whatever garden peppers you have. You can stick with just one color, like red bell peppers if you want a red pepper jelly, or a green jalapeno jelly. Use a mix of sweet and hot peppers for a spicy jelly.
Sugar. It might be tempting to decrease the amount of sugar in this recipe, but I don't recommend it. I have tested this recipe using less sugar and it didn't set properly. The sugar is needed for the pectin to form the gel which makes the jelly set. Sugar also supplies the sweetness to balance the spice. This homemade pepper jelly recipe has been made countless times exactly as written and turns out perfectly every time.
Apple Cider Vinegar. I prefer to use this vinegar for this recipe, but you can also use white vinegar.
Pectin. For this jelly recipe, I use liquid pectin. Powdered pectin and liquid pectin are not the same and can't be interchanged on a 1:1 ration. Cooking time will also be different. You can usually find liquid pectin in grocery stores or online.

The ingredients for making pepper jelly in glass bowls on a wooden board.

How to make it, step by step

In a large pot, combine the diced peppers, sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Bring to a full boil while stirring constantly. Boil for one full minute. Stir in the liquid pectin, bring back to the boil and boil for another full minute.
Ladle the hot jelly into hot, sterilized jars.
Add lids and screw bands.
Process the jars in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. You should hear the pop of the jars sealing and the jelly will set as it cools.

The process of making this recipe shown in four steps.

My top tips

Spice level. I often make hot pepper jelly, too. If you would like your jelly to have a spicy kick, simply replace some of the peppers with jalapeno peppers or other spicy peppers, depending on your desired heat level. And if you don't have hot peppers, you can add a pinch or two of dried red pepper flakes in the cooking process.
Dicing peppers. A food processor works great for this job. If you chop peppers by hand, be sure to wear gloves for the hot ones.
Canning. This is a canning recipe, so you can make this jelly in the summer at harvest time, and have the jars on hand in your pantry all year round. If you prefer not to process the jelly in a hot water bath, you can keep it in air tight containers in the fridge, for up to a month. You can also freeze it. Just wait until the pectin is set and the jelly is completely cool to put the jars in the freezer. You can freeze for up to a year. Thaw in the fridge over night.
Sterilize jars. It's important to sterilize your jars: Wash them in hot, soapy water, rinse well, and then boil for 10 minutes.
Filling jars. Use a wide mouth canning funnel to fill the sterilized jars with a ladle. Wipe the rims clean with a damp paper towel before applying the lids. Lids should be new and cannot be used again for canning.
Water bath. Keep the water that you used to sterilize the jars at a simmer while you make the jelly. Bring it back to a boil, then add the filled, sealed jars to the same water for processing.
Use a timer. Use a timer when cooking the jelly in order to get the timing exact for perfectly set jelly.
Processing time. Again, use a timer so the jars are processed for the full ten minutes.
High altitude. You will need to increase the water bath processing time for high altitudes.
- 1,001- 3,000 feet Increase by 5 minutes
- 3,001- 6,000 feet Increase by 10 minutes
- 6,001- 8,000 feet Increase by 15 minutes
- 8,001-10,000 feet Increase by 20 minutes

Frequently Asked

Why do the diced peppers float to the top of the jars?

The diced peppers in your jelly will float to the top of the jars. To keep this from happening and suspend them throughout the jelly, turn the jars upside down and then upright a few times during the cooling time. As the jelly cools and gels, the particles will stay suspended.

How do I know if my jars are sealed?

You should hear a popping noise from each jar as it cools and seals. The center of the lid should be concave and should not spring back when you press it with a finger. If it does, the jar isn't sealed and should be refrigerated.

What to do is my jelly didn't set?

First, check the expiry date on the pectin that you used. Expired pectin can result in runny jelly. To fix, wait 24 hours, then pour it into a pot and boil it again, adding pectin and continuing to boil as per the recipe. You will then need to process the jars again after filling.

Can I double this recipe?

I recommend making this recipe in two batches. Don't double the recipe because cooking time will change, and there's a good chance the jelly won't set properly.

How to Use Your Pepper Jelly

As I mentioned, these pretty jars make excellent homemade gifts, for holiday gifts or hostess gifts. This jelly is an easy appetizer served over a wheel of brie or a block of cream cheese, and a perfect addition to a charcuterie board. It's great to have on hand for impromptu entertaining. Cheese and crackers get an instant upgrade when you add some pepper jelly.

Some other ways to use Pepper Jelly:

Glaze for grilled salmon, pork, or chicken or baked ham.
Sauce for chicken wings or meatballs (toss the hot wings or meatballs in jelly for a restaurant-style appetizer).
Spread on a turkey sandwich (so good!).
Dip for egg rolls or spring rolls (Just heat in the microwave).
Spread on toast or biscuits.
Topping for pancakes or waffles.
Shake with a little vinegar for a delicious, tangy salad dressing.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a rating in the comments below and let us know how it turned out. Did you make any changes? We would love for you to share and your feedback is important! Thank you for visiting The Food Blog!

A glass jar of pepper jelly with a spoon inserted.

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Recipe

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Homemade Pepper Jelly Recipe

This easy homemade pepper jelly is a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors, and the gorgeous color makes this versatile jelly a popular home-crafted holiday gift.

4.92 from 72 votes

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Course: Jams, Jellies, & Preserves

Cuisine: Canning & Preserving

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 12

Total Time: 22

Servings: 4 ounce jars

Calories: 44kcal

Author: Colleen Milne

Equipment

Ingredients

▢ 1.5 cups sweet peppers preferably three colours, finely diced
▢ 3 cups sugar
▢ ¾ cups apple cider vinegar
▢ 1 pouch liquid pectin 85 ml

Instructions

In a large saucepan, combine the diced pepper mixture, sugar and vinegar.
Over medium-high heat, bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly, and boil for one full minute.
Stir in liquid pectin, bring back to a boil, and boil hard for one full minute.
Remove from heat and ladle into hot, sterilized jars.
Put on lids and twist screw bands just finger tight.
Process in boiling water bath (in a canning pot with a rack) for 10 minutes.
Allow to cool, in which time you should hear the pop of the sealing jars, and your jelly will thicken.

Notes

Yield. This recipe makes 3 cups of pepper jelly, so you can use 3 half-pint jars (8 ounce), or 6 four ounce jars.
Spice level. I often make hot pepper jelly, too. If you would like your jelly to pack some heat, simply replace some of the peppers with jalapeno peppers or other hot peppers, depending on your desired heat level. And if you don't have hot peppers, you can add a pinch or two of dried red pepper flakes in the cooking process.
Dicing peppers. A food processor works great for this job. If you dice the peppers by hand, be sure to wear gloves for the hot ones.
Canning. This is a canning recipe, so you can make this jelly in the summer at harvest time, and have the jars on hand in your pantry all year round. If you prefer not to process the jelly, you can keep it in air tight containers in the fridge, for up to a month. You can also freeze it. Just wait until the pectin is set and the jelly is completely cool to put the jars in the freezer. You can freeze for up to a year. Thaw in the fridge over night.
Sterilize jars. It's important to sterilize your jars: Wash them in hot, soapy water, rinse well, and then boil for 10 minutes.
Filling jars. Use a wide mouth canning funnel to fill the sterilized jars with a ladle. Wipe the rims with a damp paper towel before applying the lids. Lids should be new and cannot be used again for canning.
Water bath. Keep the water that you used to sterilize the jars at a simmer while you make the jelly. Bring it back to a boil, then add the filled, sealed jars to the same water for processing.
Use a timer. Use a timer when cooking the jelly in order to get the timing exact for perfectly set jelly.
Processing time. Again, use a timer so the jars are processed for the full ten minutes.
High altitudes. You will need to increase the water bath processing time for high altitudes.
- 1,001- 3,000 feet Increase by 5 minutes
- 3,001- 6,000 feet Increase by 10 minutes
- 6,001- 8,000 feet Increase by 15 minutes
- 8,001-10,000 feet Increase by 20 minutes
The diced peppers in your jelly will float to the top of the jars. To keep this from happening and suspend them throughout the jelly, turn the jars upside down and then upright a few times during the cooling time. As the jelly cools and gels, the particles will stay suspended.