The Best Jalapeño Pepper Jelly Recipe for Canning

If your garden is overflowing with jalapeños, you have to make a batch of this homemade jalapeño pepper jelly.

It’s sweet.

It’s a little spicy.

And it might be one of the easiest homemade appetizers you can keep in your pantry.

Pour it over a block of cream cheese and add some crackers and you suddenly have an appetizer that looks like you put way more effort into it than you actually did.

Jalapeño jelly is also a great way to preserve an abundance of fresh peppers when you’ve already made all the Cowboy Candy you can handle.

And because we’re canning it, you can make several jars during pepper season and enjoy them throughout the year.

Why You’ll Love This Jalapeño Pepper Jelly

There are so many reasons to make pepper jelly when jalapeños are abundant.

Sweet with a little heat
Easy water bath canning recipe
Uses simple ingredients
Great way to preserve jalapeños
Delicious over cream cheese
Perfect for charcuterie boards
Makes a beautiful homemade gift
Uses up a good amount of garden peppers
Keeps in the pantry until you’re ready to use it

This is also one of those homemade foods that people are always impressed by.

Put a pretty label on the jar and you have an easy hostess or Christmas gift straight from your pantry.

What Does Jalapeño Pepper Jelly Taste Like?

If you’ve never had pepper jelly before, the combination can sound a little strange.

Jalapeños…in jelly?

But it works.

The jelly is sweet and tangy with that unmistakable fresh pepper flavor and a little heat from the jalapeños.

Think sweet + spicy + tangy rather than overwhelmingly hot.

The sweetness is also why it pairs so well with savory foods.

Cream cheese is probably the classic pairing, but there are so many other ways to use it.

Ingredients

You’ll need:

12 ounces jalapeño peppers – approximately 12 medium peppers
2 cups cider vinegar, divided
6 cups granulated sugar
2 pouches liquid pectin, 3 ounces each

That’s it.

Equipment You’ll Need

You’ll also need:

Water bath canner
5 half-pint canning jars
New canning lids
Canning rings
Jar lifter
Canning funnel
Large saucepan
Food processor or blender
Ladle
Clean towels
Rubber or disposable gloves

I strongly recommend wearing gloves when you’re working with this many jalapeños.

Capsaicin can remain on your hands and become extremely uncomfortable if you accidentally touch your eyes or face.

What Kind of Jalapeños Should I Use?

Use fresh, firm jalapeños without signs of mold or spoilage.

Garden-fresh peppers are wonderful for this.

You can also make the jelly with jalapeños from the grocery store or farmers market.

I especially love making pepper jelly toward the end of summer when the plants are producing faster than we can eat the peppers fresh.

It’s an easy way to turn that abundance into something completely different.

How to Make Jalapeño Pepper Jelly

Step 1: Prepare Your Canner

Prepare your water bath canner.

Wash your jars and keep them hot until you’re ready to fill them.

Wash the lids in warm soapy water and set them aside with the bands.

If you’re completely new to canning, read my Water Bath Canning for Beginners guide before you start.

It walks you through the entire process.

Step 2: Prepare the Jalapeños

Put on gloves.

Wash the jalapeños under cool running water.

Remove the stems and seeds.

Measure approximately 12 ounces of prepared jalapeños.

Step 3: Purée the Peppers

Place the jalapeños into a food processor or blender.

Add 1 cup of cider vinegar.

Purée until smooth.

Don’t strain the pepper mixture.

Those little flecks of jalapeño are part of what makes the finished jelly so pretty.

Step 4: Add the Remaining Vinegar and Sugar

Transfer the jalapeño purée to a large saucepan.

Add:

Remaining 1 cup cider vinegar
6 cups sugar

Stir everything together.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.

Once boiling, continue boiling for 10 minutes, stirring frequently so the mixture doesn’t scorch.

Step 5: Add the Pectin

Add both pouches of liquid pectin.

Return the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.

Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove the saucepan from the heat.

If foam has formed on top, skim it off.

How to Can Jalapeño Pepper Jelly

Now we’re ready to get the jelly into jars.

Step 6: Fill the Jars

Working with one hot jar at a time, ladle the hot pepper jelly into the jar.

Leave 1/4-inch headspace.

Wipe the jar rim clean.

Center the lid on the jar and add the band until fingertip tight.

Place the filled jar into your water bath canner.

Continue until all of the jars are filled.

This recipe makes approximately 5 half-pint jars.

Step 7: Process the Jelly

Make sure the jars are covered with water according to proper water-bath canning procedure.

Once the water is boiling, process the half-pint jars for 10 minutes, adjusting the processing time for your altitude.

When processing is complete, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid.

Let the jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes.

Then carefully remove them using a jar lifter.

Place them upright on a towel or cooling rack.

Don’t tighten the bands.

Don’t press the lids.

And don’t tilt the jars.

Leave them undisturbed while they cool.

Step 8: Check the Seals

After about 12 to 24 hours, check the seals.

The center of the lid should be pulled down and shouldn’t flex when pressed.

Remove the bands before storing your sealed jars.

Label each jar with the contents and date.

Any jar that didn’t seal should be refrigerated and used promptly rather than stored in the pantry.

How Spicy Is Jalapeño Jelly?

This jelly has some jalapeño flavor and heat, but the large amount of sugar balances it considerably.

Removing the seeds also helps keep the heat manageable.

Remember that jalapeños naturally vary in heat.

One batch of peppers can be much hotter than another.

That’s part of the fun of growing them.

Can I Reduce the Sugar?

Not in this version.

I know 6 cups sounds like a lot of sugar.

But jelly isn’t simply peppers with sugar added for sweetness.

Sugar works together with the acid and pectin to produce the proper gel.

Changing the sugar can leave you with a jelly that doesn’t set correctly.

If you’re looking for a lower-sugar pepper jelly, find a tested recipe specifically developed for low-sugar pectin rather than modifying this one.

Why Didn’t My Pepper Jelly Set?

Don’t panic if your jelly still looks loose when the jars first come out of the canner.

Jelly continues to set as it cools.

Give it time.

A few things that can interfere with the set include:

Incorrect ingredient measurements
Using the wrong type or amount of pectin
Not reaching a full rolling boil
Changing the amount of sugar
Changing the amount of vinegar
Doubling the recipe

For the most reliable results, make one batch at a time and follow the measurements exactly.

How Long Does Homemade Jalapeño Jelly Last?

Store properly sealed jars somewhere cool, dark and dry.

For best quality, I like to use home-canned foods within about a year but in my opinion as long as the seal is good, the food is good.

Once you open a jar, keep it refrigerated.

Always inspect a home-canned jar before opening it.

If the jar is leaking, bulging, spurting liquid, moldy, smells unusual or shows any other sign of spoilage, discard it without tasting.

My Favorite Way to Serve Jalapeño Pepper Jelly

This is almost embarrassingly easy.

Put a block of softened cream cheese on a small serving plate.

Spoon jalapeño jelly generously over the top.

Serve it with crackers.

That’s it.

It takes about two minutes and people absolutely love it.

It’s one of those pantry staples that’s especially nice to have around during the holidays when someone stops by unexpectedly.

More Ways to Use Jalapeño Jelly

Don’t limit pepper jelly to cream cheese.

Try it:

On a charcuterie board
With goat cheese
On baked brie
On burgers
On grilled chicken
With pork chops
On a turkey sandwich
As a glaze for meat
On biscuits
With cornbread
On breakfast sandwiches
Mixed into a vinaigrette
As a dipping sauce
With crackers and sharp cheddar

You can also brush a little onto meat toward the end of cooking for a sweet and spicy glaze.

Jalapeño Jelly Makes a Great Homemade Gift

This is another reason I love half-pint jars.

They’re the perfect gift size.

Add a simple label and ribbon and you have a homemade gift that actually gets used.

I especially like adding jars of homemade preserves to DIY gift baskets.

Pair jalapeño jelly with:

Crackers
Cheese
Homemade bread
Cowboy Candy
Jam
Pickles
A small wooden spreader

It would make a really cute Christmas, hostess, housewarming or neighbor gift.

Too Many Jalapeños? Make Cowboy Candy Next

If the jalapeño plants are still producing after you’ve made your jelly, don’t let those peppers go to waste.

Make my Cowboy Candy (Candied Jalapeños) next.

Cowboy Candy is another sweet-and-spicy pantry staple and one of my favorite ways to preserve an abundance of jalapeños.

The two recipes are also completely different.

Jalapeño jelly gives you a sweet, spreadable condiment.

Cowboy Candy gives you actual slices of sweet and spicy peppers.

I like having both on the pantry shelf.

More Ways to Preserve Your Harvest

If you’re trying to preserve as much garden produce as possible, you may also like:

100 Foods You Can Can – A huge list of foods you can preserve at home.

15 Ways to Preserve Tomatoes – Perfect when the tomatoes and peppers decide to ripen at exactly the same time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is jalapeño jelly the same as pepper jelly?

Jalapeño jelly is a type of pepper jelly made primarily with jalapeño peppers. Other pepper jellies may combine hot peppers with sweet bell peppers or fruit.

Does jalapeño jelly need to be pressure canned?

No. This tested jalapeño jelly recipe contains the appropriate amount of vinegar and is processed using a boiling water canner.

Can I make jalapeño jelly without pectin?

Not by simply leaving the pectin out of this recipe.

The liquid pectin is part of the tested formula and is responsible for helping the jelly set.

Can I use powdered pectin instead?

Don’t swap powdered pectin for liquid pectin in this recipe.

Different types of pectin behave differently and aren’t necessarily interchangeable.

Do I have to use cider vinegar?

Follow this recipe with the cider vinegar specified rather than changing the acid ingredient.

When making shelf-stable home-canned food, I prefer sticking exactly to the tested recipe.

How do you eat jalapeño jelly?

The easiest way is spooned over cream cheese and served with crackers, but it’s also delicious with cheese boards, meat, sandwiches, biscuits and appetizers.

The Perfect Way to Preserve Extra Jalapeños

This is exactly the kind of recipe I love during garden season.

You take something that’s suddenly growing faster than you can possibly eat it and turn it into something you’ll use months from now.

A basket of jalapeños becomes five beautiful little jars sitting on the pantry shelf.

And those jars can become an easy appetizer, a glaze for dinner or even a homemade Christmas gift.

If you’ve already made a batch of Cowboy Candy and still have peppers coming out of the garden, jalapeño pepper jelly should definitely be next.