Skip to Content

Homemade Hot Pepper Jelly

Make your own Hot Pepper Jelly at home with no canning equipment needed! This easy method is great for whipping up a jar or two and keeping in the fridge for any snack emergency or quick appetizer.

red pepper jelly recipe

Make Your Own Sweet and Spicy Pepper Jelly

Have you ever tried pepper jelly? It’s a delicious way to add some zip to your favorite snacks.

Store-bought pepper jelly is pretty good, and easy in a pinch, but homemade is always better! 

The great thing about making your own is that you control how sweet or spicy it turns out.

Homemade also makes an awesome gift for your friends, family, and neighbors. If you like them that much 🙂

homemade red pepper jelly recipe without canning equipment

What is Pepper Jelly?  

Pepper jelly is a sweet and spicy jelly made from bell peppers and jalapenos. Enjoy it as if it is any other jelly or sauce like on chicken wings, pork chops, and even ham. 

But my favorite way is slathered over a block of cream cheese and eaten with Ritz crackers. It’s so addicting! The sweet and spicy contrast is amazing together.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my disclosure policy here.
ingredients for jelly that include sweet peppers and hot peppers

Ingredients Needed

Bell Pepper – Use your favorite bell peppers but I like green and red bell peppers for the color

Jalapeno – Fresh jalapeno peppers or increase heat with serrano or habanero peppers.

Vinegar – White distilled vinegar or sub cider vinegar.

Sugar – White granulated sugar. I haven’t tried this with sugar substitutes.

Spices – Kosher salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper.

For more insider tips & tricks, and a candid behind the scenes look follow me on social media! Check use out on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (yes, people still use Twitter, LOL!)

How to Make Hot Pepper Jelly Recipe

First: Add all the ingredients to a large saucepan.

Second: Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat.

Third: Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours or until the volume is reduced by 1/3.

Fourth: Remove the hot jelly from heat and let cool to room temperature. 

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

homemade jelly made with spicy peppers

How long does it last?

This is not your traditional canning recipe for the root cellar or for long term storage. This is a quick jelly technique that doesn’t use any liquid pectin, so you need to store it in the refrigerator once you make it.

Then make sure you use it within 2 weeks. Because of the peppers, I don’t recommend freezing it. It’s easy enough to make a batch when you need it.

spoon this homemade pepper jelly over crackers and cheese

Choosing the Best Peppers  

For sweet flavor, red, yellow or orange bell peppers are perfect. Green bell peppers work too but they won’t give much color to the jelly and they are pretty neutral in flavor. 

For heat, jalapeño peppers are a good middle-of-the-road hot pepper choice. If you go with all jalapeños, the jelly will have a nice kick but most people can handle it. Use less or remove the seeds and ribs if you want it milder. 

For extra heat try adding some habanero or serrano peppers. Those are quite hot so add small amounts if you don’t want face-melting jelly!

love this jelly over a block of cream cheese. It's cool and spicy!

What is hot pepper jelly good for?

Once cooled, homemade pepper jelly is ready to be eaten! My favorite ways to eat it or over cream cheese or goat cheese on Ritz crackers. Or stuffed in my mini cheese balls!

But it doesn’t stop there. Use it as a dipping sauce for chicken wings, spread it on a burger like my lamb sliders, or add to your next charcuterie board and let everyone decide what to smear it on.

You might even try it instead of grape jelly on these meatballs!

Pepper jelly also makes a super unique gift on its own or as part of a homemade goodie basket. Tie a cute ribbon and tag around the jar for easy presenting.  

stack of jars of jelly make great gifts!

Is hot pepper jelly a southern thing?

I believe it started out as one but you can find it all over the country, not just in the South.

I will say that this is the first place I tasted it and fell in love with it. Now I eat it on just about everything!

Tapas Tips & Tricks

  • Chop peppers into small, similar sized pieces.
  • Use a combination of red and green bell pepper for color.
  • Add in yellow bell peppers for more sweetness.
  • Look for green jalapeños that are crisp and shiny for best results.
  • Remove the seeds and ribs if you want to keep the heat level down.
  • Chop the peppers in a food processor for easier prep.
  • Substitute white vinegar for apple cider vinegar if desired.
  • Use a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven when cooking the jelly.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!

homemade hot pepper jelly is a great condiment for sandwiches!

​Skip the expensive store-bought and make your own pepper jelly at home! Perfect for friends and neighbor gifts too!

hot pepper jelly recipe

Homemade Hot Pepper Jelly

Yield: 3 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

This sweet and spicy hot pepper jelly can be used as a topping for all things sweet and savory!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups white vinegar
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
  • 1 green bell pepper (chopped)
  • 2 jalapenos (seeded, ribs removed, chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper (coarse grind)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (ground)

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
  2. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
  3. Reduce to low and simmer for 2 hours or until reduced by 1/3.  I like mine a little on the runny side so I can pour over chicken wings or goat cheese. You can always reduce it even more according to your needs.
  4. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator

Notes

  • Chop peppers into small, similar sized pieces.
  • Use a combination of red and green bell pepper for color.
  • Add in yellow bell peppers for more sweetness.
  • Look for green jalapeños that are crisp and shiny for best results.
  • Remove the seeds and ribs if you want to keep the heat level down.
  • Chop the peppers in a food processor for easier prep.
  • Substitute white vinegar for apple cider vinegar if desired.
  • Use a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven when cooking the jelly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1/4 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 143Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 316mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 0gSugar: 34gProtein: 0g

This nutrition information was generated via a third party, Nutritionix, and can not be held liable for any discrepancies in the information provided.

{Originally posted 7/22/15 – photos and recipe updated 2/2/24}

TakeTwoTapas.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Gwen

Tuesday 2nd of January 2024

I’ve been searching for the perfect pepper jelly recipe and this is it! I love the backstory you told us, it’s cute! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe, I’ll cherish this!

Jennifer Stewart

Wednesday 3rd of January 2024

Thank you! I am so glad you liked it! I have a jar of this in my fridge at all times:)

William

Monday 22nd of March 2021

An excellent recipe, thank you. My son and his Japanese partner can't get enough of it. Apparently it takes my home made burgers to another level. Wishes of health and peace to you, William

Sheila M. Nadeau

Friday 1st of November 2019

Really NOBODY CARES YOU BURT YOUR PAN WHY IS IT SO HARD JUST TO GET THE f****** simple recipe nobody cares we come here to look for the f****** recipe f****** idiots I hope you burn everything else too

Kay

Saturday 15th of October 2022

@Sheila M. Nadeau, move on Felicia.

Jennifer

Monday 4th of November 2019

Sheila, So glad you stopped by! If you don't like to read my stories and get a FREE recipe, please feel free to close the tab, search google for another recipe, and get that one. No one is forcing you to read my blog. Seeing that we have never met, not sure how you could accurately conclude that I am an idiot but you do you girl. With regards to hoping I burn everything else too, sending you much love and light and hope you get help with your cyber bullying problem.

Bobby Medina

Monday 17th of December 2018

Would go great as a hot pepper chutney over pork loin. I'll pitch in for a George Forman grill! Keep those Crocks on Hi! Your buddy Bobby Medina.

Cathy Milne

Wednesday 10th of October 2018

I love the ingredients in this recipe and I am a huge fan of anything spicy - especially pepper spicy! I was wondering if you can alter this recipe and add something like strawberries or plums?

chubcheeks@bellsouth.net

Wednesday 10th of October 2018

Thank you for reading! I too am a huge fan of spicy foods and could eat my weight in pepper jelly! You can absolutely add fruit. Just keep the total volume of peppers equal to the volume of fruit that you use. So 2 cups of peppers for the original, use 2 cups of fruit in their place. Also, because the fruit has a little more water in them you might need to cook the jelly a little longer to reduce the volume. Let me know how it turns out!

Skip to Recipe