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jars of pepper jelly and jalapenos on a table

Pepper Jelly Recipe

Tom Mayoza
This easy step-by-step guide teaches how to make delicious pepper jelly with jalapenos and sweet peppers! Learn how to can or freeze this homemade jelly recipe for long-term storage.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Canning Time 15 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes
Course Canning, Side Dish
Cuisine Side Dish
Servings 7 1/2-pint cans
Calories 76 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups diced peppers (see post for ratios)
  • 4 tablespoons fruit pectin
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 5 cups sugar

Instructions
 

  • Sort, wash, dry, and dice your peppers. For advice on ratio of sweet peppers to jalapenos, see the post. Set aside peppers for now.
  • Fill canner with enough water to cover jars, then place canner on stove and bring water to a boil. Remove from heat, then place the jars, lids, and bands into the canner to sterilize them. Leave them for several minutes, then transfer them to the counter where they will be easy to fill later.
  • Place your diced peppers, fruit pectin, and apple cider vinegar into the pot. Mix well and bring to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in sugar.
  • Return the pot to the heat and bring it all back to a rolling boil while stirring. Once they reach a rolling boil, set a timer for 1 minute. Stir the ingredients the entire time. At the end of the timer, remove from heat.

Canning Pepper Jelly

  • Use a ladle and large-mounth funnel to evenly distribute the pepper jelly into each jar. To make sure you have an even amount of peppers in each jar, it's best to spoon a ladel into each jar, then following with a second scoop for them all, then more if needed. This batch filled seven 1/2-pint jars for me.
  • Wipe the rim of each jar to clean off any residue or jelly that may have gotten on them. This is essential--A dirty rim will not create a good seal as the jars cool down. Holding the warm jars with a towel or cooking gloves, place a lid on each jar and tighten the band as tight as possible.
  • Once you have all your jars filled, bring your canner water back to a boil. If you don't have a jar rack for your canner, place a towel in the bottom to prevent the jars from possibly cracking from exposure to the high heat at the bottom. Once the jars are in place, they need to be in boiling water for 10 minutes.
  • As the jars cool down, you might hear a sharp click or snap; this sound is made when the center of the lid is drawn down as the content in the jars cools down. After 12 to 24 hours, the bands can be removed, and each jar can be checked to see if the lids have been sealed correctly. Press down with your thumb or finger on the center of the lid. The lid should not push down. If a jar does not seal, the jelly is still good; put it in the refrigerator and make it the first used jar.

Notes

If you're keeping it very mild, try 3 1/2 cups of sweet peppers with just 1/2 cup of jalapenos. For a little more spice, try 3 cups of sweet peppers and a full cup of jalapenos.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoonsCalories: 76kcalCarbohydrates: 19.2gProtein: 0.1gSodium: 2.4mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 18.3g
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