This hot pepper jelly recipe is a family favorite that connects me back to my mom and grandma, who taught me the basics of canning. I still use many of their canning supplies—my grandma’s 12-quart water bath canner has been bubbling away in my kitchen every summer for years!

A group of glass jars filled with red and green homemade preserves or jelly, sealed with metal lids, are stacked on a wooden surface with a white tiled background.

It’s the same pot she used for salsa and jam, and now I’m passing that tradition down to my boys (though to be fair, they mostly just hover nearby with a sleeve of crackers waiting for the jelly to cool).

There’s just something about a jar of homemade hot pepper jelly that feels like a little jar of magic. Sweet, spicy, and just the right amount of tang, it’s the kind of recipe that turns a plain cracker and cream cheese into an appetizer worthy of a party spread.

Around here, my teens will devour it the second I open a jar—half the time I have to hide it behind the pickles in the refrigerator just to make it last!

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A hand holds two small mason jars of homemade jelly, one yellow-green and one red. Three more jars of jelly sit on a wooden surface in the background.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This hot pepper jelly recipe is the perfect combination of flavors—sweetness from the sugar, heat from the jalapeños, and tang from the vinegar. It’s versatile enough to be used as a glaze on pork or chicken, spooned over cream cheese with crackers, or tucked into a holiday gift basket.

Plus, water bath canning means you can preserve it safely to enjoy all year long.

Eight glass jars filled with orange-red jelly, sealed with silver lids, are arranged on a light wooden surface with a white tile background.

One of my favorite holiday traditions is making two batches – one with red bell pepper and one with green bell pepper. When those half pint jars are lined up side by side, they look just like Christmas.

The red pepper jelly has a little more sweetness, while the green pepper jelly has a slightly more savory edge. Both make the perfect glaze for pork or chicken, and they’re always a hit as edible gifts.

Clean glass jars of various sizes are arranged on a gray drying mat with canning tools nearby, including a ladle and a funnel. A plant in a white pot sits in the background on a countertop.

My canning supplies have mostly been passed down through the generations from my mother and grandmother. These are the staples that I have stored in my pantry for canning.

Canning Supplies

12 Quart Water Bath Canner with Lid – Best for foods with high acidity like salsa, tomatoes, and fruit.
23 Quart Pressure Canner – Great for processing foods like meat, soup, and vegetables.
Ball Mason Jars – The size of mouth and jar will depend on your recipe. For example, wide mouth quart jars work well for pickles and regular mouth pint jars are great for salsa.
Snap Lids and Rings – New, unused snap lids are needed to get a good seal on your jars.
Canning Jar Lifter – This is used to lift the hot jars safely out of the boiling water bath.
Magnet Snap Lid Lifter – This makes pulling the snap lids from the water after being sterilizer much easier.
Jar Canning Funnel – Perfect for pouring sauce and jam into mason jars.
Ladle – For pouring liquid into the jars.
Over-the-Sink Strainer – This is my go-to strainer for processing a lot of fruit and vegetables.
Rubber Tongs – For grasping hot jars and lids when sterilizing.
Tea Towels – Used for cleaning and handling hot jars.

A top view of assorted bell peppers (red and green) and hot peppers (red and green jalapeños) on a light wooden surface, with labels identifying each type.

Ingredients

Bell peppers – use red bell pepper for sweetness or green for a more savory taste.
Hot peppers – jalapeños, cherry bomb, or even habanero peppers if you want a high heat level.
White sugar – the base of the jelly sweetness factor.
White vinegar – adds a tang and helps preserve the mixture. Apple cider vinegar could also be used.
Pectin – essential for thickening the jelly, powdered pectin or liquid pectin both work.

A Ninja blender with a cup filled with chopped red bell peppers sits on a kitchen counter, ready to blend. In the background, a white bowl and some green food are visible.

Two white bowls on a wooden surface, one filled with finely chopped green peppers and the other with finely chopped red peppers. Whole green and red peppers are scattered nearby.

Instructions

1. Finely chop the bell peppers and hot peppers using a sharp knife or food processor. If you’re using jalapeños or serrano peppers, wear rubber gloves and remove the ribs and seeds to control the heat level.

Chopped red peppers are in a metal strainer set over a sink, with liquid draining into a white bowl beneath.

2. Squeeze out any excess liquid with a strainer or paper towels so the mixture isn’t too watery.

A metal pot on a stovetop contains a pile of granulated white sugar and a mound of finely chopped red chili peppers.

3. Place the chopped peppers in a large saucepan, then add the sugar and vinegar to the pot, stir well, and bring to a full rolling boil over high heat. Keep an eye on it—the mixture foams up quickly.

A metal saucepan with a wooden-handled whisk sits on a stove, filled with simmering red sauce. In the background, another pot with jars inside is visible.

4. Stir in the pectin, then continue boiling for 15 minutes while stirring often. The mixture should thicken and the flavors will deepen.

Six small glass jars filled with bright red chili jelly, showing visible chili flakes and seeds, are arranged on a gray textured cloth. The jars are uncapped and evenly spaced in two rows.

5. Ladle the hot jelly into sterilized half pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Wipe the jar rims clean with a towel, place jar lids on top and secure with a screw band.

6. Process the jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes. Remove carefully with a jar lifter and set on tea towels to cool completely. Check that all lids have sealed before storing in a cool dark place.

Once cooled, you’ll have jewel-toned jars of pepper jelly ready to serve with cream cheese and crackers, use as a glaze, or stash in the pantry for future appetizers.

Four glass jars of homemade jelly, two filled with green jelly and two with red jelly, are arranged on a wooden surface in front of a white tiled wall.

Tips for Success

Use a food processor for quick chopping, but don’t over-process or the mixture will get mushy.
Always wear rubber gloves when handling jalapeño peppers or habanero peppers to protect your skin from the heat.
If your jelly doesn’t set, reheat the mixture and add a bit more powdered pectin or liquid pectin.
Make red and green batches for a festive Christmas look—perfect for holiday gift giving.
For a smoother jelly, strain the mixture before adding the pectin.

Several small glass jars filled with red and green jelly are arranged on a wooden surface, with metal lids, in front of a white tiled wall.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best way to serve hot pepper jelly?
The classic combo is over cream cheese with crackers, but it’s also delicious as a glaze for chicken or pork.

Can I adjust the heat level of this pepper jelly recipe?
Yes! Use fewer jalapeño peppers for mild heat or swap in serrano peppers or habanero peppers for extra spice.

How long will homemade pepper jelly last?
If processed properly with water bath canning, sealed jars last up to one year in the pantry; once opened, store in the refrigerator and use within 3 weeks.

Three glass jars filled with colorful homemade jams or preserves, each with a metal lid, sit on a wooden surface with a white tiled background. The jams are red, orange, and green in color.

Easy Canning Recipes

This hot pepper jelly recipe has become one of those staples in our house—whether we’re spooning it over cream cheese on a weeknight, stirring it into a glaze for pork on the weekend, or lining up red and green jars for holiday gift baskets.

It’s the kind of recipe that ties together generations, and I can’t help but smile when I see my teens sneaking spoonfuls straight from the jar.

A close-up of glass jars filled with homemade hot pepper jam, stacked on a wooden surface. Bold text above reads Hot Pepper Jam Recipe and a label says So Easy! The website homemadetheather.com is shown at the bottom.

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