Fans of Hot Pepper Jelly will love this easy freezer jam. Made with just 4 ingredients in less than 30 minutes, no canning required!
Happy Thursday!
Are you a fan of Hot Pepper Jelly?
We enjoy it over cream cheese for a crowd-pleasing appetizer,
as an easy glaze for cocktail meatballs or wings for game day,
mixed in to add some sweet heat and kick to a vinaigrette or syrup,
or paired with pimento cheese on a cracker!
Are you familiar with freezer jams?
Instead of being processed in a water bath that keeps traditional jams and jellies shelf-stable,
‘freezer jam’ as the name implies, is kept in the freezer for long-term storage.
It will keep in the freezer for up to a year and in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
This recipe makes 8 half-pint jars, for about the price of one jar of hot pepper / jalapeno jelly
at a specialty food store, and with much more flavor!
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To make it you’ll need some peppers:
8 jalapenos and an assortment of mini sweet peppers (about three fourths of 16 oz. bag).
Jalapenos vary in heat, as a general rule if they have striations (as in the photo below),
they will be hotter than smoother, even-colored peppers.
You can adjust this jelly to your heat tolerance and preference,
removing seeds and ribs for a minimal heat or leave them for more of a kick.
Bump up the heat further by substituting a serrano or a cayenne pepper or two for jalapeno.
This is a low-sugar jelly, so it’s important to use a less or no sugar needed pectin
for it to set up properly and jell. You’ll want the pink box of Sure Jell.
I found mine at Publix.
In addition to your pectin, you’ll need 3 cups of sugar and 2 cups of apple cider vinegar.
Coarsely chop your peppers, then add them to a bowl of your food processor or mini chopper
and pulse until they are finely diced.
You may need to do this in batches so as not to overcrowd bowl of processor.
Place your peppers in a medium sized heavy bottom pot
and add your vinegar and sugar and stir to combine.
Bring the pot to a boil, then add the low sugar pectin. Boil, stirring, for one minute.
The short cook time keeps your peppers fresh tasting and bright in color!
Ladle the hot liquid into clean freezer safe jars, leaving 1-inch head space for expansion.
Allow to cool completely before capping and refrigerating or freezing.
If your pepper bits float to the top, you can give the jelly an occasional stir
as it cools to help distribute them more evenly.
When the jelly is cool, cap and refrigerate or freeze jars.
To use frozen jam, allow it to thaw in refrigerator overnight.
This would make a tasty addition to a cheese board or easy appetizer
served a block of cream cheese or goat cheese:
An Easy 5-Minute Appetizer with Just Two Ingredients
We like it paired with pimento cheese. . . .
On on a Pimento Cheese Drop Biscuit
Cheesy drop biscuits that come together in 30 minutes! Serve warm from the oven with sliced ham
for a Derby party or hot pepper jelly for sweet and peppery Southern bite.
As addition to Thumbprint Cheese Wafers with Pecans
This savory little cocktail or shower nibble can be served plain or with hot pepper jelly or the jam of your choice.
Your food processor does all the work, from shredding the cheese, then mixing all the ingredients together.
or in Pepper Jelly Syrup in Short Cut Mini Chicken and Waffle Party Bites
A Southern dish turned-finger food, that’s fit for company and a fun party bite!
If you are a fan a Hot Pepper or Jalapeno Pepper Jelly,
I hope you’ll try this easy and money-saving recipe.
I’ve made two batches of Hot Pepper Jelly since last summer
and ready to make a third!
Easy Freezer Hot Pepper Jelly
Equipment
- freezer safe mason jars
- food processor or mini chopper
Ingredients
- 8 jalapeño peppers
- 12 oz. mini sweet peppers (I used 3/4 of a 16 oz. bag of sweet mini peppers)
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 3 cups sugar
- 1.75 ounce box no sugar needed pectin (Sure Jell pink box)
Instructions
- Wash jalapenos and remove stem ends (for milder jelly, remove seeds.) Give peppers a rough chop and then pulse in the food processor until they are finely minced. Transfer peppers into a medium heavy bottomed pot.
- Wash and trim remaining peppers. Give them a rough chop and pulse them in a food processor until finely minced. You may need to do this in batches so as not to overcrowd bowl of processor and get more even chop.
- Add the peppers to pot with the jalapenos.
- Add the vinegar and sugar to pot and stir to combine. Bring the pot to a boil, and then add the pectin. Use a whisk to make sure pectin is evenly distributed and doesn’t contain lumps. Boil, whisking / stirring, for one minute.
- Ladle the hot liquid into clean freezer safe jars, leaving 1-inch head space for expansion. Allow to cool before capping and refrigerating or freezing.
- If your pepper bits float to the top while cooling, give the jelly an occasional stir to distribute them more evenly.
- When the jelly is cool, cap and refrigerate or freeze jars.
Notes
- This particular recipe is meant for the refrigerator/freezer because the acidity has not been tested for safe canning.
- Jalapenos vary in heat, as a general rule if they have striations, they will be hotter than smoother even colored peppers. Adjust this recipe to your heat tolerance and preference, removing seeds and ribs for a minimal heat; leave them for more heat or bump up the heat by substituting serrano or cayenne peppers.
- Important: This is a low-sugar jelly so make sure you use a less or no sugar needed pectin for it to set up and jell. (Sure Jell the pink box)
- Make sure to wash your hands well after working with hot peppers.
- Jelly will thicken as it cools, and even more as it chills.
- Store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in freezer for up to one year. To use frozen jam, allow it to thaw in refrigerator overnight
- Serve over cream cheese with crackers for an easy appetizer, with Pimento Cheese Drop Biscuits, in Thumbprint Cheese Wafers with Pecans, use to make Pepper Jelly Syrup for Mini Chicken and Waffles Party Bites or in Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette.
Perfect timing…my cayenne pepper 🌶 plant is covered! I have never tried pepper jelly but recipes keep showing up so guess it is meant to be. Thanks for the recipe.
PS. I have used two of my pink jars for flowers and they look wonderful! Thank you so much for your contests.
We LOVE “Pepper Jelly!!” My neighbor makes & gives us some…I must try this…but, I may visit my neighbor sooner. franki
I love pepper jelly for appetizers and for gifting, Mary! Yours sure is an easy version. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Mary! You always provide such beautiful pictorials along with clear instructions. Happy Thursday! Clara 😊❤️
Mary, we love pepper jelly especially on cream cheese. It also sounds delicious paired with pimiento cheese. I have a friend who occasionally gives me a jar and we enjoy. I need to try your recipe. Happy Thursday!
Wow Mary, thank you for such a versital recipe and huge thank you for helping us with the shopping via Amazon. I hope to try all the recipes, I’m really looking forward to making the Christmas tree 🌲 You always share such informative and fun things❣
Pepper jelly is great mixed with bbq sauce and used as a glaze on bbq chicken.
Hi Cathy, That’s how we use it on wings! :)
Love pepper jelly, pinned. I think at least one of my girls would love making this too. Thanks!
So timely Mary, my hubby has loads of peppers needed to be picked in the garden! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing Mary! It sounds easy enough for even me to make! 😀🌶
Can’t wait to try it thanks!
I’m picking up some Sure Jell and peppers today! Thanks Mary. ❤️🌶
Looking forward to trying this, especially on a pimento cheese biscuit, yum!
I am a heat whimp Mary, so not really a fan of pepper jelly, however all your beautiful photos and pairings makes me wish I was! How easy to make, and what great gifts to have on hand!
Our favorite pepper jelly just shrunk in size and went up to $7.99 a jar so your recipe is appreciated. Thanks for sharing!
Mary, I wanted to let you know that I made a batch of this pepper jelly yesterday and it was so easy and SO good! I used an assortment of sizes of jars, including some 4 oz. Mason jars I had to include in gift baskets. Thanks another tasty recipe! I love your blog and sweet puppies too!🫙🌶🫑❤️🐾🐾
Hello, I might just try this at Christmas time for gifts. Thank you
Looks pretty, but something to admire from afar, I’m allergic to peppers!
This looks yummy! Thank you for the recipe, I’ll need to try this for family gatherings!
This pepper sauce looks amazing!!! I’d recommend adding some mango to it. It adds a sweetness to the sauce