Easy Freezer Peach-Pepper Jelly, Low Sugar Recipe, No Canning Required

Peach and pepper jelly fans will love this mash up and easy freezer jelly recipe, no canning required! Served over cream cheese as an easy appetizer, as a delicious glaze for pork, chicken wings or party meatballs for game day or to add some sweet heat and kick to a vinaigrette or syrup.

Summer is winding down and I have an easy recipe for using those summer peaches!

This Peach-Pepper Freezer Jelly comes together in under 30 minutes,

cooling to room temperature to set before storing in the refrigerator or freezer.

Peaches add some summer flavor to this hot pepper jelly which has some sweet heat and kick.

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Are you familiar with freezer jams?

 Instead of being processed in a water bath that keeps traditional jams and jellies shelf-stable,

a ‘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 7 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!

You can adjust the heat level to your taste and tolerance, using the peppers of your choice.

My hubby has been growing hot peppers this summer. . .

jalapeno, serrano and cowhorn peppers. Cowhorn peppers are so named for their shape,

and are equivalent heat-wise to a jalapeno.

Serrano peppers are generally 3 – 4 times hotter than jalapenos,

but the heat of peppers can vary from plant to plant, and even on the same plant.

Removing the ribs and seeds on the peppers will tamp down some of the heat.

This is a low-sugar jelly, using 3 cups of sugar (as opposed to 5 or 6 cups)

so it’s important to use a ‘less or no sugar needed pectin’

for it to set up properly and jell. You’ll want to use the pink box of Sure Jell.

I find mine at Publix.

Note: Reducing the amount of sugar or using sugar substitutes in this recipe is not recommended, resulting in ‘set failure’.

In addition to 3 cups of sugar and low sugar Sure Jell, you’ll need:

🍑 2 cups of apple cider vinegar

🍑 8 hot peppers of your choice (or combination of sweet red peppers and hot peppers)

🍑 3 cups of peeled peaches, cut in a small dice (2 – 3 peaches depending on size)

When cutting peppers it’s always a good idea to wear food safe gloves

to avoid skin irritation and accidentally rubbing your eyes after handling cut peppers. . .

ask me how I know this! 😭

Remove the ribs and seeds from your peppers to reduce the heat or leave them for more of a kick.

Give your peppers a rough chop and then place them in the food processor

and pulse until they are finely diced.

If you’re in the market and looking for an affordable food processor,

this one received 4.6 out of 5 stars with over 40,000 ratings and has a

handy bowl scraper attachment.

Add your peppers to a large heavy bottom pot with your vinegar, sugar and diced peaches.

Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred), stirring constantly.

Add the Sure Jell, whisking to make sure pectin is evenly distributed and doesn’t contain lumps.

Boil, whisking / stirring, for one full minute.

Remove from heat and ladle into clean freezer-safe jars,

leaving 1-inch head space for expansion; wipe jar rims and threads.

Cover with lids and allow jam to cool to room temperature.

I turn jars my upside down occasionally while cooling to help distribute peach / pepper mixture evenly

and prevent it all of it from settling at the bottom of jars, but this is optional.

Let stand at room temperature until jars are cool and jelly is set.

Store the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to a year.

To use frozen jelly, allow it to thaw in refrigerator overnight.

Update:  A reader commented that they were disappointed that Kraft Heinz no longer includes the recipe insert in boxes of Sure Jell.

You can find the insert with the recipes online:

Pink Box Sure Jell, Less / No Sugar

Yellow Box Sure Jell

Peach-Pepper Jelly makes a quick and easy 2-ingredient appetizer,

using a block of cream cheese (or goat cheese);

just pour the jelly on top of the cream cheese and serve with crackers.

Festive to serve during the busy holiday season and shaped into a Christmas Tree.

🎄 🎄 🎄

We enjoy this jelly on a charcuterie board or paired with pimento cheese. . .

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 an 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! 

Print Recipe

Easy Freezer Peach-Hot Pepper Jelly

Peach and pepper jelly fans will love this mash up and easy freezer jelly recipe, no canning required! Served over cream cheese as an easy appetizer, as a delicious glaze for chicken wings or party meatballs for game day or to add some sweet heat and kick to a vinaigrette or syrup. Makes (7) half pint jars (8 oz.) or 56 oz.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cream cheese, easy appetizer, hot pepper jelly, jalapenos, peaches, serranos

Servings: 7 half pint jars

Equipment

• food processor
• freezer safe mason jars

Ingredients

• 3 cups peaches peeled and finely chopped
• 8 jalapeño or serrano peppers ribs and seeds removed or combination of sweet red peppers and hot peppers
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1.75 ounce box no sugar needed pectin Sure Jell pink box

Instructions

• Give peppers a rough chop and then pulse in the food processor until they are finely minced. Transfer peppers into a large heavy bottomed pot (I used a 5 quart).
• Add the vinegar and sugar to pot and stir to combine. Add chopped peaches and bring to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) stirring constantly.
• Add the Sure Jell, whisking to make sure pectin is evenly distributed and doesn’t contain lumps. Boil, whisking / stirring, for one full minute.
• Remove from heat and ladle into clean freezer-safe jars, leaving 1-inch head space for expansion when frozen. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with lids and allow jam to cool to room temperature. Turn jars upside down occasionally while cooling to help distribute peach / pepper mixture evenly and prevent it from settling at the bottom of jars.
• Store in the refrigerator for 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to a year. To use frozen jam, allow it to thaw in refrigerator overnight.

Notes

• Always sanitize jars before use, thoroughly washing or running through dishwasher.
• Freezer jams and jellies have softer sets than canned jams or jellies but can be prepared in half the time.
• Handle peppers with care, wear gloves and/or wash hands well as hot peppers can burn your skin.
• Use a large pot (5 quart or larger) so mixture won’t boil over.
• Jalapeños 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. To further reduce the heat, substitute sweet red peppers for part of the hot peppers.
• Important: This is a low-sugar jelly, requiring 3 cups of sugar (as opposed to 5 or 6 cups) so make sure you use a ‘less or no sugar needed pectin’ for it to set up and jell. (Sure Jell the pink box). Do not reduce the amount of sugar or use sugar substitutes in the recipe as this will result in set failure.
• Serve over cream cheese with crackers for an easy appetizer, as a glaze for chicken wings or party meatballs, 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.

If you’re lucky enough to still have peaches, find ‘Just Peachy’ recipes for summer, HERE,

including Easy Peach Dumplings for Summer’s Last Hurrah, a crowd-pleasing dessert

to enjoy over Labor Day weekend, with minimal effort for maximum enjoyment!

Wishing everyone in the U.S. a safe and happy Labor Day weekend. ♥

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