All of our family and friend holiday parties are centered around food, especially appetizers. This red pepper jelly has always been a staple at our holiday parties.
This red pepper jelly can easily be adapted to fit the taste of your party guests. If you are worried about it being too spicy, you can always leave out the jalapeño. Note that the seeds are removed from the pepper, which should help with the heat. In fact, this recipe is pretty sweet tasting.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
To make our red pepper jelly, you need the following ingredients:
- Red bell peppers
- Green bell pepper
- Jalapeño
- Apple cider vinegar
- Powdered pectin
- Sugar
- Canning Jars
- Cream cheese
- Ritz Crackers
Equipment Needed
For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:
How to Make Red Pepper Jelly
- I started by sanitizing my jars. You can use three 16 ounce jars or 6 8 ounce jars. If you are going to be making this Easy Red Pepper Jelly as a gift for friends, I would use smaller jars so you can share with more friends.
- Next, I minced my red bell peppers, green bell pepper and jalapeños after I had removed the seeds. Be sure to cut these as small as possible so no one gets a huge bite of pepper when they are eating it.
- I added my peppers to a large saucepan over medium-high heat and added a cup of apple cider vinegar.
- Mix in a package of pectin powder after you add the vinegar.
- Continue stirring until your pepper mixture comes to a rolling boil.
- Remove the pan from the heat, add your sugar and mix it in then place the pan back on the heat.
- Turn the heat up to high and bring to a rolling boil while stirring constantly. Once you hit a rolling boil, let it boil for a full minute then remove from heat.
- Ladle the pepper jelly into your prepared jars. Keep in mind that the peppers will on be on the top, so be sure to evenly distribute the jelly so all of your jars have peppers in them.
- Cover your jars with the flat lids and then screw the bands on tightly.
- Place the jars in a pan filled with hot water over high heat. You want to be sure your cans are completely submerged.
- Bring the water to a boil, then let them boil for 5 minutes. It might be a little noisy, but that’s ok!
- Remove the jars from the heat and let cool completely.
Serving Notes
We love serving this pepper jelly over a softened block of cream cheese with Ritz Crackers. The creaminess of the cream cheese goes perfectly with the sweet, red pepper jelly.It is easiest to eat when your cream cheese is softened to room temperature. You can dip crackers right into the cream cheese or serve with a spreader.
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Red Pepper Jelly Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 red bell peppers, seeded and minced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and minced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1.75 ounces powdered pectin, 1 package
- 5 cup sugar
- 6 8 ounce Canning Jars
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- Ritz crackers
Instructions
- Sterilize canning jars and set aside.
- Prepare all peppers by seeding and mincing.
- Place peppers in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add apple cider vinegar and powdered Pectin.
- Bring heat to high and stir constantly until you reach a rolling boil. Remove from heat once you reach a rolling boil.
- Mix in sugar and return to pan to high heat.
- Return to a rolling boil and let boil for 1 minute.
- Fill jars with jelly until it reaches ¼ inch from the top of the jar.
- Screw lids on jars and place in a large pot filled with hot water. Be sure jars are completely submerged.
- Heat water with jars over high heat until it reaches a rolling boil, then boil for 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let jars sit in water until cool.
- Check seals by pressing down on the center of the lid when cool. If the lid pops when pushed, it can be stored at room temperature, otherwise store in the refrigerator.
- Pour jelly over cream cheese and serve with crackers.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
Can the red pepper
Jelly be frozen like freezer jam instead of canning it?
We have only made this jelly as directed in the recipe.
Tried this recipe today. Quite good and is very easy to make
Hello Six Sisters, I read through your recipe, I am new to canning. However your instructions for canning state if the lid seal pops after boiling it is good for shelf. My understanding is you boil with seal on, rest overnight, if the seal pops when pressed it is not shelf ready , only refrigerator.
Thank you Xanne Briggs
Does
Does anybody know
How to make this sugar free?
Just finished a load of 12, 4 oz jelly jars. Going to be Christmas gifts. Taste to me is similar to the duck sauce you get at Chinese restaurants. This would also be good brushed on grilled chicken or pork. Thanks for the recipe!