Spice Free Pepper Jelly
Sweet, glossy, and jewel-bright in the jar, this pepper jelly is the kind of condiment that earns a permanent spot on your cheese board. It gets its vibrant flavor from red and green bell peppers along with jalapeños, with the heat level entirely in your hands — remove the seeds and ribs for a milder result, or leave them in if you want more of a kick. The red pepper flakes are listed as optional, so you can leave them out entirely and still end up with a beautifully balanced jelly that leans sweet with just a gentle warmth. Apple cider vinegar and granulated sugar do the heavy lifting here, creating that signature tangy-sweet base that makes pepper jelly so irresistible spooned over cream cheese or brushed onto grilled meats. The water bath canning process means you end up with shelf-stable jars that make genuinely impressive homemade gifts, and the technique is more approachable than it looks once you have your setup ready. Following the timing closely — especially that hard one-minute boil after adding the liquid pectin — is what gives you that perfect, glossy set every time.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 ½ cups red bell pepper, finely minced (about 2 medium peppers)
- ½ cup green bell pepper, finely minced (about 1 small pepper)
- ½ cup jalapeño peppers, finely minced (about 4–5 jalapeños, seeds and ribs removed for medium heat or kept for more heat)
- 6 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 pouches (3 oz total) liquid pectin
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Sterilize 6 half-pint (8 oz) mason jars by submerging them in a water bath canner or large stockpot filled with water, bringing to a boil, and boiling for 10 minutes. Keep the jars in the hot water until ready to fill. Place the lids in a small saucepan of hot (not boiling) water to soften the sealing compound.
- 2
Pulse the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and jalapeños in a food processor until very finely minced — pieces should be no larger than 1/8 inch. Measure the minced peppers after processing; you need exactly 1 1/2 cups red bell pepper, 1/2 cup green bell pepper, and 1/2 cup jalapeño. Adjust quantities as needed.
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