Southern Sweet Red Pepper Jelly

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If you have ever wanted to know how to make homemade red pepper jelly, our SOUTHERN SWEET RED PEPPER JELLY recipe is for you! We take pantry staple ingredients and the summers bounty of sweet peppers and show you how easy it is to whip it up.

Whether you finish them in a steam canner or simply refrigerate or freeze, the choice is yours. We show you how easy it is to have homemade pepper jelly from your own kitchen.

A jar of orange marmalade with a spoon inside is placed on a wooden surface. Next to it, there is a slice of bread and a blue-patterned plate with marmalade spread over another slice of bread.

Here in the South, one of our favorite party foods is red pepper jelly served over a block of cream cheese. It is easy and can be found in most Southern homes, waiting to be used when it is needed. Served with sliced veggies, crackers or breads, this confection is one you will want to have around all of the time.

You can find red pepper or hot pepper jelly in lots of grocery stores but if you have peppers in abundance, there is no reason you can’t make it yourself. We show you how easy it is.

Ingredients

When making this homemade red pepper jelly, you only need a few ingredients. You can use either liquid or powdered pectin. You only need 3 to 4 oz of either. We use sweet peppers, orange and red to make this a sweet pepper jelly.

A close-up of a piece of toast spread with orange marmalade on a blue patterned plate. In the background, there is a slice of plain white bread and a jar of marmalade on a wooden surface.

What You’ll Need

1 pound of red or orange sweet peppers, any variety. Optional: red pepper flakes.
1 & 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar.
6 cups of Sugar and one package of pectin.
Butter and salt. Just a touch of each for flavor balance and shine.

See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.

Instructions

This recipe is not going to be one you can walk away from. There is a little prep involved, but once you get going, it tends to come together pretty quickly.

A person is slicing a small orange pepper on a wooden cutting board. There are red and orange peppers nearby. A blender base and cup, paper towel, and stove burners are also visible on the countertop.

Remove the stem and seeds from clean peppers.

A person holds a glass jar beside a stove with a pot containing a bright orange liquid. Another jar, also with an orange liquid, is on a wooden countertop. Part of the stovetop is visible with a single burner in use.

Process peppers in a blender or food processor until almost a mush.

A person is holding a bottle of apple cider vinegar above a glass on a wooden countertop. A saucepan with an orange liquid is on a stove. The countertop also has a wooden board and a blue surface is visible.

Place peppers in a large boiler or dutch oven. Add apple cider vinegar and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

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Add sugar to the peppers and bring back up to a boil. Boil for one minute. Watch closely to make sure it doesn’t boil over. Remove from heat if it starts to well up.

A person sprinkles pepper from a black bottle into a saucepan of red sauce on a stove. A wooden cutting board with a glass cup, a yellow spatula, and a paper towel is beside the stove.

Lower heat a bit and add in optional red pepper flakes for a touch of heat if desired. Add butter and salt.

A person’s hand pours an orange liquid from a blender into a saucepan on a gas stove. A wooden spoon rests on a cutting board nearby. The stove has two burners, and small wooden trivets are visible on the left.

Add in pectin and stir well to mix. Allow to boil slightly for about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

A slice of bread spread with orange marmalade sits on a blue and white plate. Behind it, a jar of marmalade with a spoon inside is partially full. Another slice of plain bread is adjacent to the jar, all set on a wooden surface.

Place in sterilized jars and allow lids to seal as they cool or process in a steam canner or hot water bath. *See our storage section for more information on storage and processing types.

Why Brooke loves this recipe!

Recipes are like antiques. They are meant to be handed down from one generation to another. Each one holding a special memory or nostalgic memory. Here is why we love this one!

There are a thousand reasons I love this recipe for sweet pepper jelly. Making it homemade tops them all because it really is about knowing what you are eating. It is a great food gift and keeping it on hand when I need it makes an easy appetizer with a block of cream cheese. AND, like our REFRIGERATOR PICKLES, it is not a complicated canning recipe!

Variations and Substitutions

Lots of people are unsure how to eat this beautiful concoction. There are a varieties of ways to MAKE it and SERVE it. We give you just a few below.

FRUIT – use this same recipe and process your favorite fruit instead of peppers. Strawberries, cranberries, blackberries all work well. With or without the added heat.
BURGERS – top your favorite burgers with it, add a little kick to most anything.
CHICKEN AND FISH – serve on the side or glaze while cooking for a pop of flavor and color
SUGAR – if you are watching your sugar, substitute with your favorite cup for cup sugar replacement and get sugar free pectin. The result may be a bit different but the taste will be fine.

A slice of bread spread with orange marmalade on a blue and white plate. A jar filled with the same orange marmalade is in the background, and another slice of bread is partially visible.

Equipment

🔧 I love to share recipes that are no special equipment required but here are a few things that would definitely make this recipe easier!

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How to Store It

Once completely cooled and lids are sealed, this should stay good in a cool kitchen unopened for about a month. After opening, store with the lid secure in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

If processed in a water bath or steam canner, it should be shelf stable for up to a year.

If you choose to freeze it, be sure you do it in freezer bags or freezer safe jars. And only freeze when it has cooled for 24 hours or more.

A glass jar filled with orange marmalade, showing remnants of spread on the upper inside. The jar features a raised fruit design. A metal spoon is inside. The jar is placed on a wooden surface, with sunlight casting shadows.

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A jar of bright orange jam with a spoon placed inside is on a wooden surface. Next to it is a slice of bread and a blue and white plate with a piece of bread spread with the same jam.

How to Make Southern Sweet Red Pepper Jelly

Making homemade red pepper jelly has never been easier. We show you how to take the summer's bounty of red or orange sweet peppers and make a pepper jelly that everyone will love. Serve it over a block of cream cheese like we do in the Deep South or use it for garnish for greens or peas or even a glaze for chicken or pork.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Serving Size

Ingredients

1 pound sweet peppers red, yellow or orange
1.5 cups apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
6 cups sugar
3.50 oz pectin powdered, 2 packets

Instructions

Remove stems, membrane and seeds from peppers. Process in food processor or blender until smooth. Place in a large boiler or dutch oven. Add apple cider vinegar and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
1 pound sweet peppers, 1.5 cups apple cider vinegar
Add sugar and bring back to a boil. Once boiling, add butter, salt and red pepper flakes and boil for one minute.
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 Tbsp butter, 1/4 tsp salt, 6 cups sugar
Lower heat to soft boil and add pectin. Stirring well to make sure it is combined. Make sure it comes back up to a boil and boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
3.50 oz pectin
Once slightly cooled, carefully pour into sterilized jars and add rings and lids just finger tight. Allow to completely cool at room temperature for 24 hours.

See How To Make It!

Notes

**Once semi cooled and lids are sealed you can further process in a hot water bath or steam canner for shelf stability. If not, after 24 hours they should last in a cool, dry place for about a month. Refrigerate after opening.

**Please see your county extension site for safe canning practices.

**This recipe makes about 1 quart and 1 pint in total.

What to serve with this Southern Sweet Red Pepper Jelly:

Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork Tenderloin

BBQ Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Bacon and Black Eyed Pea Salad

Collard Greens in the Instant Pot

🍴 PRO TIP!

If you wanted to make this shelf stable, be sure to visit your county extension page for instructions on how to safely can fruit jellies or jams. We love to make this to keep in the fridge here so it never really HAS to last very long but does tend to keep well just refrigerated. If you need to can for shelf stability. Always do that safely.

🗹 RECIPE FAQ’S

Does Red Pepper Jelly need to be refrigerated?

After opening the first time and serving, yes. It is best kept fresh sealed and in the refrigerator.

Why is my pepper jelly runny/stiff?

More than likely it has too much pectin if stiff or not enough if runny. This is usually more common a problem when making a jam as you use seeds and all with jam. Traditionally, when making a jelly, if you follow the instructions, it comes out perfect.

What goes best with Southern Sweet Red Pepper Jelly?

In our variations section we gave you some good ideas so be sure you take a look at that but it goes well with just about any protein. It is great served over BBQ PULLED PORK, PORK LOIN or as a glaze for Ham.

What is the difference between hot pepper jelly and red pepper jelly?

It all comes down to the type of pepper used. In our recipe, we use a sweet pepper and add just a touch of heat with red pepper flakes. Green pepper jelly is usually the hot kind and is made with chilis or jalapeños. Both are great. The recipe is the same, you get to choose the outcome with the type of pepper you use.

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