Peach Pepper Jelly • No Canning Skills Needed!
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.
Capture summer with this fabulous Peach Pepper Jelly, perfect for cheese boards, as a sandwich spread, a glazed for grilled entrées and SO much more!
This peach pepper jelly will be „a taste of summer sunshine” when the cold winds blow this winter. It’s fantastic with cheese and charcuterie and makes an amazing sandwich spread paired with turkey, chicken, ham or prosciutto. It also makes a VERY gourmet peanut butter and jelly sandwich and it’s amazing as a glaze for grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, pork tenderloin and pork chops. There’s more you can do with it but I’ll share that later!
Although there’s nothing like fresh, sweet, summer peaches, a bonus of this Peach Pepper Jelly recipe is that it can also be prepared with frozen (unsweetened) peaches. That means, anytime you have the desire, you can whip up a batch of this fabulous condiment!
To can or not to can…
Another wonderful thing about this Peach Pepper Jelly is that you can either can it (with a hot water bath) to make it shelf stable OR simply store it in the refrigerator or the freezer. Either way works well! I’ve got a large freezer so I don’t bother with the hot water bath but if you like to keep jam on the shelf, go for it!
Add as little or as much heat as you prefer!
We’re medium-heat people so I use one habanero pepper. If you prefer things super spicy, just a dd more. Keep in mind that habaneros are HOT. They are considerably hotter than jalapeños. On the Scoville Heat Scale, a tool used to the level of heat in various types of peppers, jalapeños fall in the 2,500 to 8,000 range, with habaneros climbing up to 100,000 to 350,000! A little goes a long way!
What to do with this Peach Pepper Jelly
Pepper jelly is a wonderful condiment stock in your larder. There are so many things to do with it beside the classic pepper jelly and cream cheese pairing. Here are a few ideas to get you inspired:
- Finely chop some fresh herbs on a cutting board. Spread them out to an even layer then roll a log of goat cheese over the top, back and forth until it’s coated with the delicious herbs. Serve the herby goat cheese with crackers and a jar of this Peach Pepper Jelly (pictured in this post).
- Make a salad dressing. Just follow the recipe in this post and sub Peach Pepper Jelly for the Red Pepper Jelly.
- Layer it in a grilled cheese sandwich with slices of crisp, smoky bacon… SO good!
- Use it as a sandwich spread. It’s wonderful on sourdough with smoked turkey and Havarti cheese.
- Serve it on these Ridiculously Easy Buttermilk Biscuits.
- It’s also fabulous on toast, English muffins, crumpets and bagels.
- Add a squirt of mustard and use it as a glaze for grilled chicken, pork, shrimp…
- Combine with a splash of vinegar and a drizzle of soy sauce for a delicious sweet and sour sauce.
- Spread it on top of a round of Brie then wrap the whole thing with puff pastry and bake until golden. Serve with crackers or crostini.
- Serve on cheese and charcuterie boards.
- Add a spoonful when roasting veggies.
- Spoon it over ice cream
- Give it as a gift!
Give it as a gift!
Yes, this Peach Pepper Jelly makes a fabulous hostess gift or gift for a friend, neighbor, co-worker, teacher, hairdresser, mail person… whoever you want to treat!
As with most of our jams, jellies and other gifts from the kitchen, we’re offering free printable labels. Just scroll to the bottom of this post and leave a comment that you’d like to receive the labels. My daughter-in-law, Lindsay will email them to you along with instructions on how to print them up and links for jars that work well.
I hope I’ve convinced you the make a batch of this Peach Pepper Jelly. I promise you won’t be disappointed! And if you come up with new ways to use it, please share with all of us. ENJOY!
Cafe Tips for making this Peach Pepper Jelly.
- Wondering about the apple in this Peach Pepper Jelly? Don’t skip it. Peaches are low in pectin which affects the „set” of jams and jellies. Apples are high in pectin so adding a bit of chopped apple ensures a better set. Don’t worry, you won’t taste the apple.
- To ensure a good set, this recipe uses unpeeled apples and peaches. The peels are high in pectin and when the jam is cooked vigorously, the tiny bits of peel will „melt” into the jam so you won’t even notice.
- Chop the peaches, apples and peppers nice and small. Because I’m lazy, I use my Vidalia Chopper to chop everything except the habanero which you want to chop super fine.
- This recipe calls for habanero peppers which are very spicy red pepper. I like to remove the seeds and ribs and I only use 1 (finely chopped) for a moderately spicy jelly. If you like things spicier, feel free to use more or less if you prefer a milder jelly.
- If you can’t find habaneros chili peppers you could use also serrano peppers for this recipe. Serano peppers are also quite spicy so start out with less than you think you’d like. You can always add more but the heat can’t be removed.
- If you have access to other red or orange chili peppers, feel free to use them but pay attention to their heat level to determine how much to add. Here’s a great chart that shares the heat level of different types of peppers: The Scoville Scale.
- If you can’t find any red or orange peppers, feel free to use jalapeños. Your jam will have little green bits but it will still be pretty and delicious.
- This recipe calls for powdered pectin. I use Sure Jell which is available at most larger grocery stores as well as online. Powdered and liquid pectin are NOT interchangeable. If you only have liquid pectin, it would be better (to ensure success) to go with a recipe that has been created for this type of pectin.
- The recipe instructs that you need to bring the fruit/sugar mixture to a „full rolling boil”. What does that mean? It just means that the mixture should be boiling hard enough that it doesn’t stop when you stir it.
- It’s a good idea to use gloves when handling any hot peppers as they can burn your skin.
- Why is there butter in a pepper jelly recipe? A small amount of butter will help keep the mixture from foaming a lot when the jelly mixture simmers.
- I often get asked the question, „Can I use less sugar in this jelly?”. I don’t recommend decreasing the sugar in this recipe. There are two reasons for this:
- Jam/jelly making is an exact science when using pectin as a thickener. I love to improvise in the kitchen but not with jam and jelly unless I’m creating a new recipe and then it might take me 3 or 4 tries before I get it right. It’s important to measure carefully and accurately for good results. If you need to reduce your sugar intake, it would be better to follow a low-sugar recipe than to try to adapt this one and end up with runny jelly.
- In addition to sweetening, sugar also acts as a preservative in jams and jellies by stabilizing the color, texture and flavor and, even more importantly, it helps to inhibit microbial activity. So, to ensure success, it’s best to not alter the recipe.
- It’s important to measure the sugar for this recipe accurately. The best way to do this is to spoon the sugar into dry metal or plastic measuring cup, then scrape off any excess with a straight-edged knife.
- Timing is another important aspect of making jams and jellies, particularly those that call for pectin. It’s not difficult, just follow the directions and timing and you’ll be sure to have success. Setting a timer for the 1-minute cooking time (after the pectin is added) will ensure that the consistency of your jam is correct.
- As mentioned above there are two ways to store this Sweet and Spicy Red Pepper Jelly. You can make the recipe and store the jelly in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks OR in the freezer for up to a year. You can also use the hot water bath technique which makes this jelly stable at room temperature.
- If you decide to can this jelly, it’s best to stick with regular white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. They both have a good acetic percentage which is an important safety factor when preserving with a hot water bath.
- Use your biggest pot when making this Sweet and Spicy Red Pepper Jelly. It’s important to let the fruit and sugar boil vigorously and you don’t want a big mess on the stovetop.
Thought for the day:
I sought the Lord, and He answered me;
He delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to Him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
and He delivers them.
Psalm 34:4-7
What we’re listening to for inspiration:
Taste and See
If you enjoy this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
Peach Pepper Jelly • No Canning Skills Needed!
Prevent your screen from going dark
Capture summer with this fabulous Peach Pepper Jelly, perfect for cheese boards, as a sandwich spread, a glazed for grilled entrées and SO much more!
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups finely chopped unpeeled peaches, about 1-¼ pounds
- ¾ cup finely chopped red bell peppers, about 1 medium red pepper
- ½ cup finely chopped unpeeled apple
- 1 medium habanero pepper, finely chopped – more to taste
- 1 cup apple cider or white vinegar.
- 1.75 ounces (49g) powdered fruit pectin, I use SURE-JELL
- ½ teaspoon butter
- 5 cups granulated sugar, measured with a dry measuring cup
Instructions
For jam that will be preserved with a hot water bath
For the prep:
-
Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water. Rinse well.
-
Place jars, right sides up, on the rack in the bottom of a boiling-water canner. Fill the canner with enough warm water so it covers the tops of jars by at least 1 inch.
-
Bring water to a boil; boil jars for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer. Leave jars in hot water until ready to be filled.
-
Place new lids in a medium saucepan filled with water; bring water to boil. Turn off the heat. Let the lids stand in water until ready to be used.
For the jam:
-
Place peaches, peppers (red and habanero) and chopped apple in a large saucepot. Add vinegar and stir in pectin. Add butter (to reduce foaming).
-
Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.
-
Stir in sugar. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
-
Remove jars from the water; drain well.
-
Immediately ladle fruit mixture into prepared jars, filling to within ¼ inch of the tops.
-
Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on the rack, then lower into the canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.)
-
Cover the canner; bring water to a gentle boil and cook for 10 minutes. Remove jars and place them upright on a towel to cool completely.
-
After the jars cool, check the seals by pressing the centers of the lids with a finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)
For jam that will be stored in the refrigerator or freezer
For the jam:
-
Place peaches, peppers (red and habanero) and chopped apple in a large saucepot. Add vinegar and stir in pectin. Add butter (to reduce foaming).
-
Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.
-
Stir in sugar. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
-
Ladle fruit mixture into your prepared jars, filling to within ½ inch of the tops.
-
Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover lids and allow jam to come to room temperature.
-
Store the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks or in the freezer for up to a year.
Notes
Adapted from KraftHeinz
The recipe makes 6 cups (48 ounces) of jelly. The number of jars will depend on the size of your jars. I use the 6-ounce hexagonal jars pictured and get 8 jars.
Nutrition
Serving: 1teaspoonCalories: 30kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 0.03gFat: 0.05gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.004gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.005gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 0.04mgSodium: 1mgPotassium: 5mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 32IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 0.4mgIron: 0.02mg
