Cranberry Jalapeno Pepper Jelly

This cranberry jalapeno pepper jelly is a full-sugar holiday jelly, and the sugar does a job you cannot swap out. It is sweet and tart from the cranberry juice, with small green flecks of jalapeno that bring a gentle warmth at the end of each bite.

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More pepper jellies

• Red Pepper Jelly
• Cranberry Apple Jalapeno Jelly
• Cranberry Pineapple Jalapeno Jelly
• Cranberry Orange Jalapeno Jelly
• All our jams and jellies

Everything depends on timing: a hard rolling boil for exactly 1 minute after the sugar goes in. Spoon the jelly over a block of cream cheese and the snack platter is finished.

It is a good first canning project if you have never made jelly before. There are only five ingredients, one pot and a short boil, and the jars make an easy homemade gift for neighbors, teachers or whoever is hosting this year.

What goes into cranberry jalapeno pepper jelly

Regular powdered fruit pectin needs sugar and acid to set. Cut the sugar and you get syrup, the failure most first-time jelly makers know, so this is one recipe where we leave the sugar alone.

• 3 cups 100% cranberry juice blend, no added sweetener needed
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
• 1/3 cup very finely chopped jalapenos
• 1 package (1.75 oz) powdered fruit pectin
• 5 cups granulated sugar, measured into a separate bowl

A few notes on those ingredients:

• Cranberry juice: use a 100% cranberry juice blend. It tastes sweet enough on its own, so no added sweetener is needed.
• Vinegar: apple cider vinegar at 5% acidity. The acidity matters for canning, so check the label before you buy.
• Jalapenos: chop them very finely so they hang in the jelly as little green flecks instead of sinking or floating.
• Sugar: measure all 5 cups into a bowl ahead of time. You will need to pour it in all at once.

Two things to sort out before the pot goes on

Get your jars hot and your boiling water canner going before you start the jelly. The cooking moves fast once the pot is on, and the hot jelly should go straight into hot jars.

Measure the sugar into its own bowl before you start. Once the juice hits a full rolling boil, all 5 cups go in at once, and there is no time to scoop cup by cup while the pot cools down. A large heavy pot also helps here, because the mixture foams up high when it boils and a thin pot can scorch the sugar on the bottom.

How to make the jelly

• Combine the cranberry juice, vinegar, jalapenos and pectin in a large heavy pot. Stir until the pectin powder is mixed in with no dry clumps.
• Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. A full rolling boil is one you cannot stir down; the bubbles keep coming even while the spoon moves.
• Add all the sugar at once, return to a full rolling boil and boil hard exactly 1 minute. Start the clock only when the boil is back at full strength. Remove from the heat and skim the foam off the top.
• Ladle into hot half pint jars with 1/4 inch headspace, wipe the rims and add lids and bands. A clean rim gives the lid a better chance of sealing.
• Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes (add 5 minutes above 1,000 feet). Then let the jars sit for 24 hours to set.

The jelly looks loose when it first goes into the jars, and that is normal. It firms up as it cools and rests over the next day.

The jelly cooks on the stovetop and the jars are processed in the boiling water canner. Heating jars in the oven is not a safe stand-in for the water bath.

Another one worth making: Cranberry Orange Jalapeno Jelly .

For a darker, fruitier jar to sit next to this one, try our cherry jalapeno jelly made with tart cherry juice and chopped sweet cherries.

Another one worth making: Cranberry Pear Jam .

Another one worth making: Spiced Cranberry Orange Jalapeno Jelly .

Tips and variations

Can you cut the sugar?

Not with this recipe. Regular powdered pectin needs the full 5 cups of sugar to set, plus the natural sugar from the cranberry juice blend. Using less, or swapping in a sweetener, leaves you with runny jelly. Make it as written and spread a thin layer over cheese if you want a lighter plate.

Getting the heat where you like it

With 1/3 cup of jalapenos, the jelly sits at mild to medium. The cranberry and sugar come first and the pepper shows up at the end. Keep the chop very fine so the heat spreads evenly through every jar and the flecks stay suspended.

Serving ideas

The simplest platter is a block of cream cheese on a board with the jelly spooned over the top. That is the version shown in the video. A few other ways to put it out:

• Cream cheese with crisp cucumber rounds or celery sticks for scooping
• A cheese board with sharp cheddar and a few slices of salami
• Your favorite crackers, or seed crackers for a change

It also makes an easy homemade gift. Tie a ribbon around each jar and hand it over.

How long the jelly keeps

Sealed jars keep 1 year. Once you open a jar, keep it in the fridge and use it within 1 month.

If a jar did not seal, put it straight in the fridge and treat it like an opened jar. The jelly needs no reheating; serve it cold or at room temperature over cheese.

If you like having a few jars on the shelf, the cranberry pineapple jalapeno jelly adds sweet pineapple to the cranberries, our classic red pepper jelly is the one to make for year-round snacking, and the pineapple habanero jelly brings more heat. For heat without the sugar, try our pickled jalapeno rings , canned in a vinegar brine nacho stand style.

Cranberry pepper jelly questions

My jelly looks runny. Did it fail?

Give it the full 24 hours first, because pepper jelly firms up as it sits. If it is still loose after that, the boil was usually not a true rolling boil or the 1 minute was cut short.

Why does the vinegar need to be 5% acidity?

The recipe was built around that acidity for canning. Vinegar with a lower or unknown acidity changes the balance in the jar, so check the label and stick with 5%.

Do I need to change anything at altitude?

Yes. Add 5 minutes to the 10-minute water bath if you live above 1,000 feet.

What should I do with the foam I skimmed off?

Skimming keeps the jelly in the jars clear. The foam is the same jelly with air whipped into it, so you can keep it in a small dish in the fridge and spread it on toast or crackers over the next few days.

Prefer it without fruit? The classic green jalapeno pepper jelly uses the same water bath method.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us