Hot and Sweet Pepper Jelly for an easy appetizer and a great gift idea!
Need a simple neighbor gift idea? This hot and sweet red pepper jelly is one of our favorite no fuss appetizers and when you make a batch at home, it makes an inexpensive gift to give. Serve it over a block of cream cheese with crackers. Such a delicious and easy appetizer.
Sweet and Spicy Pepper Jelly with cream cheese appetizer:
Cheese and crackers are always a great appetizer to start a party and we love to add this sweet and spicy jelly over the top of cream cheese. When you make a big batch of this pepper jelly, and you seal the cans, they are easy to just grab a jar of the shelf and use when you need it.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups seeded and diced red bell pepper, center core removed
- 1 cup seeded and diced green bell pepper, center core removed
- 1/4 cup seeded and diced jalapeño pepper, center core removed
- 5 cups granulated white sugar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 (1.75 ounce each) packages SURE-JELL powder pectin (one full package plus half of one more package of pectin)
How to make Pepper Jelly:
- To start: sterilize six 8-ounce canning jars and lids. Heat the water in a hot water canner for processing.
- Into a large saucepan set over high heat, add the diced red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and jalapeño peppers. Add in the apple cider vinegar and Sure-Jell pectin. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly. Quickly add in the sugar. Return to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. and scrape off any bubbles on the top.
- Carefully ladle the jelly into the prepared jars. Fill each to the top leaving 1/4 inch from the top unfilled. Cover with flat lids; then screw on the bands tightly.
- Canning Instructions:
- Place the jars into the canning rack, and slowly lower the jars into the canner. The water should cover the jars completely, and should be hot but not boiling. Bring water to a boil and process for five minutes.
- Remove the jars and allow them to cool completely.
- For the Pepper Jelly Cream Cheese Appetizer:
- Spoon the pepper jelly over 1 (8oz.) block of cream cheese. Serve with crackers and garnish with flat leaf parsley.
Hot and Sweet Red Pepper Jelly
Make a batch of this delicious hot and sweet red pepper jelly for an easy appetizer and a great gift to give.
Ingredients
- 3 cups red bell pepper seeded and diced with the center core removed
- 1 cup green bell pepper seeded and diced with the center core removed
- 1/4 cup jalapeño pepper seeded and diced with the center core removed
- 5 cups granulated white sugar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 1.75 ounce each packages SURE-JELL powder pectin (one full package plus half of one more package of pectin)
Instructions
-
To start: sterilize six 8-ounce canning jars and lids. Heat the water in a hot water canner for processing.
How to make the Pepper Jelly:
-
In a large saucepan set over high heat, add the diced red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and jalapeño peppers. Add in the apple cider vinegar and Sure-Jell pectin. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Quickly add in the sugar. Return to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. and scrape off any bubbles on the top.
-
Carefully ladle the jelly into the prepared jars. Fill each to the top leaving 1/4 inch from the top unfilled. Cover with flat lids; then screw on the bands tightly.
Canning Instructions:
-
Place the jars into the canning rack, and slowly lower the jars into the canner. The water should cover the jars completely, and should be hot but not boiling. Bring water to a boil and process for five minutes.
-
Remove the jars and allow them to cool completely.
For the Pepper Jelly Cream Cheese Appetizer:
-
Spoon the pepper jelly over an 8oz. block of cream cheese. Serve with crackers and garnish with flat leaf parsley.
Making This Recipe? Tag us on Instagram: @NoBiggie using the hashtag #NoBiggieRecipes, so we can see what you are making in the kitchen!
Different Ways to use pepper jelly:
This easy cream cheese and pepper jelly appetizer is our favorite way to enjoy this hot and sweet pepper jelly, but it’s not the only way. Here are different ways to use it:
- use it as a glaze on chicken wings
- use it as a sandwich spread
- use it spice up your stir fry
- use it as a dipping sauce for chicken tenders or coconut shrimp
- use it as a spicy glaze on crockpot party meatballs
- mix it with a little mayo for a spicy fry sauce
Give the gift of pepper jelly:
You can easily buy pepper jelly, but it’s a fun homemade gift to give, and it’s a lot less expensive as a gift to make it homemade. You can fill smaller jars and share it with more friends and neighbors.
Do you need to refrigerate pepper jelly?
If you plan to seal the jars using the canning method, the sealed jars will keep for one year sealed. If you don’t plan to seal the jars, the jelly will keep for weeks in unsealed jars in the fridge. Refrigeration is needed for unsealed jars. We like to serve it chilled.
Why is there vinegar in pepper jelly?
The vinegar in this recipe is needed in a few different reasons. 1-Because peppers area low in acid, the vinegar is needed as an acid in the recipe to help the jelly set. It also creates a reaction with the pectin and sugar. Without the vinegar, the jelly would not firm up and set. 2-The acid in the vinegar makes the jelly shelf stable when canned and kept for a long time.
More Holiday Appetizers we LOVE:
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