Easy Jalapeño Pepper Jelly for Canning or Freezing (Low Sugar, Honey Sweetened)
With less than half the sweetener of traditional hot pepper jelly, this jalapeño pepper jelly recipe with honey is deliciously sweet with a jam-like consistency. Easily made with a lot more pepper-to-jelly ratio and no refined sugars.
“I needed to tell you how much everybody I know begs for a jar of this for birthday & Christmas presents. I never have to think about what to bring for potlucks or family get togethers, because everybody wants me to bring a jar of this for a condiment or appetizer. Thank you so much!” -Laurie
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When I started canning, jalapeño pepper jelly was one of the first things I made, along with simple berry jams and salsa (which I later refined to become my favorite salsa for canning).
Not only is jalapeño jelly easy to make, it has that great combo of spicy and sweet that goes with so many things – sort of like Asian chili sauce.
We use it as a meat glaze, a condiment on burgers and sausages, and as an appetizer with cream cheese. It’s especially good spread on salmon patties.
I even gave it as gifts and it became one of my most requested canned goods.
The Problem with Traditional Jalapeño Pepper Jelly
But when I started moving our family away from heavily sugared foods, the 5-6 cups of sugar to only 1-1/2 cups of jalapeños in the standard recipe just didn’t sit well with me anymore.
I searched for a less sugary replacement, but wasn’t happy with the results, so one year I didn’t make any at all.
But we all missed it (it’s a favorite with sausages and Addictive Tomato Chutney), so I decided to try again with the garden jalapeños that were left after making our yearly batch of easy pickled jalapeño peppers.
The Adapted Recipe
This time I found a Ball Preserving recipe that was a hybrid pepper jelly recipe using both sugar and honey, though with mainly sweet peppers, that sounded like something I could adapt to create a less sugar jalapeño jelly sweetened with only honey.
Since this was a tested recipe, I kept the ratios the same, but used mostly jalapeños, a few milder Poblano and/or Anaheim peppers (which can be increased and the jalapeños decreased for a less-spicy end product), and only honey as the sweetener.
I used Ball’s commercial flex batch no/low sugar pectin to give the jelly the best chance to set when using only honey to sweeten.
Jalapeño Jelly or Jalapeño Jam?
In the end, the jelly is more jam-like in both consistency and all the peppers included (vs. a stiff jelled product with only a few peppers floating around).
This has been perfectly fine for what we use it for – in fact, I’ve found it actually easier to use as a glaze for meats when it’s looser like a jam.
So if you’ve been searching for a healthier jalapeño jelly product like me, I’m excited to be able to end your search right here.
And if you’ve never tried making jalapeño jelly, I would encourage you to try it – it may just become your most-requested gifts, too!
Ingredients
- Jalapeño peppers – you can use all green, a combo of red and green or all red (I used a combo, so the resulting jelly in the photos is more red/orange than if you used all green jalapeños).
- Mild hot peppers – anaheim, poblano, hatch, and banana peppers are all good choices.
- Vinegar – I prefer apple cider vinegar, but white vinegar will also work well.
- Ball’s Real Fruit flex batch no or low sugar pectin
- Honey – you can use half honey and half cane sugar if you’d like (or even all cane sugar), but not any sugar substitutes – they will not work with the pectin to gel.
Make Jalapeño Pepper Jelly with Honey: Step-by-Step
Detailed quantities and instructions are included in the full recipe box below, but here are a few extra tips to help with each step:
Step 1. Gather boiling water canning equipment and prepare eight 1/2-pint (8-ounce) jars and lids (see tutorial video below). (See all my favorite canning supplies here – including the flat-bottomed canner I wished I’d known about sooner!)
Step 2. Finely chop peppers (I use this food processor, it makes it easy and chops finer than by hand), being careful to protect your hands with gloves – pepper juice has been known to leave a burning sensation in your hands for hours afterwards and often gets transmitted to your eyes (yes, this is first hand knowledge…).
TIP: Remove the seeds and pith completely from the mild peppers, but leave most of the jalapeño seeds and membranes if you like things spicy like we do – the more you remove from the jalapeños, the less spicy the jelly will be.
Step 3. Add the peppers, vinegar and pectic to a large stockpot.
Step 4: Bring to a roiling boil that can’t be stirred down.
Step 5: Add honey, return to a roiling boil and boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly – this is important, as the mixture could foam up over the pan if left unattended. The mixture should feel a bit thicker as you stir by the end, but will not be like jam yet. It will set more as it cools.
Step 6: Use a metal ladle and canning funnel to transfer the pepper jelly to warm clean half-pint jars leaving a 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe the rim with a damp cloth.
Step 7: Attach lid and band to the jar, screwing the band on just to fingertip tight.
Step 8: Fill one jar at a time and transfer to a raised rack in a water-bath canner before filling remaining jars. (This is the glass-topped one I use now after retiring my wobbly old enamel canner!)
Step 9: Lower canning rack and process jars in canner for 10 minutes (timing after water comes to a boil with the jars submerged). Remove lid, turn off burner, and let jars sit in canner for 5 minutes.
Boiling Water Canning Step-by-Step Video
You can also read the full canning tutorial with more details here.
Step 10: Remove jars to a towel-lined surface to cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. Remove rings, check seals and label with date before storing.
I love seeing the jars sitting while cooling, waiting to be labeled and added to the canning pantry – it’s such a nice feeling of accomplishment.
How To Use Jalapeño Pepper Jelly
Here are just a few of the ways we enjoy this condiment:
- Spread on burgers and sausages.
- As a glaze for chicken, pork, and ham.
- Added on top of salmon patties or Costco’s salmon burgers.
- Spooned over a block of cream cheese to eat with crackers for the easiest appetizer ever.
Again, you can see this isn’t your typical clear jelly with a few peppers floating around in all the sugar, this is full-on pepper jam.
Both Brian and I like it much better, though – I hope you do, too!
Reader Raves
“Oh my gosh! This is absolutely the best!” -Carol
“This is by far my husband’s favorite preserving recipe ever. He eats this stuff on EVERYTHING. It’s super good with farm-fresh scrambled eggs and vermont cheddar cheese. Delicious.” -Kimberly
“This turned out REEEAAALLLY awesome. I omitted most of the seeds, used 1/2 green, 1/2 red jalapeños (for visual interest) and let it “cure” in the ‘fridge for a few months.” -Kristin
I hope you love this recipe for lower sugar jalapeno jelly – if you make it, be sure to leave a recipe rating so I know how you liked it!
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Jalapeño Pepper Jelly Recipe for Canning or Freezing (Honey Sweetened)
Equipment
- Food Processor
- 6-quart or larger stock pot
- water bath canner
- canning jars and lids or freezer containers
Ingredients
- 3½ cups finely chopped jalapeño peppers about 2 pounds *see note on peppers
- 1½ cups finely chopped Anaheim and/or poblano peppers about 1 to 1¼ pounds
- 1¼ cups cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Ball Low or No Sugar Flex Batch Pectin **see note
- 2½ cups honey
Instructions
- Wash 7 to 8 half-pint (8-ounce) jars and keep warm until needed. Wash lids and rings in soapy water and set aside. Prepare boiling water canner.
- Combine peppers and vinegar in a large stockpot, then gradually stir in the pectin.
- Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat that can’t be stirred down.
- Add honey, bring back to a full boil and boil hard for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim foam if needed.
- Ladle hot jelly into prepared, hot jars, one at a time leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rim, center lid on jar and attach ring, screwing just until fingertip-tight. Add to rack in canner.
- Lower canning rack and process jars in canner for 10 minutes (timing after water comes to a boil with the jars submerged). Remove lid, turn off burner, and let jars sit in canner for 5 minutes.
- Remove jars to a towel-lined surface to cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. Remove rings, check seals and label with date before storing.
Notes
- Adjust the peppers as you desire: use less jalapeños and more mild peppers for a less spicy jelly or visa versa – just keep the total pepper amount to 5 cups. You can use any pepper you’d like- hotter peppers like habaneros or even sweet peppers in place of the mild peppers.
- Also, you can leave the seeds out if you want a milder jalapeño jelly.
- Remember to use gloves when preparing hot peppers!
- A food processor makes quick work of chopping all the peppers.
Nutrition
Tips & FAQs
First of all, it will not be like jam until it fully cools down – as you can it, it will still be liquid. Here are some tips for success:
-From a comment: “Boiled hard for 5 minutes instead of three. It is nice and thick.”
-Use only the measurements listed in the recipe (do not double – the larger amount to boil could affect gelling).
-Use only a pectin for low and no sugar recipes.
No, because of the low amount of sweetener and the different way honey reacts with pectin, it needs to be a pectin marketed for low or no sugar recipes (I link to Ball, but Pomona’s is another brand people have used).
Yes, this is the same – you can use all jalapeños or a mix of hot peppers.
18 months to 2 years if canned, about a year if frozen. Once the jar is opened it will last in the fridge for 3-4 months.
More Easy Recipes Like This
- Easy Addictive Tomato Chutney Recipe
- Easy Canned Chipotle BBQ Sauce Recipe
- Sweet and Spicy Canned Onion Marmalade/Jam
- Easy Cowboy Candy Recipe (Candied Jalapeños) – Lower Sugar, Water Bath Canned
This recipe has been updated – it was originally published in 2014.
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Unfortunately, I can’t do honey; any idea how to sub maple syrup?
You can try maple syrup, though I don’t know how it would affect the flavor or gelling. You may want to go with all cane sugar – the recipe is still a lot less sugar than other recipes!
Hi!
I am about to make this today. I made a jalapeño jelly last year using monk fruit and didn’t like it because it crystallized . I do want a more jelly consistency so I will try the half honey, half sugar method. I have Pomona’s no sugar pectin which I would recommend for those that can’t find the Ball brand. Wish me luck!
Hope the Pomonoa’s provided the consistency you were looking for, Christine!
I noticed 3 1/2 cups of jalapenos does not equal 2 lbs…rather it only weighs 1 pound 10 ounces. Might be why so many folks are having trouble setting the jam
When I weighed my peppers they were about 2 pounds – I’m not sure if some are heavier than others? Either way, it’s just a guideline if you’re purchasing peppers – the measurement of 3 1/2 cups is the part of the recipe to follow. The setting issue is a result of using honey – this is more a sauce consistency than a stiff jelly, but works for all our applications with a LOT less sugar.
Oh my gosh! This is absolutely the best! I made one change…I boiled hard for 5 minutes instead of three. It is nice and thick. I live at high elevation so had to can it for 20 minutes instead of 10 minutes. I can’t stop eating this!
Wonderful, Carol – and thanks for the tip to boil longer!
Could you use honey instead of sugar?
I’m confused, Julie – this recipe uses only honey. 🙂
If you’re wanting to use sugar, I’d suggest using a recipe that calls for it, as the amounts will be different and I can’t guarantee the outcome.
Hey Jami, I plan to make a multi pepper jam out of the survivors from my small garden this fall. I can’t help but notice that there is some confusion regarding the difference between honey and sugar and pectins in your comments section. The answer is in how pectin works. Jams and jellies are boiled to remove as much water as possible in order to bring the pectin molecules closer together. The massive amounts of sugar attract even more water away from the pectin. This is called hyfroscopic as sugar pulls water to itself. In many recipes an acid is called for. This acid intensifies the attraction for the pectin molecules to come together and jell. I am not familiar with the no sugar pectin or it’s needs. I am sure that honey is a more complex sugar and does not behave as white sugar. I plan to make a hybrid of sugar and honey to make a thick hot chili jam for my family this winter. I will let you know it goes. I love this site. Be well, Michael
Well, you definitely know your science, Michael – thanks for this! It is because honey is different from white sugar that I needed to go the low-no sugar pectin route for this. I hope your hybrid works well.
HI Jamie! I have a question regarding the peppers. I have jalapeño peppers, but can’t find the other kind you have listed. What should I use instead. Thanks!!
Yes, you can use another pepper for the Anaheim or Ancho peppers. They are mild hot peppers, so another that’s mild – or you can use sweet pepper (but I wouldn’t use green sweet peppers since they’re bitter and would impart that flavor).
Hope that helps!
Hi! In your recipe ingredients following “honey” it says “see notes.” I don’t see any note about honey. What should I note about the honey? Thanks!
Hi Astrid – I’m sorry, I don’t know why that was there! I think it was a leftover from all the notes about the peppers. 🙂 I removed it. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Jami, I just made the jalapeno jam using your recipe. Since I had 7 1/2 cups pepper vs. the 5 called for in the recipe, I increased all other ingredients by 1 1/2. I followed everything exactly. Mine–5 days later–has not solidified like jam or jelly. (It is a little thicker than when I removed the jars from the water bath.) Of course, I won’t throw it out. There are still uses for it, especially glazing. But can you tell me what I did wrong. The next time I can correct any mistakes. Thanks so much, and I Love, Love your blog.
Thank you, Jane! With this recipe it’s very dicey because of using honey instead of sugar. It just barely sets up but I think it’s a good trade-off to have something flavorful but lower sugar than regular jelly. SO, I think the recipe needs to be made with only the measurements as written in the recipe. I haven’t made it any other way, so that’s all I can think of.
What are the exact ingredients and measurements.?
Thanks
Click the arrow at the bottom to open the full, printable recipe!
This is by far my husband’s favorite preserving recipe ever. He eats this stuff on EVERYTHING. It’s super good with farm-fresh scrambled eggs and vermont cheddar cheese. Delicious. I’m considering doing half sugar/half honey this year as our bees didn’t produce as much honey as last year. Do you have any idea what ratio I should try?
I’m so glad you and your husband like this, Kimberly! You can do any combination of sugar/honey you’d like as long as it totals 2.5 cups. Using sugar may make it set more, but there’s not much difference otherwise.
Help! It’s eclipse weekend here in Central Oregon and my plan is to stay home and can. Love your jam, and got everything…I thought…to make it this week. After prepping peppers for a triple recipe (yikes!) I realized I don’t have enough low or no sugar pectin and I don’t think I can get it anywhere in town. Any hints? I have regular pectin, and have not added the honey yet. Thanks! Love your blog!
Sorry I didn’t catch this comment sooner, Amy! If you use regular pectin, you’ll need to up the sweetener amount or it may not set. I haven’t done it, so I’m not sure the ratio. I would find a recipe that uses it just to use the peppers you have. You’ll have 2 kinds and can do a taste comparison!
Is the processing time the same for smaller (4 oz.) jars?
The processing time would be the same.
Hi from the Netherlands!
I’m on Low Carb, so honey is as much of a no-no as sugar. Do you think I could make this with a sweetener? We don’t have jalapeño jelly here and I would love to try it!
Hello! I can’t say if a sweetener would work, Guinan, and there is some sugar in the form of dextrose in commercial pectin. Maybe experiment with a small batch? If it doesn’t set enough, it’s still great as a meat marinade. 🙂
I It is more like a hot sauce. Is there any way I can save this. Thanks
Sorry, Wendy! It’s always a bit trickier when not using lots of white sugar, though it’s only ever turned out like the photos for me – more of a jam-like consistency. You can call it a sauce or try cooking it down further.
I made this recipe last night, it tastes good but it’s soup! No jelly/jam consistency at all…. I’m now calling it my Sweet & Spice Pepper Sauce. I’ll use it as a marinade for chicken, but this is definitely not a jelly.
Hmm, sorry, Aimee! It’s really more of a jam-like consistency because of the honey (which I like better than hard-to-spread jellies…), but shouldn’t be soup. 🙁
(The pictures I took are how my version turned out, no photo-shopping or anything…)
Is it supposed to be jam by the end of the 3 minutes of boiling? Mine is still soup. I used Sure Jell low sugar pectin instead of the Ball as that is all I could get. Is there anything else I can do at this point to get it to set?
It should thicken as it cools, Melissa. The Ball and Sure Jell are interchangeable, I believe.
Thanks so much. I am really looking forward to trying this. This is my first time making jelly. I really appreciate finding a low sugar option.
Can I use regular pectin? I am in Canada and have not seen low sugar pectin. Also, liquid or powdered pectin? Mill either work?
No low sugar pectin at all? Bummer, Marie. I don’t know if this will work with regular pectin, since that usually calls for a lot more sugar and you’re not supposed to change that in order for it to jell. 🙁
Jami! This turned out REEEAAALLLY awesome. I omitted most of the seeds, used 1/2 green, 1/2 red jalapeños (for visual interest) and let it “cure” in the ‘fridge for a few months. Can you say “egg roll topping”??? Any kind of bland Chinese takeout has a new companion… Thank you! ~ kristin
Yeah! So nice to know, Kristin. 🙂 I think I’ll leave a few more seeds out next time like you – not for heat, but for a smoother texture, which I didn’t think about. It’s easy to make things spicier later, but not smoother, ha!
Thank you sooo much! I have jalapeños by the truckload still coming out of the garden, their red now, which really just makes them abit prettier & slightly hotter. I love reducing the sugar & subbing out w/ raw honey. I will be stopping by my local bee man (who is 92 & could run circles around me!) to make sure I have enough for this recipe…plus alittle extra, thinking a case might gets us thru till next season 🙂
Wish I had a local bee man like that, Sarah. 😉 Have fun with your jalapeños!
WOWZERS! Yum…as someone how actually sells jelly also! But with the peppers we have I would die a slow death if I left the seeds 🙂
Love the idea of less sugar!
Ha! They do become a bit more mild as it sits, even with the seeds added, Jenifer. 🙂 Hope you like it as well with less sugar!