Sweet and spicy canned green pepper jelly is a Southern classic with a vibrant twist. Made from fresh green bell peppers, apple cider vinegar, sugar, spices, and Sure-Jell pectin, it's simmered on the stove until thick, glossy, and full of sweet heat. While still hot, it's poured into mason jars and left to cool at room temperature, creating a natural seal as it sets - no pressure cooker needed! This jelly shines when served the Southern way...spooned over a block of cream cheese with buttery crackers for an easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer.

mason jars of green pepper jelly with a green pepper in the background.

There are some foods I have zero self-control with, and pepper jelly tops the list. I've been known to make a whole meal out of it...poured over cream cheese and served with Carr's water crackers (it has to be Carr's!). The salty-sweet combo hits every note for this cheese-loving girl.

This recipe comes from my mom's well-loved Ball canning cookbook from 1972, slightly adapted. I grew up watching her make big batches of both green and red pepper jelly, perfect for gifting or enjoying all year long (and I always include it on my charcuterie's boards when having guests over). Store-bought is fine, but homemade is always better!

If you peek inside my fridge, you'll always find a jar tucked in the door. Paired with cream cheese and crackers, it makes the easiest appetizer when friends stop by, or just a quick snack (or dinner, no judgment here!). Let's make a batch together so you can always keep some on hand too.

Equipment Needed

This green pepper jelly recipe is not a complicated canning recipe - aka - no pressure cooker required. It is pretty straightforward. You will need a couple of kitchen equipment items that I have found to help make this recipe easier.

Large Pot - this will be used to sanitize the mason jars before the recipe.
Canning Funnel - this will be wildly helpful in spooning the jelly into the jars after cooking. You want to ensure not to get anything on the rims of the clean jars otherwise they will not seal properly. Using a funnel will help this not happen.
Tongs - you will need these to raise the hot jars out of the boiling water after sanitizing. You can use regular kitchen tongs or canning ones.
Half Pint Wide Mouth Mason Jars - this recipe makes 4 half pints full of pepper jelly - you can also use 8-ounce wide mason jars or even 4 ounces jars - both of these smaller sizes would make great gift-giving sizes (and what I prefer to store them in personally).
New Seals and Lids - if you have Mason jars already grab some new lids and seals. Do not use old, dirty, or rusted seals and lids as the jelly will not seal properly causing it to spoil.
Blender - needed to blend up the peppers and vinegar into a liquid form.
Medium Sauce Pan - this will be used actually to cook the jelly.

For simplicity - this canning set on Amazon has many of the items listed above in one package for a great price (and less than you would pay for each one individually).

*All links above are Amazon affiliate links*

This fills 4 half-pint jars, but I prefer storing in 8 or even small 4-ounce jars. These smaller sizes are the perfect amount for 1 serving of pepper jelly dip with cream cheese but also make great little gifts. This recipe makes quite a bit, so it is ideal to share with loved ones!

PRO TIP - This is a great recipe to use at the end of the summer when you have lots of garden fresh bell peppers that need to be used!

Green bell peppers, sugar, apple cider vinegar, green food coloring, spices, and sure jell pectin on a white table.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Before beginning the recipe, sterilize your mason jars. Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Place in the jars and boil for 5 minutes. Remove with tongs and let cool upright on a tea towel until dry. Use brand-new lids and seals.

Boiling mason jars in a large pot on the stove to sterilize. — Sterilize your jars by boiling them in a large pot of water for 5 minutes.

Drying mason jars on the counter on a drying towel. — Remove and let air dry completely before filling with jelly.

Chopping green bell peppers on a cutting board with a blender and cup of apple cider vinegar in the background. — Roughly chop the 6 green bell peppers.

Chopped green bell peppers in a blender. — Add to a blender with the apple cider vinegar.

Green bell peppers and apple cider vinegar blended together in a blender. — Blend on high for 30 seconds to make a liquified and chopped mixture.

Cooking green bell pepper and vinegar mixture on the stove with sugar and spices. — Add the pureed peppers to a large pot with sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes.

Cooked green bell pepper and vinegar mixture on the stove with sugar and spices that has thickened. — Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil. Add in the Sure Jell Pectin, stir, and cook for about 20 minutes until thickened.

stirring green food coloring into pepper jelly on the stove. — Once thick, remove from the heat and add a tiny bit of green food coloring to amp up the brightness of the jelly.

Mixing together green pepper jelly in a pot on the stove. — Stir until all mixed in and a vibrant bright green color.

pouring in green pepper jelly into mason jars. — Place a canning funnel over a wide-neck mason jar. Spoon in pepper jelly until right under the beginning of the seal. Make sure not to get any jelly on the seal - keep it clean for a proper seal.

Canned green pepper jelly in mason jars stacked together.

Let these jars cool completely on the counter. You will know they are properly sealed and canned by touching the top of the sealed jar. If you cannot press down on them, they are good to go for storage. If you can press down on the top and it gives and "pops", then the seal has been compromised and it needs to be consumed quickly. Store these in a cool dark place for up to 7 years (not that it will take you like long to consume - but they will last that long). Check about once a month to make sure still sealed correctly. Once opened, then store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Green pepper jelly's in bowls and mason jars with green peppers and a napkin next to them.

Recipe

Canned Sweet and Spicy Green Pepper Jelly

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5 from 1 review

Author: Heather Bilyeu
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 Half Pint Jars 1x
Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Ingredients

Scale

6 Large Green Bell Peppers - diced
1 ½ Cups Apple Cider Vinegar
6 Cups Sugar
2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Box of Sure Jell Pectin
Green Food Coloring
4 Half Pint Wide Mouth Mason Jars, or 8 - 8 Ounce Jars, or 16 - 4 Ounce Jars

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Instructions

Dice the green bell peppers. Add to a blender along with the apple cider vinegar. Blend on high for 30 seconds to chop up and make a liquid pepper mixture.
Place a large pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Add in the pepper and apple cider vinegar liquid, sugar, red pepper, and salt - stir together.
Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in the box of Sure Jell and stir.
Let boil and cook until thickened, stirring often. This will take roughly 20 minutes.
Once thick, remove from the heat and add in the smallest amount of green food coloring. I like to take a butter knife, stick just the very top of tip in the food coloring, and then run it through the jelly. It is the smallest amount just to give a deeper and more vibrant green color.
Place a canning funnel over the sterilized jars and gently spoon the pepper jelly evenly into each jar. Leave about ¼" from the top for room to seal. Be sure not to touch the rim of the seal or lid or get any jelly on them. If you do, clean with a wet cloth and let it dry completely. Place the new seals and lid, and close tightly.
Let cool completely on the counter.
Once cooled, store in a cool, dark place like a pantry or basement. Enjoy spooned over cream cheese with crackers.

Notes

If you like the heat kicked up a notch, add 1 jalapeno pepper to this recipe. Dice it and add to the blender with the green peppers and vinegar, and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
A properly sealed pepper jelly jar can be stored in a cool, dark place (like a pantry or basement) for up to 7 years. Check every month or so to make sure they are still sealed correctly. If you can press down on the top of the lid and there is a give and "pop", the seal has been broken and it will need to. be eaten quickly. Once opened, store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
This recipe was adapted from the 1972 Ball Canning Cookbook my mom owns.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: Canning
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: ½ Cup
Calories: 636
Sugar: 152.9 g
Sodium: 165.3 mg
Fat: 0.3 g
Carbohydrates: 161.9 g
Fiber: 2.7 g
Protein: 1.1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg

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