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Best Easy Sweet & Spicy Cherry Jalapeno Jelly Recipe

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This sweet and spicy cherry jalapeño jelly is the perfect balance of bright cherry flavor and gentle heat. It’s quick to make, versatile for cheese boards, glazes, or gifts, and uses simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups fresh cherries, pitted and chopped (packed)
  • 2–3 medium jalapeño peppers, finely diced
  • 4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 box (1.75 oz) fruit pectin (e.g., Sure-Jell or Ball)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon butter (optional, to reduce foaming)

Instructions

  1. Prep your fruit: Wash and pit 3 cups of cherries. Finely dice jalapeños (seeds in for more heat, removed for milder). Set aside.
  2. Sterilize jars: Wash jars in hot soapy water or run through dishwasher. Keep warm in a 200°F oven or hot water until ready to fill.
  3. Crush cherries: In a large pot, crush cherries with a potato masher or spoon, leaving some texture. For smoother jelly, pulse in a food processor first.
  4. Mix pectin with sugar: In a small bowl, whisk ¼ cup of the measured sugar with the entire box of pectin to prevent clumps.
  5. Cook fruit: Add crushed cherries, diced jalapeños, and lemon juice to the pot. Stir in pectin-sugar mixture. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat (bubbles that don’t stop when stirred).
  6. Add remaining sugar: Once boiling hard, pour in remaining 3¾ cups sugar all at once. Stir constantly until it returns to a full rolling boil (1-2 minutes).
  7. Boil for exactly 1 minute: Set a timer and stir constantly. This activates the pectin.
  8. Remove from heat and skim foam: Turn off heat, let settle for a minute. Skim off foam with a spoon for clearer jelly.
  9. Test the set: Dip a cold metal spoon into jelly, let cool a few seconds, then tilt. If it sheets off (slides off in a sheet), it’s ready. If runny, boil another 30 seconds and test again.
  10. Fill jars: Using a ladle and funnel, pour hot jelly into warm jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims clean.
  11. Seal jars: Place lids on and screw bands fingertip-tight. Let cool completely at room temperature. Lids will pop as they seal.

Notes

Do not double the recipe; pectin ratios are precise. Use a heavy-bottomed pot to prevent burning. Prep all ingredients before starting. Wear gloves when handling jalapeños. Hot jelly looks runny; let cool completely (12 hours) before judging set. For longer storage, water bath can sealed jars in boiling water for 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: cherry jalapeno jelly, sweet and spicy jelly, homemade jelly, cherry jelly, jalapeno jelly, easy jelly recipe, gift jelly

Find it online: https://chloeplate.com/best-easy-sweet-and-spicy-cherry-jalapeno-jelly-recipe/