A recipe for sweet and spicy habanero pepper jam made with plenty of habanero peppers.
Habanero Pepper Jam Recipe
Habanero pepper jam coming your way! I used to shy away from making jams and jellies. I'm not sure why. Growing up, I was pretty boring, actually. All I ever ate was grape jelly.
Peanut butter and jelly was a daily thing, and if you served me grape jelly with seeds in it, forget about it!
And don't even get me started on strawberry jam.
Fast forward a few years - fine, MANY years - and here I am, making habanero jam. I mean, just look at it! Isn't it beautiful? I'm so happy my taste buds have evolved.
Habanero peppers are some of the best to work with. They are nice and spicy and have an inherent fruitiness and sweetness that lends them to spreads like jams or jellies.
A note about that - the biggest difference between a jelly and a jam is that a jam has the fruit bits in it.
A jelly typically uses only the juice or essence of your flavoring ingredient, like grape juice or strawberry juice. I prefer the actual habanero pepper inside the spread, so it is technically a jam.
Let's talk about how to make habanero jam, shall we?
How to Make Habanero Jam - The Recipe Method
First, add your habanero peppers to a food processor and pulse them until they are very finely chopped. Do not overdo it or you’ll wind up with a puree.
Next, scoop out the peppers and add them to a large pan along with your sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt.
Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Return the heat to high and bring mixture to a rolling boil. Stir in the pectin and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
If using food coloring, add it now and stir.
Ladle the liquid into sterilized jars and cover.
Process the jars in a boiling hot water bath for 10 minutes.
Remove and let cool overnight. The liquid will thicken up into a nice habanero jam for you. So delicious!
What is habanero jam good for?
Use it as you would use any other jelly or jam, by spreading it over cream cheese on toast, over bread for sweeter sandwiches, but it is also great over fish. I like to serve it over salmon or white fish.
Spoon it when the fish is hot and it will melt over a bit. No need for a sauce.
It also makes for a good gift! Lastly, a quick note about the sugar content. Some recipes call for almost double the amount of sugar I've included here.
You can add more sugar, but really, you don't need that much. This is plenty, plenty sweet with the amount I've included.
Patty's Perspective
What is habanero jam good for, Mike asks? My answer - what ISN'T it good for? Well, maybe 8-year-old PB&J Mike would answer differently, but really, don't just think of it as a sweet jam.
If you think of it more as a sauce, it becomes very versatile. Instead of reaching for that bottle of sweet hot sauce, try this instead. I want to try this on hot wings. Can't wait for that!
Here is a link to the jam jars that I personally use and prefer. Highly recommended. Affiliate link - FYI: Ball Mason 8oz Quilted Jelly Jars with Lids and Bands, Set of 12
Try Some of My Other Popular Jelly and Jam Recipes
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
Habanero Pepper Jam Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound habanero peppers chopped (cored/innards removed if desired for less heat)
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 ounces liquid fruit pectin
- 4 drops food coloring if preferred
Instructions
- Add the habanero peppers to a food processor and pulse them until they are very finely chopped. Do not overdo it or you’ll wind up with a puree.
- Scoop out the peppers and add to a large pan.
- Add sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Return heat to high and bring mixture to a rolling boil. Stir in pectin and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
- If using food coloring, add it now and stir.
- Ladle jam into sterilized jars and cover.
- Process jars in a boiling hot water bath for 10 minutes.
- Remove and let cool overnight.
Notes
Nutrition Information
John says
Hi - how long will the jam keep?
Mike Hultquist says
John, this will last a month or longer in the refrigerator. I've had no issues after a few months.
Kerri says
What would happen if I used palm sugar, do you know what the adjustments would have to be?
Mike Hultquist says
Kerri, I have not made this with palm sugar and would need to test that. I believe you can use the same amount, but let me know how it turns out if you use it.
Janet says
Hey Mike - a TON of bonsai peaches fixing to be ripe and would like to make peach habanero jam. Could I just add peaches to this recipe or is there another recipe suitable?
Mike Hultquist says
You can definitely use them here, Janet. Just sub them in by weight. I do have other recipes that include a mix of fruit and chilies: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/jellies/
Donna says
I meant to push 5 stars. My mistake!
Mike Hultquist says
Haha, oops! I fixed it! Thanks!
Donna says
One year, I had an over abundance of habaneros, so I made about 50 jars of jelly. Wow! Everyone wanted a jar! Love it over cream cheese with crackers, and as a topping on fish. Very versatile.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome to hear!! Thanks so much, Donna!
Sue Baird says
I love the taste of habaneros, but was afraid the jelly would end up too hot..., but with the addition of sugar reducing the heat, this recipe turns out exactly right! Thanks for the recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, great! I agree, I love the flavor of this and it isn't overly hot. Glad you are enjoying it, Sue.
Lorrie says
I'm using ball dry pectin, how much would I need ?
Mike Hultquist says
Lorrie, be sure to consult the packaging for the proper amounts, as they can vary by product. It is usually 2 tablespoons of powdered regular pectin for every packet of liquid pectin.
Yane says
Hi!
If the jam will be used right away is the water bath necessary?
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Yane! No need for a water bath if using right away. Enjoy!!
jo says
Hey Mike, Jo here again. I think you should put an addendum to your recipe that some bell pepper can be substituted for the habs. Or make it a similar recipe with bells in the forefront and habs included for heat. It's the proportion of peppers to other ingredients that's important. I'm heading up to St. Augustine to try to find some more datil pepper plants. Mine don't live long just 50 miles south of St. A.
Been trying to grow them for over 50 years. The habs and Thais grow like weeds.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Jo. Yes, I have that in other jam recipes on the site, but should make a note. Happy traveling!
Glenda Palermo says
Thank you for reaching out to me and explaining your new process. It was very much appreciated.
Glenda
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Glenda. Always working to adapt to the growing world of the web.
Christina says
Hi Mike
Thanks for the recipe! My batch ended up far too spicy, and didn't really set (my fault). Wondering if you think I could just make a whole new batch (minus the habaneros), use a little extra pectin, blend them together and water bath again? Hoping this will solve both my problems.
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Christina. Yes, you can do that, or make another batch with only bells then combine them with a bit more pectin to ensure they set. Dilution is the best way. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Christina says
FYI this worked great. it set beautifully, and less burn. Thanks!
Theresa says
I forgot the lemon juice can I redo the jam
Mike Hultquist says
You can reprocess it, Theresa, yes, though it will still taste good without the lemon juice. Enjoy!
Alex says
This is my third year in a row making a batch of these with my homegrown habanero peppers. I live off of this jam in the winter! I eat it with apples and cheese. It's also a great thing to add to marinades. Thanks for the great recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
I love to hear it! Thanks, Alex!!