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. Detailed instructions are listed below the recipe card.
- Remove and let cool overnight. The liquid will thicken up into a nice habanero jam for you. So delicious!
Want a quicker, no-canning version? Try my Easy Habanero Pepper Jelly - it's ready in 20 minutes and sets up overnight in the fridge.
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
How to Can Habanero Pepper Jam (Water Bath Method)
The refrigerator version of this recipe is ready to eat within 24 hours and will keep for 1-3 months. If you want shelf-stable jars you can store in the pantry and give as gifts, you can process them using a water bath canner.
What you'll need:
- Water bath canner or large stockpot with a rack
- Sterilized half-pint (8 oz) mason jars with new lids and bands
- Jar lifter and canning funnel (highly recommended)
Steps:
- Before you start making the jam, sterilize your jars. Place clean jars in a large pot, cover with water, and boil for 10 minutes. Keep them hot until you're ready to fill.
- Make the habanero jam following the recipe below. While the jam is cooking, keep a small saucepan of water simmering on low and place your lids in it to soften the sealing compound.
- Working quickly, ladle the hot jam into the hot sterilized jars, leaving exactly ¼ inch of headspace at the top. Wipe the jar rims clean with a damp paper towel - any residue can prevent a proper seal.
- Place the lids on and screw the bands to fingertip-tight (snug but not overtightened).
- Lower the jars onto the rack in your canner. Make sure they're covered by at least 1-2 inches of water. Bring the water to a rolling boil and process for 10 minutes at sea level.
- Turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing. Set them on a towel and leave undisturbed for 12-24 hours. You'll hear the satisfying ping of each lid as it seals.
- After 24 hours, check the seals by pressing the center of each lid. It should be concave and firm with no flex. Any unsealed jars should go in the refrigerator and be used within a month.
Altitude adjustments: If you're above 1,000 feet, increase the processing time. Add 1 minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level up to 3,000 feet, then an additional 2 minutes for every 1,000 feet above that.
Shelf life: Properly sealed jars will keep in a cool, dark pantry for up to 1 year. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 1 month.
A note on acidity: This recipe uses 1¼ cups of cider vinegar plus ¼ cup of lemon juice, which together provide sufficient acidity for safe water bath canning. If you significantly reduce the vinegar, aim for a pH of 4.0 or lower (3.5 preferred) before canning.
NOTE: This post was updated on 3/26/26 to include canning information. The recipe was not changed.
Judy Peterson says
I want to try this recipe with such great comments on how good it is! My question is if the jam can be frozen?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Judy, yes, you can freeze jam in thick containers or even in plastic baggies. Let me know it goes for you.
Tom L says
I made a batch a few weeks ago and it turned out great! Was also my first jamming experience. I’m about to start a second batch and was wondering if I could add some fruit like mango or pineapple to the recipe?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Tom. Absolutely. Check out my other jelly/jam recipes. I have a number with fruit in them. Great combo for sure. Let me know how it turns out for you. Curious to hear!
Leah Stebel says
Can I use white vinegar instead of cider vinegar? I made a couple batches a few months ago and it was delicious. I am getting ready to make about 5 more batches. I thought we used apple cider vinegar but my husband seems to think we used white vinegar.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Leah, absolutely. Let me now how it turns out for you.
Amanda says
Hi, I want to make this recipe but only have dry pectin, do you know how much to use? Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Amanda, it's best to check the label of the particular pectin product you're using. That should tell you the correct ratios. Let me know how it turns out!
Paulina says
Hi mike! I hope you see this! Do you take the seeds out of the peppers before putting them in the food processor?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Paulina. I usually do not deseed my peppers. I just leave them in. However, you can remove them if you'd like. Let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy!
Dawn says
Just whipped up a batch of this bit of deliciousness! I was gifted about 5# of various peppers and every time I ran a search for recipes to use them for, your recipes always sounded better than any other ones (so I bought two of your ebooks immediately! I did not have enough habaneros to make up 1/2 #, so I threw in all the red jalapenos and orange serranos. Plenty hot for me! They are in the water canner as I type! No I have to go pickle the rest of the serranos, make some cowboy candy out the the rest of the jalapenos, and check on the poblanos I'm drying. Now what to do with the little poblanos I still have? Decisions, decisions!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, Dawn! Enjoy all the cooking!
james Nelson says
First time I have ever made a jam glad I picked this one to start with very simple and awesomely delicious, Thank you for the recipe
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, James. Glad you enjoyed it!!
Fina says
Is it necessary to do the canning method or could I just put the jam in a glass container after step 5 and let it set in the fridge?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
You can just refrigerate, Fina. I do that most times.
Brenda Patrick says
I followed the recipe but I doubled it.
As I was waiting for it to start to boil, I sat down and got on the dreaded FB. The mixture boiled over.
Caused a terrible terrible stink.
Couldn't breath.
After I got the mass all cleaned up, I started the mixture to boil again. Not much boiled out.
I put the mixture in the 8 oz jats, processed at 10 minutes.
The mixture didn't set up.
Is there any way to salvage my 9 8oz jars?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sorry to hear, Brenda. As long as it is not burned, you can reprocess the jam with more pectin to help it set. Setting could take up to a week in some cases, though, so you might wait and see.
Jennifer says
I cannot wait to start this! My habaneros have grown mad this year. My question is on the boiling bath ~ are the jars to be covered approximately 2 inches over the lid like with vegetable canning?
Thank you.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Jennifer, yes, same rules of canning. Enjoy and good luck!!
Kathy Westley says
Could I use box pectin instead of liquid pectin
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Kathy, yep, but check the instructions on the box for proper ratios. Enjoy!
Nina Tetenbaum says
Do I have to use pectin? I never use pectin in my jams and jellies, just cook it long enough to set up on a cold plate. Do you think that might work here?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nina, yes, that will work if you are used to make jams without pectin. You may need some other fruits to help it thicken up. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Nina Tetenbaum says
Thanks! I'll let you know how it turns out!
Nina says
The jam jelled just fine by cooking it longer. I used 9oz of habaneros, and as you suggested I added additional fruit to give it more flesh, pectin, to jell, which I did in the way of a Bull's Horn pepper, a sweet meaty pepper. The jam's heat was not diminished at all by the sweet pepper. Thanks for the great recipe.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Nina!
Michelle says
Would this this recipe work okay with Matchbox peppers instead of Habanero peppers? If not, would you have a good recipe that includes Matchbox peppers? BTW, I enjoy all your recipes! Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Absolutely, Michelle. This recipe will work with many different peppers. Let me know how it turns out for you. Thanks!!