Make your own sweet (but not TOO sweet) spreadable hot pepper jam at home with this recipe that incorporates tropical pineapple and mango for just the right flavor. This is one of my favorite jam recipes. It is low sugar.
If you've never made your own jam at home, I encourage you to start. If you have a pepper garden like me that is exploding around this time of year, homemade jellies and jams are great ways to use up some of that harvest.
A good pepper jam uses only the freshest peppers, and a yield of 4 cups of hot pepper jam uses about 1 cup of finely chopped hot peppers.
That's a lot of peppers!
This year I grew a HUGE variety of chili peppers, including a range of peppers from sweet to superhot. I have a number of peppers classified in the HOT range, though you are free to use any variety of hot pepper you'd like for this recipe.
Truly, if you feel you'd like to include a couple scorpion peppers, maybe a reaper or 2, go for it. The resulting hot pepper jam won't turn out as hot as you might think.
Sure, you'll get a good heat level, depending on what peppers you're starting with, but the sugars help temper the pepper heat a bit, as well as the sweetness of the fruits.
For this recipe, I chose a mixture of very bright yellow cayenne peppers and aji habanero peppers. The colors are fantastically vibrant, such a vivid, stark yellow.
I paired them with mango and pineapple partially because I knew the colors would match so perfectly, but because I love the tates of smooth mango and chunky pineapple, particularly when they're partying together.
They give the jam a good amount of substance, exploding with flavor in each spoonful.
I love to have a good hot pepper jam in the fridge for any number of recipes. They're good for a quick spread on toast for a morning bite, as a glaze starter for fish or chicken, as a finisher for grilled meats, even spooned over ice cream for a dessert change up.
The recipe also scales nicely, so measure and adapt accordingly. This particular recipe makes 4 cups or so.
Low Sugar Pepper Jam
Most pepper jam recipes call for 4-6 cups of sugar, but this recipe only calls for 1 cup. You can reduce that to 1/2 cup if you'd like even less sugar.
Give jams away as gifts to your friends and neighbors. They'll love you for it!
I hope you enjoy them!
Check out our Chili Pepper Jelly and Jam Recipes for more ideas. Don't let those peppers go to waste! And hey, just keep some of this jam around. You'll be glad you did.
Try Some of My Other Popular Jelly and Jam Recipes
- Scotch Bonnet-Peach-Pepper Jam
- Pineapple-Mango Pepper Jam
- Kiwi-Jalapeno Jam
- Habanero Pepper Jelly
- Jalapeno Jelly
- Pepper Jelly 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.
Pineapple-Mango-Hot Pepper Jam – Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely chopped mango
- 1 cup finely chopped pineapple
- 2/3 to 1 cup chopped hot peppers I used a mixture of yellow cayennes and aji habanero peppers
- 2/3 cup water
- Juice from 1 small lemon
- 3 tablespoon low-sugar pectin
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- Add mango, pineapple, chili peppers, water, lemon juice and pectin to a pot. Bring to a quick roiling boil, stirring constantly.
- Stir in sugar and bring back to a boil. Stir constantly as it boils for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat, cool slightly and pour into sterilized jars.
- Cap and refrigerate.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Mario says
Just made this with 1/4 cup of chopped ghost peppers, ho boy this has some nice kick and flavours. Will definitely make some more going forward.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Thanks, Mario!!
Mariann Quinn says
Can this recipe be water bath canned as is,
Mike Hultquist says
Mariann, you should, but check the acidity. A pH of 3.5 or lower is recommended for home water bath canning.
Charlene says
Can I add citric acid instead of vinegar to lower the pH? I don’t want to interfere with the set, but want to water bath can the batch.
Mike H. says
You can add in lemon juice to lower the pH. It should be fine.
Mary says
I love this one, it right up my lane, all of my people love it. I made a batch with some peaches with it, and the crowd went wild… and the low sugar is a hit in this house for sure..
Glad I found you!,,,
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Mary!
Thea says
I just returned from Hawaii and this is calling my name! I have wimpy family members (as it relates to spice). I was thinking of using some yellow bell peppers and jalapeños, do you think that will work? How about time frame in the fridge that it will last and has anyone tried coconut sugar? I know it may make the jelly a darker golden color but coconut sugar is 1/2 the glucose level of granulated sugar. Thanks in advance!
Mike Hultquist says
Thea, yes, you can use other peppers (or a mix) to make this recipe. It will last several weeks in the fridge or longer. Pectin is a preservative, as is the acidity of the lemon juice. You can use coconut sugar, though I'm unsure of the ratios of it to regular white sugar.
Holly Vaughn says
This was wonderful. I dislike mango so used all pineapple. I also left out the pectin because I wanted a salsa like consistency. Fabulous to perk up rice dishes, Buddha bowls, great with grilled chicken
Mike Hultquist says
Wonderful! Thanks, Holly!
Javier says
Mike love the recipes.
I made this recipe but used regular pectin and did not check the PH so I added 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar.then I proceeded to can it and used my XL pressure cooker for 20 minutes
My Pepper Mango Pineapple preserve has not set.
Can I Incan it and add more pectin ?
I like very stiff set Jams and preserves
What should I do to fix it so that it sets ?
Thank You
Mike Hultquist says
Javier, yes, you can reprocess the batch with more pectin. Sometimes it just takes longer to set, but sometimes you need a bit more, depending on the product. Let me know how it goes.
Donna says
So I doubled the batch and added the spicy batch to it and voila I now have a reasonably hot, hot pepper jelly…..it worked taming down the heat….this recipe is so easy and delicious
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent! Glad it worked, Donna.
Donna says
So I really overdid the hot peppers but I’m thinking of cooking up another two batches with out peppers and adding the crazy hot jars to the new batch. What do you think Michael? Do you think it will work?
Thanks
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Donna. Yes, dilution is the best way to reduce the overall heat. Let me know how it goes. Enjoy!
Donna says
Love this recipe because it’s low in sugar and has no cider vinegar. I put 4 ghost peppers, 2 jalapeños, 2 scotch bonnets in and I think I over done it with the peppers! I was coughing while I was cooking it…..
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
There you go, Donna! Definitely a SPICY jam! I love it! =)
Kathy M Powers says
I have a question regarding how to raise the PH of this jam. Would adding more lemon juice to the recipe make it runny? I also wondered about adding apple cider vinegar. I was going to the use the water bath method for canning. I can't wait to see how it turns out! It looks delicious!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Kathy. Do you mean lower the pH (more acidic)? You CAN add in lemon juice or more vinegar to lower the pH. It should be fine. If it doesn't set, you can always reprocess with more pectin.
Michelle says
I have some diabetic family members. Do you know if I used Splenda in place of the sugar if the jelly would set? Thank you
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Michelle, yes, Splenda should work fine for this. You may need to use low or no sugar pectin. I have some other jelly/jam recipes on the site that use no sugar.
Nancy says
I would like to make a dozen of the pineapple pepper jelly how much of everything and in the water bath would it take for that just pineapple and peppers for 12/ half pint jars and I don’t know about this ph stuff never used this before when I did Raspberry jam Please let me know thank you
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nancy, quadruple all of the ingredients and that should be enough. Look for a pH meter or pH strips if you want to measure the pH.
Gigi says
I have 5 jars of pepper jelly that didn’t quite set up. I think in my worry of over boiling and flubbing the pectin set, I didn’t boil long enough. I would just Reboil a jar at a time to save it. But I was wondering how to combine this wonderful flavored pineapple/mango jelly into my loser Jelly batch? Can 2 batches of this jelly be made at a time? Could I do ~3.5 cups of my loser hot pepper jelly with a batch of this pineapple pepper jelly Recipe and create in essence 2 blended batches of 6 or 7 cups? How much lemon juice is an actually squeezed lemon? 1/2 cup? 3/4 cup?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Gigi, yes, you can combine the batches. Just make sure you are using the proper amount of pectin. A medium sized lemon is about 4 tbsp (1/4 cup).
Ashley Landes says
Amazing recipe! I used canned pineapples and mangoes since that was what I had on hand. I pulsed the fruits and peppers in my ninja a few times. Will definitely be making this alot. Thanks for sharing.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Perfect, Ashley! Super happy you enjoyed it!
Tina says
This recipe looks amazing and I have a ton of peppers. My question is. Can regular pectin be used? What changes would need to be made. And can I sub Aji Pineapple or Aji Limon as the pepper? Do you think it will give a decent amount of heat?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Tina. Yes, you can use regular pectin, but just be sure to follow the instructions and ratios on the product label. Yes, you can sub in those peppers. Would be a nice level of heat. Not too hot, but good!!
Tami says
I love the looks of this jam, especially as you use just one cup of sugar! I'm fairly new to canning, but want to gift this for Christmas. Your comments about ph level are enlightening, but I don't have any way of measuring that. Is there something I can add to the jam to assure the ph is adequate for safe water bath processing? And could this be why some jam recipes call for upwards of 1 1/2 cups of vinegar?? (You've made me realize I probably need to learn a little bit more about the science behind safe food preserving before going all willy nilly!) Thank you
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Tami. pH is best measured with a good pH meter. I am an affiliate at Thermoworks and recommend theirs, though look for one with good ratings and reviews. Sugar is a preservative, so if you make low sugar jelly or jam, add in some vinegar to help it keep. It can be canned, though check the pH first and follow best canning procedures. I hope this helps!
Hella Tetuanui says
Hello Mike
I live in Tahiti so fresh mangoes and pineapples are no problem, however low-sugar pectin is not available. I do have regular pectin (not liquid) that a friend brings me whenever she comes to visit. My question is can I use this same pectin but maybe increase the quantity a little? By the way, I love your site and have made several recipes with lots of success.
thanks
Hella
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Hella. Usually it is 2 teaspoons of powder pectin for 1 tablespoon of liquid pectin (or 2 tablespoons of powder pectin per pouch of liquid pectin), but check the instructions on the powder pectin label to make sure you are using the proper amounts. Some products can vary and have different recommendations. Let me know how it turns out for you. I'm glad you like the site!
Robin says
Wow, what an easy recipe! I read the reviews and used 3 heaping TBSP of low sugar pectin, it's starting to set by the time I got the last jar filled. I used 2 red jalapenos, 1/2 of an orange habanero, and 1/4 of a sweet orange bell pepper, and threw in a few red pepper flakes. I was afraid of it being too hot to be honest on my first batch, so next time I will use more hot peppers. I did reduce the sugar to slightly less than a cup. Tastes great! Bringing to work to put over cream cheese and serve with crackers.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
PERFECT, Robin! I love it! Enjoy.
Elise says
Hi Mike,
I'm new to canning. I'd like to make and can this recipe shelf safe for Christmas. I only have a water bath canning system. How do I make this safe for that canning process without having to purchase a pressure cooker? ACV perhaps ? I tried to find another recipe using WBC, but couldn't find one and came across warnings not to test for ph yourself. Your recipe looks so great, please help . . .
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Elise, you can water bath this sauce, but check the pH first. It should be 3.5 or below for home canning. The best way to properly check pH is with a good pH meter. I became an affiliate for Thermoworks because I trust their pH meter and meat thermometers. Here is a link to their pH meter: https://www.thermoworks.com/pH-Humidity/pH?tw=CPM. If the pH is not low enough, yes, you can add an acid, such as vinegar and/or citrus. Please let me know how it goes for you. Be sure to use best canning practices and safety. Enjoy!
J. King says
A wee bit hot for me, but great flavor! I didn't have mango, so I used mandarin orange and pineapple .
Without vinegar, can I can it for storage outside the refrigerator?
J
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, J. Yes you can water bath it, but check the pH of your finished jam. It is best at 3.5 or below for home canning purposes. Or use a pressure canner.
Karen Sue says
Dear Mike, Thanks for your recipe. Can you puree the boiled mixture to have a more jelly consistency? Then do you have to put the puree back into the pot and boil again? Also, what do you think the sub for homemade pectin made with tart apples is for the pectin you use? Is it the same? Okay, another ?...lol...Do you also have a pepper tomato jam recipe made with cayenne peppers only?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Karen. To answer your questions:
Can you puree the boiled mixture to have a more jelly consistency? Then do you have to put the puree back into the pot and boil again? Yes, you can puree the mixture before jarring, or before even starting the process. For more of a jelly consistency, strain the solids out and only use the liquid. It will solidify into a jelly for you. See this recipe as a starter: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/jellies/jalapeno-jelly/
Also, what do you think the sub for homemade pectin made with tart apples is for the pectin you use? Is it the same? I'm not sure about that pectin, but it should be usable. Just be sure to follow the ratios recommended by that particular pectin product.
Do you also have a pepper tomato jam recipe made with cayenne peppers only? I do not have a recipe for that specifically, but check out my other jelly and jam recipes for ways to adapt. Also see my tomato chutney recipe for another idea: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/tomato-chutney/
Good luck!
Linda says
I have a couple of questions. For starters so glad to have found this site several pepper jelly recipes in searches most lean on more fruit and hardly any peppers but yours is just what I have been looking for an equal balance.
I want to do a pineapple & habanero jam, can I just leave off the mango? If so do I add more pineapple & peppers? Would the same apply for just mango & habanero? I have 6 bushes producing Habaneros soon will have 4 more. Your page provides a variety of recipes excited to try many of them.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Linda. Thanks, and YES, you can leave out the mango. Just increase the peppers and pineapple. And yes, same applies for just mango and habanero. Let me know how your jam turns out! Super curious!
Mat says
amazing, i used aji limon and a habanero. ended up using 2 cups of mango.great heat, super sweet, i'm glad i didn't use one of those recipes with 10 cups of sugar. really happy, should have made 3 or 4 times as much. i know for next year. used the last of the fresh peppers.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
That's GREAT, Matt! Glad you enjoyed it!
Mike says
Hi Mike
I saw your reply to Rita about canning this jam and you said to follow proper pressure canning procedures. Can this jam be canned using the water bath method. Thanks
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Mike, yes, you can use the water bath method. If you're going to keep it out of the fridge, check the ph first. It should be 4.0 or below for longer keeping.
Mike says
Thanks Mike.
I will let you know how it turns out. I made my very first jelly today...ghost pepper/habanero with pineapple. I’m excited to try it.
Thanks again
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sounds great, Mike! Just did a big batch of jellies this weekend myself - Ghost, Sweet and Jalapeno Jelly. On the site soon!
kim says
I was hoping I didn't screw this up . lol. It is wonderful , Mike! Mine serves on chickpea pancakes with root vegetable breakfast and crackers if i want . Thanks! First batch of this kind for me. I usually make red hot pepper jam for my son and I. Happy camper. Good recipe folks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Kim! Glad it turned out. It's definitely a good one!
Mike says
My heart is in chilli I also make a pineapple ;mango ,peach w/ jalapeno jelly use same receipy
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent!
Gerald says
Just made this. I used Banana chillies. Superb
Pete says
I just made this jam using lemon drop peppers. Love it!
Karen Olson says
Do you remove the seeds from the peppers?
REPLY: Karen, you can if you'd like, but you don't have to. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
The Chili Life says
Wow! Thanks for your recipe! I have been growing a lot of chilies this season. I did not think I would be that successful and now I have so many fruits to deal with. I have making a couple of chili sauces but I never thought of doing a jam with chili! I'll look around your blog for more recipes, for sure. Great work! Keep it up.
/Erik
Rita says
Can you can this recipe with such a low sugar content? It looks wonderful and I would love to give it as Christmas gifts. Thanks for sharing!
REPLY: Rita, yes, you should be able to do so. Just be sure to follow proper pressure canning procedures. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Zuzana says
Pineapple, mango, chilli peppers jam ...yum. Will definitely make. Thank you!