The cayenne pepper is a thin chili pepper, green to red in color, about 2 to 5 inches long. The "cayenne pepper" spice you find mostly in pizza restaurants is the dried, ground version of this pepper. Learn more about them here.
Cayenne Peppers - All About Them
Scoville Heat Units: 30,000 - 50,000 SHU
Capsicum Annuum
The cayenne pepper is a thin chili pepper, green to red in color, about 2 to 5 inches long. The "cayenne pepper" spice you use mostly in pizza restaurants is the dried, ground version of this pepper.
It belongs to the nightshade family of flowering plants and are related to bell peppers and jalapenos.
The cayenne is a bright red chili ranging from 2-5 inches long and about 1/2 inch in diameter. Cayenne chilies are usually sold as a powder, as cayenne pepper.
The word cayenne comes from the city of Cayenne in French Guiana. Cayenne is great in soups and sauces, on pizzas, as well as over meats and seafoods. Keep it on the table in a shaker as an alternative to salt or pepper.
History of the Cayenne Pepper
The cayenne is one of the most popular peppers used in the Western hemisphere. The name of the pepper is taken from the city of Cayenne in French Guiana, from where the pepper originates and where its first documented uses were found.
Cayenne peppers are usually used as a dried spice, which is made by drying and grinding the peppers or pulping and baking them into cakes, which are then ground to produce the spice.
Cayenne peppers can also be used fresh in dishes, but are a little harder to find outside of the powdered form.
About Cayenne Chili Peppers
Cayenne is a very popular pepper that is used in a variety of dishes and flavorings. You can buy cayenne pepper at most supermarkets in a variety of forms - the most noticeable form being the red powder, but the majority of chili flakes that can be found on the market are from Cayenne peppers.
In addition, the vast majority of popular hot sauces all rely on cayenne for part of their kick, particularly if the sauce also contains vinegar.
Growing Cayenne Peppers
The cayenne pepper is a sub-tropical to tropical plant natively, but they can be grown as annuals in temperate climates as well. They can even be overwintered if protected from frost.
Cayenne plants like some heat with a longer growing season and lots of sun, though they can react poorly to too much heat as much as too much cold.
Plant your seeds when temps are a minimum of 60 degrees F (16 degrees C) in well-drained soil. Seedlings should be spaced 18-24 inches apart in a row.
Be careful not to overwater. See my section on Growing Chili Peppers, as well as this page - a Guide to Growing Chili Peppers.
There are many different types of cayenne peppers, and I have grown many in my own garden. Here are some links to different types.
Types of Cayenne Peppers
When to Pick Cayenne Peppers
Harvest your cayenne peppers when the skins are somewhat waxy in appearance, and the flesh is firm. If they've started to soften, they most likely have started to rot and it is too late to pick them.
The color should be a vibrant red and the pods will be anywhere from 2 to 5 inches long. You can pick your cayenne peppers when they are green, though the flavor will be somewhat grassy and the heat not so intense.
The pods usually ripen in 70 days.
Are Cayenne Peppers Hot?
Cayenne peppers are considered a somewhat hot pepper, ranging from 30,000 – 50,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU) on the Scoville Scale, which is about as hot as a serrano pepper. If you compare that to a typical jalapeno pepper, which averages around 5,00o SHU, the hottest cayenne is about 10 times hotter.
Cayenne Pepper Nutrition
5 grams (1 tablespoon) of cayenne pepper contains the following nutritional value:
- Calories: 17
- Fat: 1 gram
- Carbs: 3 grams
- Fiber: 1.4 grams
- Protein: 0.6 grams
- Vitamin A: 44% of the RDI
- Vitamin E: 8% of the RDI
- Vitamin C: 7% of the RDI
- Vitamin B6: 6% of the RDI
- Vitamin K: 5% of the RDI
- Manganese: 5% of the RDI
- Potassium: 3% of the RDI
- Riboflavin: 3% of the RDI
Health Benefits of Cayenne
Cayenne contains numerous medicinal properties and are good for your health. Studies have indicated that cayenne and other hot peppers can help boost your metabolism for weight loss, curb your appetite, lower blood pressure, aid digestion, relieve pan and reduce some Cancer risks.
Of course you should always seek medical advice from your physician if using cayennes or other peppers for health reasons, such as pain relief, but they are quite healthy for you.
The real benefits come from the active ingredient, Capsaicin.
Learn more about the benefits of cayenne.
Cayenne Pepper Substitute for Cooking and Recipes
A question I receive often is, what is a good substitute for cayenne pepper? If you happen to run out of cayenne powder, there are many different powders, blends and even hot sauces that you can use. See my post on cayenne pepper substitutes to help you.
Cayenne Pepper Recipes
There are many, many recipes you can make with cayennes for spicy food lovers. You can use them in any recipe that calls for a milder chili pepper to add a bit of extra heat and kick. I toss them into so many different recipes. Try some of these:
See also: What is Paprika?
NOTE: This page was updated on 4/5/2023 to include new photo and information. It was originally published on 9/27/2013.
Jens Christiansen says
will you comment on the 'psycadelic' effect cayennepepper can have?
l often have weird dreams when enjoying courses made with cayenne pepper (dried supermarket type (?)) including homemade cookies spiced with cayenne pepper.
l love the taste in different courses, but my sleep of beuty is disturbed (my friends think l have hat to much cayenne pepper )
So my Q: Is there a kind of psycadelic effect of the spice?
Mike Hultquist says
I've never heard of this, Jens.
Wally says
I have a dog that is a major digger. How often should a cayenne deterrent be reapplied to the dog's favorite digging site? Does the power dissolve in water? Or just suspend?
Mike Hultquist says
Wally, I had to spray weekly to keep the deer away from my garden.
Stuart says
good article, just starting to pick my first peppers. But the person who updated it must be a time traveller as the 4/5/2025 has not been yet (today's date 7 April 2023)
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Stuart. I forgot to mention I AM a time traveler, working to effect positive change in the world through spicy food! Haha, or it may have been a typo.
Brett Leach says
Can you tell me the weight of a typical cayenne pepper? I am trying to get an equivalent from fresh cayenne peppers to cayenne pepper powder and need an average weight to achieve this.
Mike Hultquist says
Brett, peppers do vary in size/weights, but figure 4-5 fresh cayenne peppers per ounce.
fred l says
first year growing the hot cayenne pepper and i must say that they smell good when they are freshly picked from the garden. i am drying them out for extra spicy
Mike Hultquist says
Nice.
Pamela Harper says
Retired and planted our first garden in a while in rural Oklahoma. We have planted jalapeños and cayenne. My cayenne are in a pot so I can keep an eye on them. Lol. Hoping to find some good pickling recipes and other advice here. Happy farming!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Pamela!
Geoffrey Dunn says
Hi Mike,
Just wanted to thank you for your dedication to putting out a great series of recipes, informative articles & videos.
Accessing seeds or decent variety of plants to grow is difficult where I live (Niagara Region, Canada) but I usually find cayennes for drying and hot bananas for pickling. Your suggestions and recipes have been a big help.
Thanks again and stay safe,
Geof
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Geoffrey! I appreciate it!
Noma says
I bought some long thin beautiful red peppers at a market. Really would like to use in my red pepper jelly. We like it fairly hot, usually use jalapeños. These look like cayanne peppers and are beautiful!
Your suggestion please!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sounds great, Noma. These would be excellent in Jelly/Jam. Check out my Jelly/Jam recipes for some ideas: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/jellies/. Also try this Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce Recipe or this Homemade Cayenne Powder Recipe - https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/cayenne-pepper-sauce/ & https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/cayenne-powder/.
Dawn K says
where can I get some Green Cayenne chili peppers??
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Dawn, the best way is to grow them yourself, honestly. I have found some green fingerlings, which are pretty similar, at my local Butera, but not sure what's available to you.
Rob Raincock says
Just pick them a little early
Steven says
We grew some of these this year and just had the first taste of our labor - AMAZING flavor! We put it on pizza, but I'm going to smoke a few on my grill this weekend to serve along side some beef ribs. WOOO! So delicious!
rena/serena says
anyone can answer. r the cayenne chillies really hot. i dont know whether to use it in my sushi???
REPLY: Rena, Cayenne peppers measure about 30K-50K SHU, which is roughly 5-6 times hotter than a jalapeno pepper, so yep, they do have some heat. I think they would be great for sushi, but I'm not sure of your heat level preference. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Rena.C says
r the cayenne chillies super seriously hot???coz i realy need to find out, dont know whether i should use it in my sushi.
Rob says
I dont find them to be seriously hot, though most my family does.
Get some and use a small amount to start. That is the best way to decide if it's too hot for you.