Cranberry Pepper Jam From Scratch in 25 Minutes
We’re coming up on Thanksgiving and Christmas, and if you know me, you know I’m already planning. And part of that planning is thinking of all the fun dishes I want to make this year for get-togethers, for the blog, and just to have at home. As I’m thinking about the delicious recipes, I’m also thinking back to my favorite from my childhood and how I can make them with simpler ingredients or change them up to make them my own- like this cranberry pepper jam.
One of my absolute favorite appetizers from family gatherings growing up was pepper jelly on top of cream cheese with crackers. The sweet and spicy jelly with a rich cream cheese make for a perfect pairing that I personally can’t get enough of.
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A few years ago, I wanted to bring this appetizer to a family event, and boy, did I have a hard time finding the pepper jelly in stores. I probably visited 5 grocery stores to buy a jar of (really quite expensive) pepper jelly.
Just recently, I walked into a grocery store and saw fresh cranberries for the first time this year. I had some jalapeños and oranges already, so I figured I would try to throw something together- and I was shocked at just how simple it was to make at home!
Not only was this cranberry pepper jam simple to make, it’s also cheaper and tastes even better! The average price of pepper jelly from the store is five dollars for a 10-ounce jar. To make the same amount at home cost me about half that price. And because this is a jam and not a jelly, you get deliciously sweet pieces of the cranberries rather than just the juices. Are you convinced yet?
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How to Make Cranberry Pepper Jam
This cranberry pepper jam really is super simple to make, and comes together quickly. In fact, if you’ve read this whole post, you could be halfway done by now! (Thanks a lot, SEO)
1. Wash and dice your produce
After you’ve washed your produce, add your cranberries and jalapeños to a food processor and pulse for just a few seconds to get it to a small dice. You can make it as fine as you’d prefer, and can leave seeds in your peppers to your own taste.
2. The Cooking process
Add your cranberries and peppers to a small saucepan along with your orange juice, sugar, and water. Bring it all to a boil and then let simmer to thicken. You want the liquid to reduce by about half. This should take roughly 20 minutes.
3. Let Cool and Decant
Remove your jam from the heat and let stand until cooled a bit. Add this to a jar to chill in the refrigerator and thicken further. This will keep for 5-7 days in the fridge. If you’re a canner, you could definitely can this up after making a big batch. you may need to add citric acid, though, so check the Ph before canning.
I like this jam served over softened cream cheese with plain pita crackers, but you can also include it on a grazing board or even atop a scoop of ice cream for a sweet and spicy kick. If you try this in another way, tag me on social media or leave a comment below!
Cranberry Pepper Jam
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor optional
Ingredients
- 4 oz Fresh Whole Cranberries
- 2 Medium Jalapeño Peppers with or without seeds, cut into 1-inch chunks
- ½ Orange
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ Cup Filtered Water
Instructions
- Wash your produce and cut your jalapenos to 1-inch chunks. You can leave the seeds in the peppers or remove them. I chose to leave the seeds of one and remove the other, and think this is the perfect amount of spice.
- Place your cranberries and jalapenos in the food processor and pulse a few times to get a small dice.
- Add the diced cranberries and peppers, water, sugar, and orange juice to a small saucepan. Stir to combine and bring to a low boil.
- Once your mixture has started to boil, cut the heat and allow to simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced by half and thickened significantly.
- Remove the Sauce from the heat and allow to cool a bit before decanting it into a jar and moving it to the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
- Serve this jam as a topping for cream cheese and crackers or as a spread on a charcuterie board. Store in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
Looking forward to spicing up the holidays with this delicious treat!