If you're looking to spice up your breakfast or cheese board, this Raspberry Jalapeño Jam hits the perfect balance of sweet and heat. With juicy raspberries and a kick of fresh jalapeño, it's surprisingly easy to make and totally addictive!
Raspberry Jalapeño Jam is one of those magical recipes that hits all the right notes-sweet, spicy, tangy, and totally irresistible. I love it most served over a block of cream cheese with crackers; it's the ultimate easy appetizer that feels fancy but takes almost no effort. You can easily control the heat by removing some or all of the jalapeño seeds, making it as mild or fiery as you like. It's a delicious escape from the ordinary, a fun way to preserve fresh raspberries, and it also makes a thoughtful homemade gift that's sure to impress.
This recipe is safe for water bath canning. Be sure to follow safe canning practices as outlined by the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
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What is water bath canning?
Canning is simply the process of applying adequate heat to high acid food that is sealed in jars for the allotted time necessary to kill off bacteria and micro-organisms that cause food spoilage. During heating, oxygen is driven out of the jars, causing a vacuum seal to form when the jars cool down. This prevents any outside micro-organisms and oxygen from getting back into the food. When done correctly, canning preserves food safely for at least a year, although probably much, much longer.
You can check out my guide on How to Safely Water Bath Can at Home more resources on safe home preserving.
Safe Canning Resources
If you are new to canning you can find great resources, recipes and tutorials at Ball Canning. I highly recommend checking out the Complete Book of Home Preserving.
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Equipment
For the Raspberry Jalapeño Jam
- Large pot
- Cutting board & knife
- Measuring cups
- Potato Masher (optional)
For water bath canning
- Mason jars: Make sure the jars are clean and that the lids are brand new. You cannot reuse canning lids.
- Large pot with rack OR Electric Canner: If you only can once in a while using a large pot with a canning rack works just fine. As someone who personally does a lot of canning and I absolutely LOVE my Ball FreshTech Electric Canner.
- Jar lifter: You will need a jar lifter to remove the hot jars from the water bath.
- Funnel: I personally love this canning funnel because it also allows you to measure the headspace easily.
- Ladle: This Prepworks Canning Scoop is my favorite.
Ingredients
- Raspberries
- Jalapenos
- Sugar
- Pectin
Recipe FAQs
That depends on how you prep the jalapenos. For a milder jam you'll want to de-seed the peppers before adding. If you'd like a spicier jam then leave the seeds in.
Yes, for flavor as well as safety. Raspberries have good acidity but jalapenos do not so adding the lemon juice ensures a safe canning acidity
No, not for this recipe. The added pectin requires a particular amount of sugar to really work so if you decrease the sugar you will have a much runnier jam.
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Made this Raspberry Jalapeno Jam recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Raspberry Jalapeño Jam
Equipment
- Large pot
- Water bath canning equipment see notes above
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh raspberries, crushed
- 1 cup fresh jalapenos, finely diced
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 box 1.75 oz pectin
- 7 cups white granulated sugar
Instructions
- Place crushed raspberries, jalapenos, lemon juice and pectin in a large pot. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Then pour in the sugar all at once, stir and bring back to a full rolling boil.Once a full boil is reached set the time for 1 minute and boil on high while stirring constantly to avoid scorching.Remove the pot from the heat. At this point you can either spoon the jam into jars and store in the fridge or can them using the instructions below.
Water Bath Canning Instructions
- Ladle the jam into 8 half pint jars leaving about ¼th to ⅓rd inch of headspace.Remove air bubbles and wipe the jar rims.Place on new, clean lids and bands and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (adjusting time for altitude).Turn off the heat and allow the jars to rest in the warm water for 5 minutes before removing and placing on a towel on the counter (do not place directly on the counter).Allow the jars to cool undisturbed for about 24 hours until all the lids have sealed.Store sealed jars in a cool dry place for 12-18 months for best quality.*Note* If any of the jars do not seal simply store in the refrigerator and consume within 10-14 days.
Teresa
Canyon use frozen raspberrys
jamjarkitchen
Hi there- Yes, you can use frozen raspberries. Just be sure to measure them while they are still frozen. If you let them thaw first they can condense more and the jam might not set with the same amount of pectin.
Paula
This jam turned out delicious! Perfect balance of sweet and tart!
Nicole
This jam is so tasty!
Ashley
What a great flavor combo! I mixed a little with some Dijon mustard to glaze grilled chicken and oh my gosh it was so good. Thanks for the great recipe!
Elizabeth
This jam is incredible! Just the right amount of kick to it. I love adding this to our charcuterie boards and guests love it!
Jeanne Brown
My family loved this raspberry jam. You can use it many different ways.
jamjarkitchen
So glad you enjoyed it!
Cindy
Hi, is 7 cups of sugar necessary?
jamjarkitchen
Hi Cindy - It is for this particular recipe as it's relying on added pectic for the jam to set. Reducing the amount of sugar would result in a much more liquid jam, more like a sauce. However, if you prefer not to add as much sugar you can look out for low-sugar Pectin. I haven't tested this recipe using it but they will have some guidance on the box about how much you can adjust it by. Hope this helps!
Jordan Harper
Is the pectin liquid or powder?
jamjarkitchen
Hi there - Powder works best for this recipe. 🙂
Margaret
4 cups before or after crushed?
sound wonderful planning on making it
jamjarkitchen
Hi there! After crushed. Hope you enjoy!
Donna Turner
Many people don't like raspberry seeds getting stuck in their teeth. (I am one of those people.) Can I strain the seeds out of the raspberries, as long as I still have 4 cups of crushed raspberries? Will that disrupt the balance of ingredients needed for the jam to set?
jamjarkitchen
Hi Donna - You can strain out the seeds if your prefer. Just make sure you still end up with 4 full cups of strained, crushed raspberries, not 4 cups before straining. As long as you measure after straining and keep everything else the same, it won’t throw off the balance or keep the jam from setting. Hope you enjoy!
DebbyB
If you leave the seeds and membranes in, won't this be really spicy hot?
jamjarkitchen
Yes, although it depends on how spicy your peppers are. I tend to leave them in because we like it spicy. But if you prefer a milder jam then you can removed the seeds and membranes before adding. Hope you enjoy!
Reina
About how many cups of whole berries will i need to make 4 cups of crushed?
jamjarkitchen
Hi there - It kind of depends on the berries, but you'll usually need between 6 and 7 cups of fresh berries to get 4 cups crushed. Hope this helps!
Hilde Morrow
Follow the instructions and yet it’s like sticky taffy consistency. Way too much sugar and pectin. Will stick to my regular recipe that calls for 4 cups sugar and 1tbsp pectin instead.
jamjarkitchen
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out the way you expected. It definitely shouldn’t have a sticky, taffy-like consistency, and as you can see from the photos, that’s not how it typically sets when made as written.
This recipe relies on the fruit gelling through pectin, not reduction, so if the raspberries were cooked down longer than instructed, that can absolutely lead to an overly thick or sticky texture. The type of pectin also matters. I recommend Ball powdered pectin which is pretty standard, but different brands or forms (such as liquid) can behave differently even at the same measurement.
If you’re happy with a different recipe that works well for you, that’s always the best one to stick with. I appreciate you giving mine a try and sharing your experience.