Cranberry jalapeƱo jam is a perfect season-changing flavor. Late summer spice meets autumnal tang. It’s a delicious jam for use during the holidays to deliver an extra seasonal zip to the table. Though, don’t let its festiveness keep you from making it any time of the year. It’s just as tasty in summer.
š¶ļø Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Tart cranberry and plenty of sweetness, warm cinnamon and cloves, and a light jalapeƱo heat at the finish. |
| Primary heat source | 4 seeded jalapeƱos. 2,500 to 8,000 SHU each. |
| Heat level | Mild with the seeds out. Leave some seeds and ribs in for more kick. |
| Texture | A spreadable jam with small bits of cranberry and pepper through it. |
| Best uses | Over cream cheese with crackers, on a holiday cheese board, or next to turkey and ham. |
| Customization ideas | Seeds and ribs in for heat, red jalapeƱos for color, or less clove for a milder spice. |
| Before you start | About 30 minutes plus canning time. You’ll need a food processor and a large pot, and jars and a water-bath canner if you’re preserving. |
Flavor notes
JalapeƱo peppers range from 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units, and four of them spread through a full batch of jam keeps things gentle. But you’ll still notice a little warmth right after the sweet-tart fruit. Most of a jalapeƱo’s heat is in the white ribs, so if you want a bigger jump, leave some of the ribs in along with the seeds.
Cranberries and vinegar bring a sharp tang that keeps 5 cups of sugar from tasting flat. Cinnamon and the deep, warm spice of cloves round it out, and that mix is what gives the jam its holiday smell. A full teaspoon of cloves comes through clearly, so cut it back if you like a lighter spice.
Liquid pectin goes in last, after the sugar has come to a full rolling boil, which is the order on the pectin package. A full rolling boil is one that keeps bubbling even while you stir. So bring it back to that boil once the pectin is in, then boil it hard for exactly 1 minute. And don’t cut the sugar, because with regular pectin, less sugar can leave you with a jam that won’t set.
The cranberries only need a coarse chop in the food processor, since you want small pieces of fruit in the finished jam and not a smooth purƩe, so pulse it a few times and stop.
Adaptation ideas
These keep the steps the same and change the heat, the color or the spice.
- Want more heat? Leave some of the seeds and white ribs in the jalapeƱos.
- Want a sharper heat? Use 4 serranos in place of the jalapeƱos. They run about three times hotter.
- Want more color? Use red jalapeƱos for red flecks through the jam instead of green.
- Want a lighter spice? Cut the cloves to 1/2 teaspoon and keep the cinnamon the same.
- Want a smoother spread? Pulse the cranberries a little longer for finer pieces.
Serving ideas
It goes best with something rich or salty.
- Over cream cheese. Spooned over a block of cream cheese and served with crackers.
- On a cheese board. Next to brie, sharp cheddar or goat cheese.
- With holiday meats. Alongside roast turkey or ham, or brushed on ham as a glaze near the end of baking.
- In sandwiches. Spread on a leftover turkey sandwich.
Storage notes
Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place and plan to use them within a year, the timeline the National Center for Home Food Preservation suggests for the best quality from home-canned foods. Once you open a jar, keep it in the fridge.
If you skip the canning, let the jam cool, then keep it covered in the fridge and use it within 3 weeks. Any jar that didn’t seal after processing goes in the fridge too.
Like this recipe? Youāll love these too:
- Strawberry JalapeƱo Jam: A classic sweet-hot jam with strawberries, a cup of jalapeƱo and powdered pectin.
- Chipotle Cranberry Sauce: A holiday cranberry sauce with dark cherries, clementines and smoky chipotle.
- Mango Habanero Jam: A small-batch jam with ripe mango, lime and one habanero.
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Cranberry JalapeƱo Jam
Ingredients
- 5 cups cranberries fresh or frozen
- 1 cup vinegar white or apple cider, 5% acidity
- 4 jalapeƱo peppers stemmed, seeded, and minced
- 5 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 3-ounce pouch liquid fruit pectin
Instructions
Prep to preserve
- If you are canning, wash the jars and bands in hot, soapy water, rinse, and keep the jars hot until you fill them. Heat a boiling-water canner of water to a simmer.
Make your jam
- In a food processor, pulse the cranberries and vinegar until the cranberries are coarsely chopped.
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine the cranberry mixture and jalapeƱos. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
- Add the sugar, cinnamon, and cloves and stir until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, one that keeps bubbling when you stir it.
- Stir in the liquid pectin. Return to a full rolling boil and boil hard for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and skim off any foam.
Preserve your jam
- Ladle the jam into the hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace at the top of each jar.
- Remove any air bubbles by sliding a knife around the inside edge of each jar. Wipe the rims clean, add the lids, and screw the bands on fingertip-tight.
- Process the jars in the boiling-water canner, covered by 1 to 2 inches of water, for about 15 minutes. Add time if you live above 1,000 feet (see notes).
- Remove the jars from the canner and let them cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Then press the center of each lid. If it springs back, that jar did not seal, so keep it in the fridge.
- Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place.
Is the processing time for 1/2 pint jars (15 mins in the water bath)?
How many jars does this recipe yield?
When do you add pectin. Not in instructions.