This Raspberry Jalapeno Freezer Jam Recipe is an easy way to lengthen the shelf life of your raspberries. Plus, it’s a flavorful and delicious jam!
Raspberry Jalapeno Freezer Jam
Our raspberry patch is slowing down in its fruitfulness, but we saved up one of our last large pickings for a couple batches of freezer jam. Our girls shared the role of Head Jam Maker in our kitchen. Tessa made a simple raspberry jam, a variation of our favorite raspberry blackberry freezer jam. And Hatti headed up our experimenting with some heat, creating our very first batch of Raspberry Jalapeno Freezer Jam. It turned out fabulously, and definitely won’t be our last batch that includes hot peppers!
I never tire of the raspberry, for both its natural beauty and its amazing sweet tart flavor. Eaten simply one by one, preserved in jam, frozen in sorbet, swirled on a brownie in my favorite raspberry buttercream, or baked into coffee cake, scones, or cheesecake…I find raspberries hard to resist. But the fresh raspberry season is all too short. So jam is a wonderful way to preserve those berries and stash away some goodness for later.
This raspberry jalapeno freezer jam is an awesome little condiment to keep on hand. It’s especially lovely as an appetizer, served with crackers and cream cheese or goat cheese. Also try brushing the jam onto chicken breasts a couple minutes before taking them off the grill. So good!
Tips for Making Freezer Jam
- Use firm perfectly ripe fruit for best flavor and set. Inferior fruit (not ripe or over ripe) will produce inferior jam.
- Measure ingredients exactly. Altering recipes or ingredients could cause a set failure.
- Yes, this recipe calls for alot of sugar, but don’t alter the amount. If you want to use less sugar, look for SURE-JELL for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes in the pink box.
- When filling prepared containers with finished jam, leave ½” at top for expansion during freezing.
- The finished product will not be as firm as a processed jam. It will be more loose, with a very spreadable consistency.
- Because this jam is not cooked, it must be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. It will be good for about a month in the refrigerator, so store your jam in smaller containers (1 to 2 cups are great sizes!) that will be used up faster. Keep one jar in the refrigerator and the rest in the freezer for later.
Quick & Easy Raspberry Jalapeno Freezer Jam
Ingredients
- 3 c. crushed ripe red raspberries from about 6 cups whole berries
- ¼ c. minced fresh jalapeno pepper for a mild jalapeno flavor – add more for a stronger jalapeno flavor
- 5-1/4 c. sugar
- 1 c. water
- 1 box 1.75 oz. SURE-JELL fruit pectin
Instructions
- Be sure to first read through my freezer jam tips in this post, right before the recipe. Then wash 8 half-pint (1 cup) plastic containers and lids with hot water and dish soap. Rinse and dry thoroughly.
- Add the sugar to a medium bowl. In a very large bowl, combine crushed raspberries, jalapeno, and sugar. Stir to combine. Let stand 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.
- In a small saucepan over high heat, stir together water and pectin. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Add pectin mixture to raspberry jalapeno mixture and stir constantly for 3 minutes, or until sugar is dissolved and no longer grainy. If a few sugar crystals remain, that’s ok.
- Immediately fill containers to within 1/2” of container tops. With a damp paper towel, wipe off the edges of containers. Immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Jam can now be used, stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, or frozen for up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.
This is right up my alley, I can’t get enough of the combination of fresh fruit and hot peppers!
I like it, raspberry jam on steroids!
What an interesting combination! I’m not a jalapeno-spicy fan, but I have friends who are and would probably fight for this jam!
Yum! You’re correct; this would be great with crackers and goat cheese!
Never mind. I guess I need to get my glasses on or contacts in. =( I swore that I read an 8 and not a 3.
No worries! :)
How do you get 8 cups of crushed fruit from 6 cups of whole fruit? What am I missing?
I’m the founder/moderator for Punk Domestics (www.punkdomestics.com), a community site for those of use obsessed with, er, interested in DIY food. It’s sort of like Tastespotting, but specific to the niche. I’d love for you to submit this to the site. Good stuff!
Hi Sean…I know who you are. :) I met you in Austin at Blogher Food, I believe?? I have a couple recipes submitted to your site, will get this one added, too. Thanks for the reminder!
Droolfest over here over the idea of this jam with goat cheese. YUM.
Ahhhhh…thanks for stopping by to drool, Stephanie. :)
What a great flavor combo!
I am seriously so excited over this recipe. I have to make it soon!
Love this! Pinned!
Dumb question day! The directions say to use plastic containers to store the jam in . When you pour the hot mixture into the plastic containers won’t they melt? You’re lovely pictures show canning jars. Is it okay to use those??
Not a dumb question at all, Wendy. Plastic containers are recommended for freezer jam, just because it’s easier for storing them in the freezer. I use a combination of both plastic and glass, whatever you like. The hot mixture won’t melt the plastic.
What a great sweet and spicy combination for a a jam! This looks delicious…thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by, Jodee!
Really loving this combination. I bet it would be really good slathered on some corn bread!
I’m betting you’re right! ;)
My mom and I make jalapeño jelly every summer but never with raspberries! I love this idea and I have never tried a freezer jam, so I may need to incorporate this into our canning day this year!
I’ve never made jalapeño jelly, something I’ve wanted to try!
I love this combo of flavours!! So yummy.
Great recipe will try next year our raspberries are done for the year in Washington, my 88-1/2 old father was born in Viborg, South Dakota
Thanks, Jil. Love the SD connection, too! :)
Whoa, you did it this time. What a combo. I love freezer jam because it’s the closest thing to fresh berries that you can get. I can see this jam used as sauce on numerous items—-or just over a brick of cream cheese with crackers.
Thanks, Carol! :)
My kids love raspberry-jalapeno sauce and this is such a fabulous idea!! I will be stocking my freezer soon!
Love this recipe! Must try it very soon!