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Cranberry Jalapeño Jam Appetizer

ByEvelyn Osborn Posted onNovember 9, 2016October 15, 2025 Updated onOctober 15, 2025

Our Cranberry Jalapeño jelly cream cheese appetizer is the perfect addition to your holiday table. Packed with spicy jalapeños and tangy cranberries, this jam is a perfect accompaniment for cream cheese and crackers. Save some room in your pantry for this game-changing, flavor bursting appetizer that’s stress-free and ready to serve in no time.

Need a show-stopping appetizer for your Holiday parties? Look no further than this Cranberry Jalapeño Jam appetizer. This easy-to-make, sweet-and-spicy jam, paired with creamy cheese and gourmet crackers, is a crowd-pleasing dish that’s perfect for any festive occasion. With just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep, you can create a pantry-ready appetizer that’s sure to impress your guests and make your hosting stress-free.

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Cranberry jalapeno jelly, cranberry jalapeno jam,Jalapeno jelly cream cheese

We don’t know about you but the holidays are a rushed time of the year for us, we are caught up in a whirlwind of attending and hosting parties, having friends drop over and enjoying family dinners. It’s also the time of the year when it’s so important to make moments into special memories. And to make each event special, but these goals come with a price such as stress.

A simple way to take the stress out of entertaining this year is a jar or two of this Cranberry Jalapeño Jam in your pantry. It’s made from spicy jalapeños and cranberries and is a game changer for holiday gatherings. A jar of this cranberry pepper jelly and a block of cream cheese makes a quick appetizer or a dish to take to a family dinner.

Cranberry Jalapeño Jam Recipe:

This recipe makes 4 jelly jars (½ pints) of spicy cranberry pepper jelly. It should get you through the holidays in style since each jar is enough to make two Jalapeño jelly cream cheese appetizer plates.

Ingredients:

3 cups whole fresh cranberries (12 ounce bag)
4 Fresh Jalapeños, seeded and chopped
1 Lime, juiced
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup water
1 package powdered pectin, we used Sure-Jell
2 cups sugar

Equipment Needed:

Cutting Board
Sharp paring knife
4 – ½ pint jelly jars
Large pot
Water Bath Canning Pot
Small Serving Platter
Spreader Knives

🥣 Recipe Tips

Adjust the Heat Level: The spiciness of jalapeños can vary, so taste-test your peppers before adding them to the recipe. If you prefer a spicier jam, consider adding an extra jalapeño or including a hotter pepper like a serrano or habanero, as some users have done. For a milder flavor, reduce the number of jalapeños or remove more seeds and membranes.
Ensure Proper Canning for Storage: To safely store the jam in your pantry for up to a year, follow the water bath canning instructions carefully. Make sure the jars and lids are properly sterilized and simmered for at least 10 minutes before filling. After processing, check that the seals are secure by pressing the center of each lid; it should not pop up.
Control Texture with Pectin: If you find the jam too thick, as some commenters noted, try reducing the pectin slightly (e.g., to 3/4 of a package) for a softer set, or skip it entirely since cranberries naturally release pectin when cooked. Conversely, if the jam doesn’t set properly, ensure you’re bringing it to a full rolling boil after adding the pectin and sugar, as this is crucial for the jam to gel.

How to make spicy Jalapeño Cranberry Jam

If you have never made jam, no stress there either, I promise, “pinky promise”. The whole secret is grabbing a box of pectin (Sure-Jell) when you are picking up your cranberries, jalapeños, and limes. Then you can follow a few simple steps and you will have jam in no time.

Directions:

Prepare 4 (1/2 pint) jelly jars with their lids by placing them in boiling water and allow to simmer while making the jam.

Cut open the jalapeños, remove membranes and dice.

cranberries and jalapeno peppers,Jalapeno jelly cream cheese

Add the whole cranberries, diced jalapeños, limes and their juice, apple cider vinegar, and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil
Continue to boil until cranberries burst
As the cranberries are cooking, crush with a potato masher and continue to boil
Add pectin and bring to rolling boil
Add sugar and bring back to a full rolling boil, boil for 2 minutes and remove from heat
Ladle into prepared ½ pint mason jars (jars and lids that have been simmering in boiling water for at least 10 minutes)
Wipe jar rims and cover with two-piece lids. Process jars in a hot water bath in canner pot for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely.
After jars are cool, check seals to make sure they are sealed (as per instructions in pectin box)

How to Serve this Cranberry Jalapeño Jam:

Jalapeno pepper jelly, cranberry jalapeno jam,Jalapeno jelly cream cheese

Place a full block (8 ounces) of cream on a serving small serving platter or plate. Spoon this jelly on top of the block of cream cheese.

Spicy Pepper Jelly,Jalapeno jelly cream cheese

Pair this Cranberry Pepper Jelly over cream cheese with gourmet crackers. Provide spreading knives for easy serving.

Making this Cranberry Jalapeño Jam is straightforward, even for a first-time jam maker, with these clear instructions and minimal prep work. The sweet-tart cranberries paired with the spicy kick of jalapeños create a perfectly balanced jam that truly shines when served over cream cheese with gourmet crackers. It’s a versatile appetizer that’s already become a staple for holiday gatherings. And the fact that it can be canned and stored for up to a year makes it a convenient go-to for last-minute entertaining. We believe you will agree that this recipe is a keeper!

Other Recipes for the Holidays:

🥣 Recipe