The Best Homemade Sweet Chilli Jam 55 mins 500
This post may contain affiliate links. Where I make a small commission on purchased items, at no extra cost to you. See my disclosure for details.
This flavour packed sweet chilli jam is the champion of ALL jams! It takes a regular old sandwich to the next level, and elevates your cheese board to excellence. Never made sweet chilli jam before? Don't worry! This post is packed full of helpful tips, to ensure great results first time.
Not sure how to sterilise jars?
Download your free printable guide, which includes helpful Do’s and Dont's so you can preserve safely and confidently.
What is sweet chilli jam used for?
Want to make the most of this incredible savoury jam? Here's how...
- Sweet chilli jam goes perfectly with cheese, so a cheese board is my obvious favourite!
- Spread a layer on a sandwich to take it to the next level.
- Bake it onto a savoury cookie, like these rosemary and thyme thumbprint cookies.
- They taste great on crackers!
- Water it down a little and use as a fantastic glaze for meats.
- Smear a little on the base of your next homemade pizza before topping with the usual ingredients.
- Enjoy with cheese on toast.
- Sweet chilli jam makes a lovely homemade gift!
What to put on a cheese board
Want to have the best cheese board in ALL the land? Besides this sensational sweet chilli jam, and your cheeses - you should consider adding a few of these beauties...
- Cheese biscuits
- Pickled onions
- Ham and cheese cracker snacks
- Spicy rosemary thins
- Beetroot chutney
- Pickled red onions
Try thinking outside the box a little. Even zingy delights like quick pickled carrots would be perfect on a cheese board!
Recipe tips and troubleshooting
Here are some tips you might find helpful when making sweet chilli jam.
- Use the widest pan you have. The larger the surface area, the faster it will reduce. If you use a tall, narrow pan, it will take much longer!
- Hand getting too hot when you skin the 'scum' off the top? Wear rubber gloves.
- Unsure if your sweet chilli jam is ready? Use the step by step picture recipe to see exactly what it should look like.
- Make sure that both the sweet chilli jam and your sterilised jars are hot when you bottle. This will ensure they seal properly.
- Jars didn't seal? Make sure they're at room temperature and reseal the lids tightly. Then stand them in a pot of cold water and slowly bring it to the boil (so the jam heats, as well as the jar). Once everything is hot, remove from the pan, dry off, and allow to cool. They should now seal properly.
- Don't place your filled hot jam jars on a cold surface. Or the glass will likely crack/smash due to the change in temperature.
How to Make Sweet Chilli Jam - Step by Step Picture Recipe
(For a printer friendly version, see the recipe card at the end of this post)
Please note, this recipe includes both UK metric and US Cup measurements.
Ingredients and equipment
Here is what you will need to fill 1 x 500ml (2 Cups) jam jar.
Ingredients
- 4 Red Peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 5 Red Chillis, green tops sliced off *
- 5cm sized piece of Fresh Ginger, skin sliced off
- 4 Garlic Cloves, peeled
- 200g (7 oz) Tinned Tomatoes
- 375g (1 Cup + ⅞) Golden Caster Sugar
- 125ml (½ Cup) Red Wine Vinegar
*Leave the seeds in. You need the heat to combat the sweetness.
Essential equipment
- Food Processor
- 500ml (2 Cups) Jam Jar
- A Wide Saucepan/Pot
- Small Bowl
- Spoon
Instructions
First, add all the prepared vegetables into the food processor (4 x red peppers, 5 x red chillis, 5cm fresh ginger, 4 x garlic cloves), along with the tinned tomatoes (200g | 7 oz).
Blitz until everything is finely chopped. Then pour it all into a wide heavy based saucepan/pot, and add in the golden caster sugar (375g | 1 Cup + ⅞) and the red wine vinegar (125ml | ½ Cup).
Give everything a good stir, then turn the heat up to high, and bring to the boil.
Once boiling, you will notice an orange, frothy 'scum' floating to the top. You need to skim all this out.
Get a small bowl and a spoon, and simply scoop it out whenever it appears. This will only last for the first 5 minutes or so, then no more should appear.
Now bring the temperature down to a simmer, and allow to bubble away and reduce. You want it to become thick and sticky. It will look like the image below.
Make sure to stir it every now and then. It could take about45 minutes to an hour. But this depends on the size of your pan and the heat you have it over.
At this stage, It's important to keep a close eye on your Sweet Chilli Jam. Stir more often, so it doesn't catch and burn on the bottom of the pan. It's a good idea to turn the heat down a little too.
When the jam has reduced to the point where, if you run a spoon through it, it leaves a trail - it's ready to be poured (still hot) into a sterilised jar.
Note that this jam will only thicken a little bit when cooled (due to the lack of pectin in the ingredients). So if you would like yours a little thicker, keep reducing until it reaches your desired texture.
How to Sterilise a Jam Jar
If you're using a clip jar (like me), make sure you remove the rubber seals.
With the jar open, place it on a baking tray, and pop into a preheated oven at 190°C/Fan 180°C/374ºF for 20 minutes. You now have a sterilised jar.
However, make sure you don't touch the insides. As this will contaminate it.
How to Preserve Sweet Chilli Jam
Place the rubber seal back on if required. Then, while the jam AND jar are still warm, spoon the jam into your hot jar and seal.
Allow to cool completely at room temperature. If you sealed them properly and used glass jars with metal lids, you will hear a pop when they're cooling.
How to store sweet chilli jam
Sweet chilli jam will last up to 12 months if sealed properly, and stored in a cool dark place. Sometimes, even longer.
Once you've opened it, store in the fridge and consume within 3-4 months.
Loved This Recipe? Pin It!
The Best Sweet Chilli Jam Recipe
This flavour packed sweet chilli jam is the champion of ALL jams! Makes a lovely homemade gift, and pairs perfectly with cheese.
Ingredients
- 4 x Red Peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 5 x Red Chillis, green tops sliced off *
- 5cm sized piece of Fresh Ginger, skin sliced off
- 4 x Garlic Cloves, peeled
- 200g (7 oz) Tinned Tomatoes
- 375g (1 Cup + ⅞) Golden Caster Sugar
- 125ml (½ Cup) Red Wine Vinegar
Essential Equipment
- Food Processor
- 500ml (2 Cups) Jam Jar
- A Wide Saucepan/Pot
- Small Bowl
- Spoon
Instructions
- Add the red pepper, chillis, ginger, garlic cloves and tinned tomatoes to a food processor. Blitz until finely chopped.
- Tip the mixture into a very wide saucepan or pot, and add the caster sugar and red wine vinegar. Place over a high heat and bring to the boil.
- When the orange scum floats to the top, skim it off into a bowl with a spoon. (This will subside the longer the jam cooks.)
- Reduce the heat to a simmer, and continue to cook until the jam has reduced, and is very thick. It will take around 45 mins to 1 hour, but could be longer. When you run a spoon through it, it should leave a trail.
- Pour the jam into a hot, sterilised jam jar. Seal and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
Notes
*Leave the seeds in. You need the heat to combat the sweetness.
If you would rather use a more in depth picture recipe, please see the main body of this post. Where you’ll also find lots of extra FAQs and helpful tips, should you need them.
Please note, this recipe includes both UK metric and US Cup measurements.
Storage
Sweet chilli jam will last up to 12 months if sealed properly, and stored in a cool dark place. Sometimes, even longer.
Once you've opened it, store in the fridge and consume within 3-4 months.
Tips
- Use the widest pan you have. The larger the surface area, the faster it will reduce. If you use a tall, narrow pan, it will take much longer!
- Hand getting too hot when you skin the ‘scum’ off the top? Wear rubber gloves.
- Make sure that both the sweet chilli jam and your sterilised jars are hot when you bottle. This will ensure they seal properly.
- Jars didn’t seal? Make sure they’re at room temperature and reseal the lids tightly. Then stand them in a pot of cold water and slowly bring it to the boil (so the jam heats, as well as the jar). Once everything is hot, remove from the pan, dry off, and allow to cool. They should now seal properly.
- Don’t place your filled hot jam jars on a cold surface. Or the glass will likely crack/smash due to the change in temperature.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 30 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 213Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 345mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 1gSugar: 25gProtein: 6g
Other savoury preserve recipes
Emma is a British recipe writer, home cook, and founder of Kitchen Mason. For over 15 years, she has been creating simple, comforting recipes and practical kitchen tips that help tired, everyday people make dinner feel easier and more enjoyable again. Passionate about British home cooking, Emma shares reliable recipes, comforting classics, and realistic kitchen guidance designed for real life. Her work has also been featured in publications including Food Network, Cosmopolitan, and The Huffington Post.
Knowledgeable On: British home cooking, Easy dinner ideas, Comfort food recipes, Recipe writing
I just harvested and trimmed the last of my chilies and weighed them then searched again for this recipe, because I've made it before and its a keeper! So for anyone interested in weights I used 250g nett weight topped chillies and 130g nett weight de-seeded and de-membraned red capsicum pepper. This is way heavier on the chillies than the recipe but I like it HOT, and am confident that any combo of fresh chillies and peppers that weighs around <400g> is going to work.
Hi Simon. I’m so glad you love my recipe! Thank you for sharing your variation. I’m sure others who like it HOT will
Find it very helpful 🙂 Emma x
@Simon, this is a great tip!
I have made about a dozen batches now and they all have come out perfect.
I use 5-7 chocolate ghosts for a hot but packed with flavour jam.
10-15 pineapple ajis or scotch bonnets for a medium heat and just top up to 400g with the red capsicum.
Absolutely love this recipe! Making again for the third time as the double batch I made in November with our home grown chillis have all been given out as presents - so this morning I’m making a double batch for us too! So yummy.
Hi Angie. Oh I’m super happy you love it so much!! Thanks for sharing, it’s made my day 🙂 I’m currently making a batch myself! Emma x
Amazing accompaniment for salt and pepper squid
That sounds delicious Peter! Glad you liked my recipe 🙂 Emma x
Just made it, it's amazing and so easy!
Thank you
Hi Debbie. Aww yay!! I'm so happy you love my recipe! Thank you for taking the time to share 🙂 Emma x
I make this loads now. Amazing recipe, especially with bbq season upon us.
Hi Alan. I’m super excited that you love my recipe so much! Thank you for taking the time to share your kind words with me 🙂 Emma x
Hi I have made the chilli jam looks lovely however I was a bit unsure of what size chilli’s I should use, my husband bought the really long chilli’s so I only used 1 and three quarters because I don’t like it to spicy, I’ve tasted it I can hardly taste chilli so would you recommend using the smaller ones
Hi Michele. I use the ones that are available here in most UK supermarkets. You tend to buy them in small bags of 4 or 5. They're usually no more than 10cm/4" long at the most though. Emma x
@Emma, thank you I will definitely make it again with the smaller ones.
You’re very welcome Michele! Emma x
My Mom taught me the method of using wax to top seal jams, back in the 70s. I have not kept up with other options. Thanks for the recipe and the method. I'll probably only make one jar at a time, just two of us here now.
I really like chilli pepper jam with poultry meat, especially sandwiches. Woo Hoo!
Hi Greger I’ve not heard of wax sealing jars, sounds very interesting. Chilli jam in sandwiches is great, I love it with cheese to - it’s a perfect pairing! Emma x
Hello! If using the proper canning method in a water bath can this jam be shelf stable? If so for how long?
Hi Rebecca. I'll be honest, I only know how to can the way I've stated in this recipe. So long as everything is hot when you seal the jar (the jam and jar itself) it will seal properly and keep for a very long time. I've actually had a large jar of this last opened in my fridge for up to a year and it is still absolutely fine. Hope this helps! Emma x
@Emma,
Thank you so much for the feedback! Do you ever leave the jam out at room temp for months at a time or does it always go straight in the fridge?
Hi Rebecca. I usually only make one jar at a time so it's almost always open in the fridge. However, I see absolutely no reason that this jam wouldn't last for a long time unopened if properly sealed. Emma x
@Emma,
That’s great to know, thank you!
You're very welcome Rebecca 🙂 Emma x
Hi Emma, I am looking forward to trying this recipe. However, the chillies I have grown are small and probably smaller than the ones you use. Could you give me the weight in grams for the chillies please? Thanks for sharing the recipe I can't wait to try it Xx
Hi Aurora. I wouldn't say size/weight is what's important with the chillis if I'm honest. Every time I make this my chillis are different sizes! It's more about what level of heat you want. Hope this helps, Emma x
i posted this question at 1256 on 3 june but for some reason it still shows as pending so not sure it has been registered? so sending again...........
Hi – is this recipe scaleable. I have many more chillis than the 5-6 so want to make as many jars as possible. I would have thought that doubling the quantities would be ok but not tripling or beyond? Grateful for thoughts
Hi Kevin. I did reply - did you not see it? Emma x
Hi - is this recipe scaleable. I have many more chillis than the 5-6 so want to make as many jars as possible. I would have thought that doubling the quantities would be ok but not tripling or beyond? Grateful for thoughts
Hi Kevin. I’ve made 2 batches at the same time and it’s been fine. Just bare in mind the size of your pan and the time it could take to cook as a consequence. (The smaller/taller the pot the longer it will take, the larger/wider the pot the faster it will cook.) You could also freeze your extra chillis for next time as an alternative. Emma x
Great recipe, really liked the Jam but my wife likes a bit more bite to it so I added one Scotch Bonnet to the mix. Wow, really lifts it. As you say great with most Cheeses. Thankyou.
Hi David. That's great!! I'm so happy you and your wife loved it and knew exactly what to do to tweak it to your tastes 🙂 Emma x
This recipe was brilliant and worked so well. Good tip about sterilising the jars too.
So simple and very tasty.
Hi Jayne. You're so very welcome!! I'm super happy you enjoyed using my recipe 🙂 Emma x
Im just about to make my second batch as we enjoyed the first, which I made double 12 months ago. This time I am gifting a few jars. 😀
Woohoo!! So glad you're enjoying my recipe Caroll 🙂 Emma x
Hi, I made the chilli jam and it come out beautifully. I noticed that the jam tastes better as it matures.
I have an abundance of red chillies in my garden and I will making another batch today
Hi Josephine. I'm so happy you love my recipe!! It's lovely to know that it tastes even better as it matures. Not going to lie, mine never really makes it that long haha! Emma x