Habanero Apricot Jelly Recipe + Bonus Chicken Wings Appetizer | Rose Red Homestead

Welcome to Rose Red Homestead! As September winds down and October peeks around the corner, it's the perfect time to take stock of your pantry. When we checked our jelly supply, we discovered only one jar left of a longtime favorite: Habanero Apricot Jelly. This vibrant, sweet-and-spicy preserve is not only a crowd-pleaser—it's also perfect for holiday gifts and flavorful meals year-round.

In this post, we’ll walk you through how to make this tangy, peppery jelly using a recipe from the trusted Ball Blue Book of Canning. Plus, stick around for a bonus chicken wing recipe using the jelly—perfect as an appetizer or main dish for family gatherings!

Why You'll Love Habanero Apricot Jelly
Sweet meets heat: The apricot's natural sugar balances the bold kick of habanero peppers.

Perfect for gifting: Dress up jars with ribbons or tags and give them as holiday gifts.

Versatile in the kitchen: Use it as a glaze, spread, or marinade (especially for wings!).

Ingredients for Habanero Apricot Jelly
This recipe comes straight from the Ball Blue Book. Here’s what you’ll need:

6 cups granulated sugar

⅔ cup chopped dried apricots (soaked overnight in 1½ cups white vinegar)

½ cup finely chopped red onion

½ cup chopped sweet red bell pepper

¼ cup chopped habanero peppers (wear gloves!)

1 (3 oz) pouch liquid pectin

💡 Tip: Always wear gloves when handling hot peppers to avoid skin irritation from capsaicin.

Tools You’ll Need
We love using a Maslin pan for jelly making. It heats evenly and is perfect for boiling sugar mixtures. You can find it on Amazon—last we checked, it was half the price we paid last year!

Also prep:

Clean, hot canning jars (sterilized optional but warmed is essential)

Water bath canner

Jar lifter, funnel, and lid tools

Cooking Instructions
In a large Maslin pan or heavy pot, add the sugar.

Pour in the vinegar-soaked apricots and stir well. Make sure all sugar is saturated to avoid burning.

Add the onions, bell peppers, and habaneros. Stir until well combined.

Bring mixture to a rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.

Add the liquid pectin and stir constantly for one minute.

Immediately ladle into hot jars, leaving ⅛ inch headspace.

Wipe rims, secure lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Pro Tips for Evenly Suspended Veggies
Sometimes the chopped fruit and vegetables float to the top. Here’s how we fixed it:

After canning, let jars cool slightly.

Then, alternate turning jars upside down and right-side up as they gel. This helps suspend the solids evenly throughout the jelly.

Bonus: Apricot Habanero Chicken Wings Recipe
While your jelly cools, put it to delicious use right away with these Southeast Asian-style chicken wings!

Ingredients:
Leftover habanero apricot jelly

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tbsp fresh grated ginger

Zest and juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp butter

Crispy baked chicken wings

Directions:
Mix the jelly with cilantro, ginger, lime zest and juice, and butter.

Toss the hot, crispy wings in the sauce until coated.

Serve warm as a main dish or appetizer.

🍗 Flavor Profile: A little sweet, a little tangy, with a subtle heat that keeps you coming back for more!

Final Thoughts and Tips
The jelly turned out beautifully (mostly!). The smaller jars suspended the veggies more evenly than the larger ones. Next time, I might cook the mixture slightly longer before adding the pectin to encourage earlier gelling.

Whether you're making gifts or cooking for a gathering, Habanero Apricot Jelly is a must-have recipe for your homestead kitchen. We hope you’ll give it a try and enjoy it as much as we do!