by 
A sweet and spicy apricot sauce that's perfect for basting on barbecued chicken, glazing meatballs or serving over cream cheese with crackers. This jalapeno apricot sauce is so tasty with just a touch of heat.
This simple sauce is made with fresh apricots, jalapenos, sugar and white wine vinegar.
Why make this sauce
Jalapeno Apricot Sauce - is it a jam or is it a sauce? The answer is yes to both! This starts out as a jam but then white wine vinegar and fresh jalapenos are added and it becomes a sauce.
The vinegar adds a bit of a tang, that makes it perfect for adding to barbecued meats, glazing cocktail meatballs or serving as an appetizer on top of cream cheese.
This tasty sauce can also be used in my baked apricot chicken recipe! Just use this sauce in place of the homemade apricot jam sauce.
Key ingredients
- Fresh apricots
- Jalapeno
- Sugar
- White wine vinegar
Step by step directions
- Cut apricots in half and remove pit. Cut apricots into small chunks.
- Add apricots and sugar to a sauce pot.
- Heat over medium heat stirring often.
- Continue cooking until temperature reaches 220°
- Add chopped jalapenos and vinegar.
- Cook over low heat for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and place in a heatproof dish.
Recipe tips
- No need to remove skin from apricots - just remove pit and chop into small pieces
- Remove seeds from jalapenos and chop jalapenos into a small dice. Use caution when handling jalapenos. The spicy oils will transfer to your hands - avoid touching your eyes or other sensitive areas.
- Stir sauce often to avoid scorching
- Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools
Shortcut method
I like to make this sauce from scratch, using fresh apricots. However, sometimes fresh might not be available or you want a sauce quicker than making from scratch. This shortcut method works really well.
- Use one cup of prepared apricot jam
- Heat jam over medium heat along with the vinegar and jalapenos
- Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes
- Remove from heat and use as desired
Ways to use sauce
- Use as a glaze with barbecued chicken breast - add during the final 10 minutes of cooking. Baste and turn every few minutes.
- Pour over cream cheese and serve with crackers
- Use with cocktail meatballs
- Use as a dip for chicken nuggets or coconut shrimp
- Bake in wonton cups
- Add to a toasted bagel with cream cheese
- As a dipping sauce with chicken tenders
Recipe Faqs
Apricots contain natural pectin. The sauce is heated to 220° which is the temperature needed for jam to set.
The sauce will last up to two weeks when stored in the refrigerator.
More great apricot recipes
If you have an abundance of apricots or just love them as much as I do, you'll also want to check out these recipes!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious condiment recipes!
Jalapeno Apricot Sauce
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Chef Knife
Ingredients
- 1 cup apricots (chopped)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 jalapeno (finely diced)
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
Instructions
- Add chopped apricots and sugar to a sauce pan.1 cup apricots, 1 cup sugar
- Heat over medium heat until temperature of sauce reaches 220° F or reaches the gel stage for jam.
- Add jalapenos and vinegar and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring often.1 jalapeno, ½ cup white wine vinegar
- Remove from heat and add to a heat proof container. Store in refrigerator until use or use right away.
Notes
- Use one cup of prepared apricot jam
- Heat jam over medium heat along with the vinegar and jalapenos
- Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes
- Remove from heat and use as desired
- No need to remove skin from apricots - just remove pit and chop into small pieces
- Remove seeds from jalapenos and chop jalapenos into a small dice. Use caution when handling jalapenos. The spicy oils will transfer to your hands - avoid touching your eyes or other sensitive areas.
- Stir sauce often to avoid scorching
- Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Vicki says
Can apple cider vintages be used instead
Kathy says
Yes, you could use apple cider vinegar.
Enjoy!
Lesa says
If you’d like more if a jam consistency can you omit the vinegar?
Kathy says
Hi Lesa,
Yes, you can omit the vinegar and turn it into a jam instead of sauce.
Enjoy!
Kathy
Dana Wilson says
Could canned apricots be used instead of fresh. I would assume that less sugar would be needed.
Thank!
Kathy says
Hi Dana,
I have only used fresh apricots in this recipes. If you try it, you would need to use less sugar, depending on how sweet your apricots are and if you use any of the juice from the canning liquid. Let me know how it turns out if you give it at try!
Kathy
Drew says
Are these apricots peeled?
Kathy says
Hi Drew,
The apricots are not peeled.
Enjoy! 🙂
Terri says
Hi Kathy,just wanted to apologize for the name mixup 😊
Kathy says
No worries 🙂
Helen says
Hi Kathy, do you think this would work with dried apricots ?? i am guessing it would change the texture, but could you blitz it maybe?
Kathy says
Hi Helen,
I have only used fresh apricots in this recipes. I do not think dried ones would work.
Kathy
Terri says
Hi Michelle , sounds delicious! Do you peel the apricots or leave skins on?
Kathy says
Terri,
The apricot skins are left on. Just cut each apricot in half and remove the pit and then give the apricots a rough chop. No need to remove the skin!
Enjoy - Kathy 🙂
Tiffany says
Could this be stored in the freezer like freezer jam?
Kathy says
Yes, you could freeze this sauce like freezer jam!
Enjoy 🙂
Melissa says
Could this be canned? Any additional ingredients needed for canning? Process for 10-15 min?
Kathy says
Hi Melissa,
Yes, this can be canned without changing the ingredients. You would process in a hot water bath, but the processing time would depend on what size jar you used and your elevation. These specifics can be found at any canning site (Ball, Kerr or a university extension office.)
Enjoy!
Pat DeVita-Vessa says
I just want to know is it necessary to can like apple sauce?
Kathy says
Hi Pat,
It depends on what you are planning on doing with the sauce. You only need to can the sauce and process with a hot water bath if you are planning on storing the sauce at room temperature for a long period of time (several months) If you are using right away or storing in the fridge, you do not need to can it.
Enjoy!
Michelle says
How long will this keep in the refrigerator?
Kathy says
Hi Michelle,
You can store for up to three weeks in the refrigerator.
Enjoy! 🙂
Trina Sarao says
It does not indicate if the apricots are dried or fresh. What is recommend?
Kathy says
This recipe is made with fresh apricots.
Margaret Stanton says
Hi Kathy,
Can this be canned? Looks so good.
Margaret
Kathy says
Hi Margaret,
I have not canned this, but you there's no reason you can't! Just follow the same process you would for making jam.
Thanks!
Kathy
Margaret Stanton says
Thank you so much! A friend gave me apricots today, so I'm going to try your recipe this weekend.🌻
Kathy Corbett says
What about the skin on the apricots do you peal this off? All you mention is take out the pit and chop.
Kathy says
Hi,
I do not remove the skin from the apricots.
Enjoy! 🙂
Susan says
Kathy, this sounds great! I do have a question: Do you leave the seeds in the jalapeno!
Kathy says
I did not add the seeds. The seeds will add more heat. You could add them if you wanted it spicier.
Enjoy! 🙂
2pots2cook says
Love how you put apricots together with spicy jalapeno. Since the apricot season is gone over here, keeping for next one to prepare and serve with cheeses. Thank you !
Kathy says
So delicious with cheese!
Valentina says
I just love sweet and spicy. I can think of a million things to pair this with!. Yum!
David @ Spiced says
This sounds delicious, Kathy! I immediately thought of brushing this sauce/jam over grilled chicken, but your idea of a bagel w/ cream cheese is totally calling to me now. I love the spicy + sweet combo you've got going on here, too. I don't have any apricots in the backyard, but at least I do have some jalapenos this year! I know how I should use a couple of 'em now. 🙂
Kelly | Foodtasia says
Kathy, this jalapeno apricot sauce looks wonderful! Love the sweet and spicy! It looks so good on the grilled chicken!
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes says
What a delicious combination of flavours, Kathy! I love the idea of this and I know it would be such a fantastic pantry staple, or great edible gift 🙂
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I think I'd be slathering this over lots of things Kathy! Bet it's totally delicious.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
I'm alllll over sweet and savoury/spicy combos so this is totally calling my name! I can think of so many uses for this sauce. Bet it would be especially good on a grilled cheese sandwich 🙂
Kathy says
Ooohhh!!! I hadn't thought of adding to a grilled cheese! That sounds awesome! Guess what I'm going to have for lunch? Thanks for the idea!
Jb says
Can you use dried apricots?
Kathy says
I have not tried making this with dried apricots. 🙂