Red chili pepper flakes — also called crushed red pepper — are made from dried chili peppers that have been coarsely ground to produce a mixture of flakes, seeds, and skin. Unlike red chili powder (which is finely ground), chili flakes retain visible texture and the seeds remain largely intact.

The seeds are a critical component — they carry a significant portion of the heat-producing capsaicin. This is why chili flakes tend to deliver a bright, direct hit of heat that builds as you eat, rather than the more diffuse, even warmth of finely ground chili powder.

Red chili flakes are typically made from cayenne peppers or a blend of cayenne and other dried red chilies. The specific blend determines the exact heat level, flavor complexity, and color of the finished product. Spicy Organic red chili flakes are made from 100% organic dried chili peppers — nothing added.

Chili peppers are native to Mexico and Central America, where they have been cultivated for over 9,000 years — making them one of the oldest cultivated crops in the Americas. Archaeological evidence from cave sites in Mexico indicates chilies were part of the human diet as early as 7000 BCE.

When Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas in 1492, he encountered chili peppers and — struck by their sharp, pungent bite similar to black pepper — named them "peppers." This is why we call them chili peppers today, despite the fact that they are completely unrelated to black pepper botanically. Black pepper belongs to the family Piperaceae; chili peppers belong to Capsicum, in the nightshade family Solanaceae.

Columbus brought chili seeds back to Europe, where they spread rapidly via Portuguese and Spanish trade routes. Within decades of Columbus's voyage, chilies had reached India, Africa, Southeast Asia, and China — transforming the cuisines of these regions permanently. It is difficult to imagine Indian curry, Sichuan cooking, or Thai food without chili peppers — yet none of these cuisines had access to them before the 16th century.

The specific technique of drying and crushing chilies into flakes is thought to have been developed in North Macedonia, where the tradition of drying red chilies and blending them into crushed pepper flakes became a regional culinary practice. Today crushed red pepper is a staple in Italian-American cooking and is found on tables in pizza parlors worldwide.

The heat in chili peppers comes from a compound called capsaicin, which binds to heat receptors (TRPV1 receptors) in the mouth and throat, creating the sensation of burning. Capsaicin is concentrated primarily in the seeds and white membrane (pith) of the pepper — not the red flesh itself, which is relatively mild.

Heat levels are measured on the Scoville scale — a numerical system measuring the concentration of capsaicin. The scale ranges from 0 (no heat, like bell peppers) to over 3 million (the world's hottest peppers). Typical red chili flakes, made from cayenne-type peppers, fall in the 30,000–50,000 Scoville range — substantial heat but very usable in everyday cooking.

Importantly, the heat level of chili flakes is affected by how they are added to a dish. Adding early in cooking mellows and diffuses the heat as capsaicin breaks down over time. Adding at the end or as a finishing element delivers a brighter, more direct punch.

We carry chili in multiple forms — all USDA Certified Organic, packed fresh in McKinney, Texas.