Cranberry Chutney

This easy cranberry chutney recipe has flavors of orange, apple, and warm spices. Cranberry chutney is delicious on all your holiday dishes, cheese platters, and makes a lovely homemade gift. It’s even great on Buddha bowls! 

I can’t believe it’s almost Thanksgiving! I was just looking at my kids’ school calendars and it seems there is very little school over the next couple of months. The holidays are here and will be whizzing past. I’m going to try my best to be mindful, grateful, and enjoy these special moments. If I’m not posting quite as consistently over the next couple of months it’s because I’ve got another very special job to do.

One of my favorite holiday ingredients has to be cranberries. Fresh cranberries are in season for such a short time, which makes them all the more special. Quick tip: fresh cranberries freeze very well so grab an extra bag at the store. I add them to smoothies all the time as they are very high in antioxidants.

I also love, love, love cranberry sauce. It takes this Smashed Chickpea and Avocado Sandwich to another level of deliciousness. Cranberry chutney is like cranberry sauce, but with even more layers of flavor. This cranberry chutney would be an awesome alternative to traditional cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving. If you prefer a traditional cranberry sauce, try this recipe! 

What is chutney?

Like jam, chutney is a made from a base of fruit that is simmered down into preserves. Unlike jam, chutney also has vinegar and savory flavors. Chutney has origins in Indian cooking and has evolved as it’s been made in other parts of the world. Indian curries are often served with savory-sweet chutney. The chutney here is an English style Indian chutney, rather than a very authentic Indian recipe. Indian food, and chutney, are very popular in the UK. Chutneys come in a variety of flavors, with mango, apple, and tomato being some of the most popular. Chutney usually includes a base of fresh fruit with some dried fruit added in for texture. Raisins are the most common dried fruit addition, but apricots are lovely too.

Homemade chutney is very easy to make. I toss all the ingredients in the saucepan together and they simmer for about 40 minutes. I’ll share a little about how I came to this specific cranberry chutney recipe. As I mentioned, Indian dishes like curry and chutney are very popular in the UK. So I checked out this video on BBC Good Food on the proper way to make chutney. I knew I wanted to make a holiday chutney using bright fresh cranberries. I had tried one from Stonewall Kitchen years ago that made a wonderful accoutrement on a big beautiful cheese board. So I took those flavors and ingredients and made them in the traditional English-Indian way. This cranberry chutney ads a ton of flavor to any dish.

How do I use cranberry chutney?

There are many uses for chutney, but it would be absolutely perfect on your Thanksgiving or holiday table. It adds a fresh tangy-sweet bite to any savory dish. Cranberry chutney is perfect with crostini and a soft cheese (my favorite is Treeline cheeses, which are made with nuts). A spoonful of this chutney made my curry roasted chickpea Buddha bowl more flavorful and delicious than ever! Curry and chutney are a classic combination. If you’d like me to write up a recipe for these bowls just let me know. I can’t get enough of this one! When I was first making this chutney I hadn’t even realized it would be so delicious with quinoa and roasted veggies. I know it would be even tastier with Thanksgiving stuffing!

Part of the reason chutney was originally made with vinegar was so that it could be preserved for extended periods of time. Chutney has always been one way to enjoy fruit all year long. I haven’t canned this recipe and am not certain it contains the correct amount of vinegar for canning. Do I have any canning gurus who can let us know? I make a single batch and store it in the refrigerator where it should stay fresh for at least a couple of weeks. Homemade chutney also makes a beautiful handmade holiday gift. I would love to bring this as a hostess gift. I made printable gift tags that you’re welcome to download for free. CLICK HERE FOR THE CHUTNEY TAGS.

Don’t miss the short video to see how simple homemade chutney really is!

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Yield: about 2 cups

Cranberry Chutney

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

This easy cranberry chutney recipe is made with orange, apple, and warm spices. Cranberry chutney is delicious on all your holiday dishes, cheese platters, and makes a lovely homemade gift.

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Ingredients

• 1 (12 oz.) bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1 cup dried apricots, diced
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Instructions

1. Place all the ingredients into a medium or large sauce pan. Turn the heat to medium high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the chutney simmer for 30 minutes until the fruit has softened and broken down. Uncover and let simmer another 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the chutney is nice and thick.
2. Cool completely and then transfer to a storage jar or container. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 113Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 4mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 3gSugar: 24gProtein: 1g