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Cranberry Apple Chutney

Cranberry apple chutney with thick, jammy fruit and warm spices. Simmer cranberries and diced apples until glossy, then cool completely for clean sliceable spoonfuls.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 140
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberries
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
Apples
  • 2 apples, peeled and diced
Red onion
  • 1 small red onion, finely diced
Golden raisins
  • 0.5 cup golden raisins
Brown sugar
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar, packed
Apple cider vinegar
  • 0.5 cup apple cider vinegar
Water
  • 0.5 cup water
Fresh ginger
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
Ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Ground cloves
  • 0.5 tsp ground cloves
Red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Simmer the base
  1. In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat until the surface is bubbling steadily (visual cue: rolling boil).
  2. Add the red onion, grated fresh ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, red pepper flakes, and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant (visual cue: spices darken slightly and the mixture smells warm).
Cook until thick and jammy
  1. Stir in the fresh cranberries, diced apples, and golden raisins. Bring back to a gentle simmer (visual cue: bubbles break the surface around the fruit).
  2. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring often, until thick and jammy. The chutney should cling to the spoon (visual cue: slow, glossy trails when you drag a spoon through).
Cool and serve
  1. Cool completely, then refrigerate until chilled. Serve with turkey, pork, or on a cheese board (visual cue: it has set into a spoonable, thick texture).

Notes

Pro tip: Stir more frequently during the last 10 minutes to prevent scorching as the chutney thickens. Refrigerate in a covered jar for up to 10 days; freeze for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a lower-sugar option, substitute half the brown sugar with an equal amount of light brown sugar plus a sugar-free granulated sweetener, then simmer as written until jammy.