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Simple and delicious, this Cranberry Apple Chutney recipe is a great addition to any holiday meal. A handful of ingredients and under 30 minutes to prep! Juicy apples, fresh tart cranberries, golden raisins, orange zest, and a touch of brown sugar and cinnamon will compliment your festive dinner!
There is no need to buy a can of cranberry sauce this year–unless you really love it, and I know some people do. Opt for a chutney instead!
This Cranberry Apple Chutney is so simple to make. Tart whole cranberries, fresh apples, warm spices and a hint of balsamic–this one is WOW. Make it in advance to save room on the stove!
Try these other apple recipes as well: Apple Arugula Salad, Apple Cranberry Crisp, or Simple Apple Sage Stuffing.
Why You will Love This cranberry apple chutney recipe:
- It so simple! Minimal ingredients and so easy to make. Can easily be made in advance as well. It’s really a matter of bringing everything together in a pot to boil and then allowing it to simmer until thick.
- The balsamic vinegar adds a fun twist on a classic. Typically chutney is made with apple cider vinegar. Using the balsamic instead of that a different richness to the chutney.
- It’s the perfect holiday meal compliment. Whether you love them or not, cranberries are pretty much part of all holiday feasts. Try something that is more than just the can or a traditional cranberry sauce and people may actually eat it, right?!
- You can use it beyond just turkey! This cranberry apple chutney is also great on these Brie Crostini, over baked brie, on top of baked chicken, on a charcuterie board and so much more!
Ingredients:
- cranberries: fresh cranberries are ideal in this apple cranberry chutney, but you can technically use frozen if desired. Either will work. Dried cranberries however will not work in this recipe.
- balsamic vinegar: this ingredients really makes the flavor of the chutney a bit bolder and more unique than others. You will see apple cider vinegar typically in a recipe like this, but we love the way the balsamic adds its own pop.
- orange juice: freshly squeezed orange juice for the best flavor!
- orange zest: this adds my favorite layer of flavor to this dish.
- brown sugar: light brown sugar or dark will work.
- apple: you can certainly opt for your favorite type of apple, but some will certainly work better in this recipe than others. A tart apple works well in this recipe: granny smith apples, Fuji apples, Honeycrisp and the like. Again, still ok to use your favorite.
- golden raisins: these add a touch of chew to the dish. You can add regular raisins but I find that the golden raisins color makes the chutney more beautiful and regular raisins not so much
- cinnamon: a touch of warm spice to pull it all together. You can add a pinch of nutmeg as well if you would like. You could also add a tough of fresh ginger if you’d like.
cranberry sauce vs chutney
This answer was not as easy to find as I had hoped. From what I could piece together though, cranberry sauce is typically sweeter than a chutney.
Chutneys tend to have a slight savory flavor to them–this can come from vinegars. A chutney can be much chunkier with the addition of other fruits or even vegetables.
I have made a cranberry chutney before that is somewhat similar to this one, but this go I decided to add in balsamic vinegar and give it a whirl. Then you toss in big juicy chunks of apples, golden raisins, brown sugar and a touch of cinnamon and you are ready to roll!
Let me tell you I ate this delicious cranberry chutney recipe by the spoonful! No Thanksgiving dinner needed.
How to Make this Chutney:
- Add all the ingredients to a medium sauce pan and stir to combine.
- Set to medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until the cranberries start to pop.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until it thickens, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and let chutney cool. You can serve this apple cranberry chutney chilled or at room temperature–your preference!
Storage:
This apple cranberry chutney is a great make ahead dish that becomes richer and more flavorful after being refrigerated for at least one night. Transfer the recipe to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to about 2 weeks.
You can also freeze this chutney. Allow it to cool completely and add to a freezer safe bag and remove all the air and seal tight. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Other Holiday Favorites:
- SIMPLE APPLE SAGE STUFFING
- BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASSEROLE
- WARM BRIE CROSTINI WITH CRANBERRY CHUTNEY
- POMEGRANATE, ROSEMARY AND BRIE STUFFED CRESCENT ROLLS
- INSTANT POT GARLIC PARMESAN MASHED POTATOES
- NO BAKE PUMPKIN CRUMBLE BARS
- SNICKERDOODLE CHEESECAKE STUFFED CRESCENT WREATH
- PUMPKIN PIE CRUMBLE
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Cranberry Apple Chutney Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz. package fresh cranberries
- 2 T balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 c orange juice (freshly squeezed or store bought)
- zest of one orange
- 3/4 c brown sugar
- 1 apple small diced
- 1/2 c golden raisins
- 1/2 – 1 tsp of cinnamon (more to taste)
Instructions
- In a sauce pan, combine all ingredients for the chutney and stir. Bring to a boil on medium high, stirring occasionally until cranberries begin to pop.
- Reduce the heat to low and allow to heat for approximately 15 minutes stirring occasionally or until thickened.
- Transfer to a bowl and chill until cooled. You can make the chutney 1-2 days ahead of time. Top with extra orange zest or chopped pecans if desired
Notes
- This is great served chilled, but it can be served warmed if you prefer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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