Cranberry Apple Chutney (Cranberry Sauce Alternative)

Cranberry Apple Chutney is a tart cranberry condiment filled with fresh cranberries, juicy apple and warm spices. It's a delicious spread to use to add flavor to meats and cheeses or as a side at your Thanksgiving table!

Why I love cranberry chutney:

This gorgeous chutney is almost too good to eat!

Almost.

I mean, check out those colors! Creating food that looks like this makes me incredibly happy, and it's one of those healthy recipes you can feel good about serving at your holiday meal.

So what is a chutney, anyway?

A cranberry chutney is different than a traditional cranberry sauce. It's basically a condiment that's meant to bring out the taste of the foods it's paired with.

And a chutney recipe is traditionally made with vinegar, which goes amazing with tart cranberry and some brown sugar for a touch of sweetness. Add apple and golden raisins to the mix and you're gonna be singing the praises of this chutney.

I love that it's easy to make but full of wonderful flavors.

It's also something different to add to the Thanksgiving spread, while being simple enough to whip up as a sidekick for baked chicken or pork.

Ingredients:

• fresh cranberries - I like to use fresh cranberries when they're in season. I picked some up today for $0.99 at Aldi so you gotta love that! If you don't have fresh, you can use frozen cranberries.
  
• apple - for this cranberry chutney, use a tart apple. One of my favorites is Granny Smith apples, though you can use any tart apple variety such as a Pink Lady, Cortland or Braeburn.
  
• golden raisins - truthfully, I don't know if there's a flavor difference between golden raisins and regular raisins. I like the lighter color of the golden raisins for this recipe.
  
  Don't have golden raisins? You can use regular raisins, no problem.
  
• brown sugar - to add a little sweetness and balance all the tart we have going on here!
  
• apple cider vinegar - chutneys typically have vinegar and apple cider vinegar was an easy decision here. It's a bit mellower and of course, it will pair well with the other fruit
  
• cinnamon, ginger, clove - not only do these spices make your kitchen smell incredible, they're autumn themed spices and add a nice balance of savory and spice. I use dried but you could also use fresh ginger if you have it.
  
• salt - it really makes a difference in this recipe, even though it's a very small amount.

How to make apple cranberry chutney

This recipe is so easy I've broken it down into two, count 'em - TWO steps!

Step 1: Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan. That's right, everyone in the pool!

Step 2: Cook over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberries are softened and mixture begins to gel.

See that streak across the pan there? That's pectin, which is a natural thickening agent in fruit. Once that starts to gel, reduce heat to low and stir more frequently and remove from heat. It thickens quickly from here!

Allow to cool and serve or cover and refrigerate to serve later.

What to serve with cranberry apple chutney

This apple and cranberry chutney is on the tart side. It's a delicious addition to sandwiches, roasted meats, or served as an appetizer atop cream cheese and crackers!

• Homemade Turkey Burgers
• Bratwurst (try it!)
• Alongside chicken nuggets
• for Thanksgiving dinner
• Try making cranberry apple chutney for pork. It's great with Simple Spice Rubbed Pork Loin
• crackers, whipped cream cheese and cranberry chutney
• Honey Butter Buttermilk Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches

Other cranberry recipes you'll love

• Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce
• Cranberry Orange Scones

I hope you'll give my cranberry chutney recipe a try!

Cranberry Apple Chutney

Deanne Frieders

Cranberry Apple Chutney is a tart cranberry condiment filled with fresh cranberries, juicy apple and warm spices. It’s a delicious spread to use to add flavor to meats and cheeses or as a side at your Thanksgiving table!

4 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Side Dish Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings 2 cups

Calories 94 kcal

Ingredients

  

.5x1x2x

• 2 cups fresh cranberries rinsed
• 1 Granny Smith apple cored and chopped
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• ⅔ cup brown sugar
• 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon ground clove
• 1/4/ teaspoon salt

Instructions

 

• Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan. Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberries are softened and mixture begins to gel.
  2 cups fresh cranberries, 1 Granny Smith apple, ¼ cup golden raisins, ⅔ cup brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon ground clove, 1/4/ teaspoon salt
• Allow to cool and serve or cover and refrigerate to serve later.

Notes

I like to use a Granny Smith apple, though you can use any tart apple such as a Pink Lady, Cortland or Braeburn variety.

Don't have golden raisins? You can use regular raisins. I chose golden raising for their lighter color but both will taste great!

This cranberry apple chutney is on the tart side. It's a delicious addition to sandwiches, roasted meats, or served as an appetizer atop cream cheese and crackers.!

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 94kcalCarbohydrates: 24gSodium: 79mgFiber: 2gSugar: 20g

This Farm Girl Cooks is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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