Cranberry Chutney – Barefeet in the Kitchen

Sweet, tart, and full of cranberries, apples, raisins, and spices, cranberry chutney is sure to become a must-have on the holiday table.

Cranberry Chutney

I am a HUGE fan of cranberries that is clear. But what I love is creating recipes that celebrate the tartness of the cranberries and don’t just overpower it with sugar.

There are so many ways to create that balance and this chutney does that beautifully with a combination of sugars from other fruits, spices, heat from red pepper flakes, acid, and a deeper sweet note that comes from brown sugar, not white.

I know it is a bit of a stretch to say this will replace your cranberry sauce. But give it a chance it just might. The delicious scents that come from putting everything in the pan and just letting it simmer might be even better than eating it.

Apple Cranberry Chutney

I am always curious to know how others serve cranberry chutney. Do you serve it hot or cold? It is a very important question and some have strong opinions about it. I am team it depends, just hold the canned cranberry sauce though.

If I am serving it to go on a warm savory item like pork chops, ham, or a turkey, I like to warm it up. It doesn’t make sense to put a super cold item on top of something that is best enjoyed hot.

So if I make the apple cranberry chutney the day before I plan to serve it, I reheat it on low in a saucepan. It doesn’t need to be brought to a boil or anything, just a low simmer is perfect. If I am going to serve it cold, I set it out for about an hour before serving, just enough to take the refrigerator chill off of it.

There are countless ways to serve cranberry chutney! You can use it in dips or on a sandwich. Top a crostini or spoon it on top of a puff pastry baked brie.

The options are endless for the sweet yet slightly savory chutney. Leftover chutney works deliciously on top of your morning oatmeal or hot cereal.

Cranberry Chutney Recipe

Ingredients 

• medium tart apples 
• cranberries
• raisins
• light brown sugar
• apple cider vinegar
•  kosher salt
• ground cinnamon
• ground ginger
• ground cloves
• red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Combine the apples, cranberries, raisins, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and red pepper flakes in a large saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to simmer for about 25 minutes, until the apples have softened, the cranberries have burst, and the sauce has thickened.
3. Remove from the heat and transfer to an airtight container. Let cool and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Apple Cranberry Recipes

Apples and cranberries are a perfect match. I love the sweet-tart balance you can get in these recipes by combining the two. This cranberry apple tart and warm cranberry apple cider are proof of that.

Slightly chewy with a sweetly tart combination, cranberry oatmeal bars are full of cranberries and apples topped with brown sugar and oatmeal crumbs.

Old fashioned apple crisp has long been a stand-by recipe for me add an entire bag of cranberries for a perfect not-to-sweet cranberry apple crisp. One that works for any occasion and no one seems to turn it down.

The apple-cranberry duo makes savory dishes so good as well. Sourdough stuffing filled with sweetly tart apples, chewy sweet cranberries, savory sausage, plenty of herbs, and cubes of toasted sourdough is a sure win for your holiday dinner.

Sweet apples and cranberries are combined with crunchy cabbage and then tossed together in a tangy lemon dressing to make this Apple Coleslaw.