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This Cranberry Chutney is sweet, spicy, and tangy all at once. It is like a flavor burst in your mouth, with the cranberries, apples, orange juice, and spices. Make it in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop in just 30 minutes. Enjoy it on a cheese tray or with your favorite appetizer or sandwich!
You will find that most people make cranberry chutney for festive holiday meals. It is perfect for brightening up the table for a special Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
But hey, why not enjoy it while the season lasts? We love making this homemade cranberry chutney and keeping it on hand all through fall, when fresh cranberries are available. I love to add it to my cranberry chutney brie phyllo bites.
I did twice the amounf mentioned and it was amazing, got a lot of compliments from my guests.
– HARINI
I like to make this cranberry chutney Indian-style, with apples, raisins, ginger, and spices, along with orange juice. So call it as you wish: Cranberry Apple Chutney,Spicy Cranberry Chutney, or Cranberry Ginger Chutney. Don’t hesitate to try your own variations on this chutney!
It is so easy to make this chutney, especially with an Instant Pot, similar to applesauce and apricot chutney. Just gather the ingredients, sauté, and pressure cook. It takes just 30 minutes to make it and stays good for up to two weeks. You can even freeze it!
Perfect for enjoying on a cheese or charcuterie board, with appetizers or slathered-on sandwiches.
Before You Start
Sweetness: We love this chutney with the amount of sugar suggested and the spices. However, if you like your chutney sweeter, feel free to adjust by adding more sugar.
Add orange zest: To make this chutney even more flavorful, you can grate some orange zest.
Cranberry Pear Chutney Variation: Replace apples with a pear for a variation, or depending on what you have on hand.
Thanksgiving planning: If you are making this chutney for Thanksgiving, you can make it up to a week ahead of time and store it.
Ingredients
Cranberries: I like to make this chutney with fresh cranberries. However, if you only have frozen ones, feel free to use them. As we are cooking the chutney, you can add them without thawing. There may be extra liquid at the end with frozen cranberries, so you might need to turn the Instant Pot to saute mode for a few minutes to get a thicker consistency.
Apples: They help balance the tartness with their sweetness. Use Fuji, Gala, or Honeycrisp apples. Peel, core, and dice them into small pieces.
Onions: In my opinion, onions are a must for an Indian-flavored chutney. Not a lot, just a small amount of diced red onions.
Ginger: It adds the perfect little zing to this chutney. I prefer freshly grated ginger for the best flavor.
Sugar: It helps to balance the flavor of the chutney. I used white granulated sugar, but brown sugar works well too. You can increase or decrease the amount to your taste.
Raisins: Add some golden raisins to the chutney for some sweetness and texture.
Apple cider vinegar: This balances the sweetness in the chutney. You can use white vinegar if you don’t have apple cider vinegar.
Orange juice: I like to add it in place of water for some extra flavor!
Spices: This is the Indian touch to this chutney, with some garam masala, roasted cumin powder, and red chili powder. You can also add cinnamon if you like.
How to Make Cranberry Chutney?
You can make this chutney in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop. First, I will share the Instant Pot method, which is the easiest.
Instant Pot Method
Heat oil in the Instant Pot on sauté mode. Once hot, add the onions and cook until they soften. Press cancel. Then add ginger and mix it.
Add the cranberries, apples, raisins, sugar, apple cider vinegar, spices, and orange juice. Close the lid, and pressure cook.
Once cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
Note: If you used frozen cranberries, you might need to set the Instant Pot to sauté for a few minutes. Remember, this chutney thickens as it cools. Taste and add more sugar if needed.
Cranberry chutney is ready to enjoy. Look at the beautiful red color and the perfect texture!!
You will love the flavor of this Indian-style Cranberry Chutney.
Stovetop Method
Follow the same steps as above using a heavy-bottom pot or saucepan to make the chutney (I don’t recommend using a skillet, as the cranberries pop and need more space).
In place of pressure cooking, cover and cook over medium heat for 12-15 minutes, until the cranberries have softened and popped. Then follow the steps to mash the cranberries, thicken the chutney, and store it.
How to Store?
Let the chutney cool down completely before storing. Then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze the chutney for up to 3 months.
How to Serve?
Serve it on a charcuterie board for Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, or a special brunch.
This goes very well with Brie and Sharp cheddar on a cheese board.
Serve as a side for grilled meats and roasted vegetables. It goes perfectly with turkey, chicken, or pork chops.
Spread it on a sandwich or crackers. It is great on a grilled cheese sandwich.
Use it as a dip. We have enjoyed it as a substitute for ketchup.
Common Questions
What is the difference between – Cranberry Chutney, Cranberry Sauce, and Cranberry Relish?
The main difference is that chutney and sauce are cooked, and relish is raw. Cranberry relish is a tart raw dish made with finely chopped ingredients. Cranberry sauce is cooked and is typically sweeter in flavor. On the other hand, chutney has spices or flavoring added for an additional depth of flavor.
Can you freeze cranberry chutney?
Yes, cranberry chutney can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. To use it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and then use it.
I hope you enjoy this delicious Cranberry Chutney. Do share how you liked it in the comments.
This Cranberry Chutney is sweet, spicy, and tangy, all at the same time. It is like a flavor burst in your mouth, with the cranberries, apples, orange juice, and spices. Make it in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop in just 30 minutes. Enjoy it on a cheese tray, or with your favorite appetizer or sandwich!
Heat oil in the Instant Pot on saute mode. One hot, add onions and let them cook for about 2 minutes until the onions soften. Press cancel. Then add ginger and mix it.
Add the cranberries, apple, raisins, sugar, apple cider vinegar, spices, and orange juice. Close the lid, and pressure cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
Once the cooking is completed and the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure manually.
You can use a hand blender to roughly blend the chutney or mash it using a potato masher. The chutney thickens as it cools. Taste and add more sugar if needed.
Cranberry chutney is ready to enjoy!
Stovetop Method
Heat oil in a heavy-bottom pot on medium-high heat. One hot, add onions and cook for about 2 minutes until they soften. Then add ginger and stir.
Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for about 12-15 minutes until the cranberries have softened and popped.
Remove the lid and coarsely mash the chutney using a potato masher or an immersion blender. The chutney thickens as it cools. Taste and add more sugar if needed. Cranberry chutney is ready to be enjoyed!
Notes
How to store: Let the chutney cool down completely. Then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze the chutney.Cranberries: I like to make this chutney with fresh cranberries. However, if you only have frozen ones, feel free to use them. As we are cooking the chutney, you can add them without thawing. There may be extra liquid at the end with frozen cranberries, so you might need to turn the Instant Pot to saute mode for a few minutes to get a thicker consistency. Thanksgiving planning: If you are making this chutney for Thanksgiving, you can make it up to a week ahead of time and store it.
I strongly believe that each one of us has a chef inside us, we just need to explore the ingredients and create great food. My passion is to share easy, and wholesome recipes made using Instant Pot & Air Fryer, that are well tested, so you can cook with confidence.
tried this for a small party as dip for pita chips- i didn’t have cider vinegar so omitted it but it didnt make any difference to our taste as everyone loved it as is.
thank you
This is delicious! I made some substitutions, as I didn’t have a few things, but it turned out fabulous, anyway. I subbed a gorgeous Starkrimson pear for the apple, a shallot for the onion, and lacking golden raisins, I used craisins. . .gilding the lily a little, I admit. 😉 Couldn’t be easier to throw together. And the result is just fabulous. Went wonderfully with air fryer pork chops. Yum! Thanks for the great recipe.
tried this for a small party as dip for pita chips- i didn’t have cider vinegar so omitted it but it didnt make any difference to our taste as everyone loved it as is.
thank you
Hi Archana – Thank you for sharing! 😊 So glad it was a hit at your party.
Are the calories listed for the entire recipe? Thank you, looks delicious!
Hi Paula – Sorry for the confusion. I have updated the calories to show per serving now.
I did twice the amounf mentioned and it was amazing, got a lot of compliments from my guests.
Sounds DO Delicious!
-Do you think I can use dried cranberries on the stovetop? Thx!
Hi Sue – Sorry, I have not tried this chutney with dried cranberries.
This is delicious! I made some substitutions, as I didn’t have a few things, but it turned out fabulous, anyway. I subbed a gorgeous Starkrimson pear for the apple, a shallot for the onion, and lacking golden raisins, I used craisins. . .gilding the lily a little, I admit. 😉 Couldn’t be easier to throw together. And the result is just fabulous. Went wonderfully with air fryer pork chops. Yum! Thanks for the great recipe.
Hello – That makes me really happy. Thank you for sharing back 🙂