Christmas Chutney

Christmas Chutney is a delicious relish that’s packed full of the flavours of Christmas, it’s easy to make and is perfect to give as a gift or serve it with your festive cheeseboard.

Why should I make Christmas Chutney?

I’m so pleased with the flavours of this chutney. It has a lovely balanced flavour of dried fruit and spices that reminds me of Christmas pudding and mince pies. It goes perfectly with cheeses, cold meats and those picky bits that are always on offer over the holidays.

Give Christmas Chutney as a gift

Christmas Chutney makes a great gift for family and friends and, of course, you don’t only have to eat this chutney at Christmas. It can be served all year round. It’s very easy to make and the ingredients are easily available.

What is chutney?

Chutney is a flavourful condiment originating from South Asia, traditionally made by blending fruits, vegetables, and aromatic spices with vinegar, sugar, and sometimes chillies. The result is a tangy, sweet, or spicy relish that can be served with dishes ranging from curries to sandwiches.

What ingredients do I need to make Christmas Chutney?

The ingredients for this recipe are easily available and you may already have many of them in your larder or fridge. Here is what you need:

• onions
• apples
• sugar
• prunes
• orange
• cinnamon
• ginger
• mixed spice
• salt
• cider vinegar

Scroll to the end of this article to find the full recipe and all quantities of ingredients, with step-by-step photo instructions.

What kind of apples should I use for Christmas Chutney?

You can use any apples that you can find. I prefer to use sharp apples such as Bramley Seedling or Granny Smith to offset the sugar that is added to the chutney.

I made this batch of chutney using James Grieve apples from my apple tree, they are sharp and they collapse down nicely when cooked.

What kind of sugar should I use?

I use soft dark brown sugar (muscovado) in this recipe. The deep molasses flavour is reminiscent of Christmas pudding and works well with the spices.

What can I substitute for dark brown sugar?

You can use light soft brown sugar, or even white granulated sugar. The chutney will still be good to eat but it will have a different flavour profile.

What are prunes?

Prunes are dried plums. If you buy the soft, ready to eat prunes then you don’t have to soak them. It’s often easiest to cut them up by using scissors to snip off pieces.

What can I substitute for prunes in Christmas Chutney?

If you don’t have any prunes or don’t like them, then you can use raisins instead. This will alter the flavour slightly but you will still get that ‘plum pudding’ flavour.

Spices for Christmas Chutney

I use ground cinnamon, ground ginger and mixed spice to flavour the chutney. This combination works really well, but you can add small quantities of other festive spices such as cardamom or cloves if you would like.

What is mixed spice?

Mixed Spice is readily available in UK supermarkets and baking suppliers. It is a combination of the following ground spices:

• allspice
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• mace
• cloves
• coriander
• ginger

If you can’t source ready-made mixed spice you can make your own.

What kind of vinegar can I use in this chutney?

I recommend cider vinegar. That can be ordinary cider vinegar or apple cider vinegar. You can also use white wine vinegar, just the own brand supermarket kind will work very well.

I prefer not to use malt vinegar as it has a much sharper flavour profile and the chutney then needs to sit and mature for at least 3 months. You can eat this chutney soon after it had been made if you use a milder vinegar.

How should I store Christmas Chutney?

Store the chutney in sterilised glass jam jars with lids. Keep the jars of chutney in a cool dark place, and once opened keep the jar in the fridge.

How soon can I eat the chutney?

You can eat this chutney within a week of making it. However, it will improve in flavour if you keep it for 4-6 weeks before opening. It will continue to mature and will keep unopened in sterilised jars for up to a year. Once it has been opened, I recommend that you keep the jar in the fridge.

How do I sterilise glass jars?

Find out why you should sterilise your jars and about the different methods you can use to sterilise them in this article.

Vegetarian

Christmas Chutney contains no animal derived ingredients and is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Gluten Free

This recipe is gluten-free, making it a suitable option for individuals avoiding gluten in their diet. As always you should check every ingredient to ensure that it meets your dietary requirements.

For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.

How should I serve Christmas Chutney?

Serve the chutney at room temperature for the best flavour. You can serve it straight from the jar, but it’s nice to present it in a small bowl or ramekin with a spoon for easy serving.

Christmas Chutney pairs beautifully with Cheddar, Stilton and with soft cheeses like Brie and Camembert. I like to add some grapes, clementines and mixed nuts to my cheese board, a selection of crackers, as well as a dish of this chutney.

Spice up your leftovers from Christmas or Thanksgiving with some Christmas Chutney alongside some crusty white or granary bread. You can even serve this luscious chutney as an alternative to cranberry sauce with your festive meal.

Serve Christmas Chutney with Baked Brie

Baked Brie makes a delicious, and easy to make, appetiser or as a canape for your drinks party. It’s incredibly easy to bake Brie, I put it into an ovenproof dish and bake for 12-15 minutes at 180C, 170C (fan), 350F in the oven or 8-10 minutes at 160C, 325F in the Air Fryer.

Once baked simply cut a cross in the rind and pull it back then add a large spoonful of Christmas Chutney on top and serve with crackers to dip into the chutney and melted cheese.