Slow Cooker Date and Apple Chutney
Slow Cooker Date and Apple Chutney is the easiest chutney I’ve ever made. All the ingredients go into your slow cooker and the result is a sweet and sour relish that is perfect to serve with cheeses and cold meat.
Why should I make Date and Apple Chutney?
Date and Apple is a classic chutney combination. The sharpness of the apples is offset by the sweetness of the dried dates and raisins creating a sweet and tangy chutney. It’s a useful recipe to have as it’s a chutney you can make at any time of year. It’s also ideal to dress up with a ribbon to give as a gift.
Why make chutney in my slow cooker?
I make this chutney in my slow cooker for sheer convenience. All the ingredients go into the slow cooker and then you just have to leave it until it is thick and it’s ready to go into the jars.
What ingredients do I need for Slow Cooker Date and Apple Chutney?
You need a combination of fresh and dried fruit, onions, spices, sugar and vinegar. All of these are readily available in supermarkets and you may already have some in your larder and fridge. Here is what you need:
- dried dates
- raisins
- apples
- onions
- cider vinegar
- sugar
- chilli flakes
- ground ginger
- mixed spice
A full list of quantities and cup conversions is located in the recipe card at the bottom of this article.
What kind of dates do I need?
Dates are the fruit of the date palm and you can buy them fresh or dried. I use dried dates in this recipe because the intense sweetness of this luscious fruit works really well in chutney.
If you use whole dried dates then remove the stones and cut them into small pieces. The easiest way to do this is with scissors. However, you can also use ready-chopped dried dates that are sold for baking.
What kind of apples are best for this chutney?
The chutney tastes good made with any kind of apples. I prefer to use sharp apples in this chutney because the sharpness contrasts with the sweet dried fruits. Apples such as Bramley Seedling and Granny Smith are both sharp apples and would work well.
What is in 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.
How many jars of chutney does this recipe make?
You will make four to five jars of Date and Apple Chutney with this recipe. A lot depends on the size of your jars. If I plan to give some as gifts I often put some in smaller jars than I would for our own larder.
Can I make a larger batch of Slow Cooker Date and Apple Chutney?
I don’t recommend making a larger batch of this chutney in your slow cooker as the timing is likely to change and I have not tested it. If you need more then it is better to make another batch.
How soon can I serve the Date and Apple Chutney?
Most homemade chutney improves after two to three months as the flavours combine. You can eat this chutney immediately, but it will be a little sharp as the vinegar won’t have mellowed. After one month the chutney will have a more balanced flavour and it will improve even more after 3 months.
How should I store the chutney?
Store the jars of chutney in a cool place, preferably out of sunlight. Date and Apple Chutney will keep for up to 12 months unopened. Once you open the jar, store it in the fridge where it will keep for about 3 months.
How do I sterilise the glass jars?
I sterilise my jam jars and metal lids by thoroughly washing and rinsing them. I put them, still wet, upside down onto a baking tray and place them in the oven at 140C/120C Fan (275 F) for 20 minutes before I am ready to pot up the chutney. The jars and the chutney should be hot when you fill them and the lids should be sealed as soon as the jars are filled.
Do I need to water bath the jars of chutney?
I don’t water bath my chutney, jams or jellies. It is not common practice to water bath preserves in the UK. Sterilise your jars correctly and store as recommended and there is no need to water bath this Slow Cooker Date and Apple Chutney.
How should I serve Slow Cooker Date and Apple Chutney?
You can serve Slow Cooker Date and Apple Chutney with all sorts of different meals. As you can see in the picture above, this chutney is the perfect partner for a cheese and charcuterie board. Here are some other serving ideas:
- Serve Date and Apple Chutney with cooked ham or gammon.
- It’s delicious with pork pies and sausage rolls.
- Add a generous spoonful of chutney to beef stew or curry for extra flavour.
- Serve Air Fryer Baked Potatoes with grated cheese and Date and Apple Chutney.
- Spice up Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie with some chutney on the side.
Give Date and Apple Chutney as a gift
Slow Cooker Date and Apple Chutney makes a really nice homemade gift. Cut out a circle of paper or fabric and secure it over the lid of the jar with an elastic band. Write a label for the jar and thread it onto a ribbon then tie that around the neck of the jar and you are ready to give your gift.
More Chutney Recipes
Check out my jams, jellies and chutney and relish recipes for more ideas.
PIN FOR LATER
Slow Cooker Date and Apple Chutney
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Sharp knife
- chopping board
- 4 glass jam jars
Ingredients
- 200 g dried dates (1 1/4 cups + 2 tbsp)
- 200 g raisins (1 1/4 cups + 2 tbsp)
- 800 g apples (7 cups) approximately 8
- 350 g onions (4 cups)
- 480 ml cider vinegar (2 cups)
- 200 g light brown sugar (1 cup)
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp dried ground ginger
- 1 tbsp mixed spice
Instructions
- 800 g apples (7 cups), 350 g onions (4 cups)Peel and core the apples and peel and chop the onions. Put them into the slow cooker.
- 200 g dried dates (1 1/4 cups + 2 tbsp)Remove any stones from the dried dates and chop them into pieces. Or use already chopped dates. Put them into the slow cooker.
- 200 g raisins (1 1/4 cups + 2 tbsp), 480 ml cider vinegar (2 cups), 200 g light brown sugar (1 cup), 1 tsp chilli flakes, 1 tbsp dried ground ginger, 1 tbsp mixed spicePut all the remaining ingredients into the slow cooker and mix together.
- Cook on HIGH for 4 hours. You should be able to draw a spoon through the chutney and the trail will remain.
- Ladle into sterilised jam jars.
- Serve with cheese and cold meats.
Notes
Nutrition
I have linked this recipe to #CookBlogShare run by Sisley & Chloe which was which was hosted by Jo at The Family Food Kitchen
I’m a really big fan of dates but hadn’t tried a date chutney before so this is a revelation!
Love these flavours and how well they go with cheese. An essential for cheese boards!
I do love a good chutney recipe. Nothing beats a cheeseboard with crackers and chutney and this recipe screams happy holidays to me ready for the festive season. Not had dates in a chutney before so this will be a first for me.
Thanks, Rebecca. Dates are a great addition to chutney, their natural sweetness works well with the acidity of the apple and vinegar.
Christmas and boxing day wouldn’t be the same without a large bowl of date and apple chutney. It reminded me of childhood and I can’t wait to make it again at Christmas.
I absolutely agree, Sisley. Chutney is essential for festive feasts!
Thanks for this recipe, it looks great and I shall certainly be making it for the holiday season.
Mixed spice seems to be no longer available in Canada. A quite acceptable substitute is Pumpkin Pie Spice.
Hi Bill, thanks that’s a great tip and I hope you enjoy the chutney.
I have a 2qt. slow cooker. I am from England and always made chutney, but as I am 84 now, riddled with joint disease . I didn’t know itwould work in a slow cooker. I just have to make this. Thanks so much.
It’s great that you are going to give this recipe a try, Patricia. I love to find the easy ways to make different recipes and this is definitely one of them.
can this be canned in a water bath for longer shelf life, thank you
Hi Kathryn, the chutney will last for a year without water bathing. I have not used a water bath method with any of my preserves so cannot guarantee the results. However, if you usually water bath then I can see no reason why it would not work.
Hi Janice,
I’ve recently discovered you! What a blessing that is.
I’m just making your Apricot and Apple Chutney and checking out other recipes have found this one. A daft question, but is the lid on or off the slow cooker whilst this is cooking?
Many thanks
Thank you, Julie. Yes, you keep the lid on when it is cooking.
Thank you, Janice. I thought I best check in case that was the way liquid evaporates! I’m looking forward to making some as easy Christmas gifts
So disappointed with this recipe. After 4 hours on high it was still like soup. How long are others cooking it for? Should I just have turned it on longer and wait for it to get sticky?
I’m sorry to hear that your chutney was too wet. I’ve made the recipe several times and never had this trouble. You could either try cooking it for longer with the lid off or transfer it to a pan to cook it down and reduce the liquid.
So glad I’ve found your website and loving your recipes! Made this recipe yesterday and the flavours are amazing, thanks so much! I think the size of the slow cooker might be an issue in how quickly the chutney cooks down? Mine is a 3 litre capacity, was filled to the brim and after 4 hours was still very wet. I finished it off in a jam pan but think it would have reduced and thickened in the slow cooker after another few hours. Will definitely make again, flavour even straight out of the pan was amazing, so very excited to see how it matures in 3 months for Christmas! Bountiful supply of apples this year so next is your Apple and Apricot chutney!
Hi Becky, thanks for your comment. I’m pleased to hear that you like the chutney. My slow cooker is 3.5 litres which is not much bigger than yours. A lot depends on the water content of the apples too, they are all different. Glad you managed to reduce the chutney and I’m sure it will improve in flavour.
can i leave peel on the apples? I don’t mind the extra fibre but i have arthritis and peeling them is a bit of a trial!
Hi John, I haven’t tried making it with the peel on the apples, but there’s not reason why it shouldn’t work. You will get some bits of peel in your chutney but if you are fine with that, then go for it!
I’ve just made this recipe and it all worked perfectly, just as you said.
Excellent taste too.
Would your apricot chutney recipe work in the slow cooker too?
We are also big fans of your apricot fruit loaf!
Thanks for posting.
Hi Chris, thanks for letting me know that you had success with the Date and Apple Chutney. I haven’t tried Apricot and Apple Chutney in the slow cooker but I can’t see any reason it wouldn’t work. Keep an eye on the time as I’m not sure whether it will take the same time to thicken.
I have just made the Date and Apple Chutney for the first time and I have to say its looking good. I followed the recipe but I only had 350ml of cider vinegar but decided to use just that as I had already prepared everythig else. I am delighted to say it still turned out although my slowcooker took 4 hours and 30 mins till it passed the trail test. I cannot wait to try it with your air fryer cheese scones which were so yummy 😋 too.
Thank you for the recipe Janice.
Thank you for sharing your recipe.I have used it before,the resulting chutney was excellent .The only difference was I added extra raisins left on the apple peel , my dexterity hinders peeling, and left out the sugar.
This probably made the chutney paler but the taste was just as I wanted. I am about to make another batch now ,it is so simple using a slow cooker and knowing exactly what is in my jar of chutney is a bonus .
Thanks for letting me know. I’m very pleased you found a way to make chutney that works for you.
it’s the weight of apples before our after peeling? thanks
Hi Anwen, weigh the apples before peeling.
I finished my chutney off on the gas as it was still rather wet after 5 hours. Trench was there but it filled with liquid. Tastes good.
Hi Mike, thanks for letting me know that. I’m not sure why there seems to be more liquid for some people, it may be a different slow cooker or a different type of apple. I’m glad you found a solution and hope you enjoy your chutney.