This super simple Christmas Chutney is warmly spiced and an essential part of my festive celebrations. Filled with dried fruit and Christmas spices, it is the perfect addition to your Yule tide storecupboard!

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A jar of Christmas chutney is topped with a circle of festive fabric tied with brown twine and embellished with tiny Christmas baubles. It is surrounded with rosemary crackers, fresh rosemary sprigs, vegan cheese, grapes and a vintage silver spoon.

 

A Thinly Spread Christmas

Those of you who have followed Thinly Spread for a while will know that I love Christmas. It starts quietly with a whisper, the smell of spice and a suggestion of sparkle, gradually gaining momentum as we head into December.

For me, it is all about traditions, a gradual build-up, a feast for all our senses and it revolves, unashamedly, around food. Baking, stirring, roasting and preserving. I am at my happiest surrounded by the warmth of my kitchen and the smiles of my family.

There are Gingerbread Men and Ginger Cake, Mince Pies and Nut Roasts. Plates full of vegan sausage rolls and Bratwurst, little canapes and sparkly popcorn. Bowls full of hearty soup and pasta topped with festive flavours. Crisp seasonal salads, oven roasted veg, richly flavoured sauces, pâtés and, of course, seasonal preserves aplenty.

An opened jar of Christmas chutney with a silver spoon. There is a bunch of grapes, a pile of jars of chutney, Christmas decorations and cheese with crackers in the background.

Chutney for Christmas

Jams and chutneys make fabulous gifts for family and friends as well as being a super important part of my own Christmas menu. 

Top jars of my Christmas Chutney with a circle of Christmassy fabric tied on with natural twine and add some homemade labels or tiny Christmas decorations for that lovely personal touch. 

Three jars of Christmas preserves stacked in a tower.

If you are making up a hamper add a box of homemade or shop bought crackers, a box of good vegan cheese or a ball of homemade cashew cheese and some fresh fruit.

Include a bottle of red wine and some mulling spices and you are sure to bring a smile to loved ones faces! 

Jars of Christmas chutney topped with scandi festive fabric and personalised with home made gift labels tied on with twine.

Christmas Chutney Recipe

This recipe makes enough chutney to fill about six standard 1lb/380g jam jars. I used a mixture of sizes because I am incapable of popping them in the recycling and always have a mix and match stash to hand! 

Dried Fruit

To make this chutney you will need 2lb/900g of dried fruit.

I use figs, apricots, dates and prunes because they just shout CHRISTMAS at me and because I use so many sultanas, raisins and currants in my Christmas cakes and puddings that I fancy a change, but you can mix and match to suit you and your storecupboard. 

Vinegar

I’ve specified red wine vinegar in the recipe below but you can use cider vinegar if you wish.

Spices

A Christmas chutney must have Christmas spices and this one includes cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, ginger and all spice. You could (and I have in the past) add a bit of nutmeg and some cloves. If you like your chutney with a kick, add some chilli too!

Sugar and Salt

There is no pretending that chutney can be sugar free. There is a lot of dark brown sugar in here! Just remember that chutney is best served in small amounts alongside savoury goodies and you won’t feel too bad!

I used sea salt in my chutney but feel free to use whichever salt you have to hand!

Storing Chutney

This chutney is ready to eat straight away but improves if it is left to mature for a few weeks. 

In properly steralised jars it will last for six months or more in a cool, dark cupboard.

What To Serve With Chutney

This richly flavoured chutney is a perfect complement to so many festive flavours. 

Serve it with:

Or as I have here with shop bought crackers, vegan camembert, cranberries and grapes – so festive!

Mr TS and I wolfed these down with a glass of dry sherry as soon as the photos were done!

Rosemary crackers topped with chutney and vegan camembert.

If you make my recipe I’d love to hear how it turns out for you. Please leave a comment and a star rating below and share your pictures with me on social media. Tag me @thinlyspread and include the hashtag #thinlyspread so I can see them!

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A jar of Christmas chutney is topped with a circle of festive fabric tied with brown twine and embellished with tiny Christmas baubles. It is surrounded with rosemary crackers, fresh rosemary sprigs, vegan cheese, grapes and a vintage silver spoon.

Christmas Chutney

A warm spicy Christmas chutney ideal as a gift, delicious with cheese and savoury pies
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Course: Christmas Cooking, Dips, Spreads and Condiments
Cuisine: English
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 50
Calories: 87kcal

Ingredients

  • 350 g pitted prunes no soak
  • 225 g pitted dates
  • 225 g dried apricots
  • 100 g dried figs
  • 450 g onion peeled and roughly chopped
  • 570 ml cider vinegar
  • 6 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 2 tbsps sea salt
  • 450 g dark brown sugar

Instructions

  • Chop the dried fruit and onions in a food processor until very small.
  • Put the vinegar in a preserving pan or large heavy-bottomed saucepan with the salt and spices.
  • Bring to a boil and stir in the fruit and onion pieces.
  • Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves
  • Reduce the heat and simmer without a lid for about an hour/hour and a half, stirring occasionally until the chutney has thickened.
  • You will know it is ready when there are no pools of vinegar left behind when you draw the back of a spoon over the surface.
  • Remove the cinnamon stick and spoon the chutney into warmed, sterilised jars, seal and label.
  • This chutney can be eaten straight away but will improve if left to mature for a few weeks and will keep for 6 months if kept in properly sterilised jars in a cool, dark place.
  • (I sterilise my jars by placing them in the oven at 150C for 20 minutes, you can also sterilise them by putting them through a hot cycle in a dishwasher.)

Notes

Nutritional information is only an approximate guideline. Calculations will vary according to the ingredients you use and your cooking methods.
I have estimated the number of servings at 50 - obviously, if you are very generous with your spoonfuls you will get less out of your jars and if you spread it thinly you will get more!
Do read my post for additional tips and tricks to ensure a successful make!

Nutrition

Calories: 87kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 284mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 218IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 0.4mg
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