Cranberry Chutney
Cranberry chutney is a spiced, tangy-sweet condiment made with dried cranberries, onions, red wine and warming spices. The Thermomix TM7 weighs, grinds and simmers everything in one bowl, making this preserving classic easy. Ideal with cheese boards, roast meats or as a homemade edible gift.
About this recipe
Cranberry chutney Thermomix TM7 recipes bring a classic preserving technique within easy reach of every home cook. This spiced condiment simmers dried cranberries, onions, red wine and sugar with cinnamon, cloves, star anise, nutmeg and peppercorns into a glossy, jam-like texture. The all-in-one kitchen machine handles every step in a single bowl: weighing the sugar directly into it, grinding the whole spices fresh for maximum aroma, chopping the onions finely without tears, and slowly heating the mixture until it thickens without sticking or burning. That last point is what makes chutney in the Thermomix so reliable — traditional stovetop versions demand constant stirring, while the TM7 stirs automatically. Serve this chutney with a festive cheese board, alongside roast game or pork, or spoon it over a baked camembert. It also makes a lovely homemade gift in sterilised jars. Anyone searching for quick preserving ideas or festive condiment recipes will find this a rewarding autumn and winter project.
Preparation tips
- Use sterilised jars and fill them while the chutney is still hot, then seal immediately. This keeps the cranberry chutney shelf-stable for months and preserves that glossy, jam-like consistency.
- Let the chutney rest for at least a week before opening. The wine, cloves and star anise deepen and mellow during this time, giving a rounder, more harmonious flavour.
- No red wine to hand? Replace it with port for a richer festive character, or with apple juice plus a splash of vinegar for an alcohol-free version that still balances the sweetness of the dried cranberries.
Recipe variations
- Alcohol-free variant: swap the red wine for a mix of cranberry or apple juice and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. The onions, cinnamon and dried cranberries keep the chutney just as rich and tangy.
- Festive winter variant: add a chopped apple, a strip of orange zest and a thumb of fresh ginger along with the star anise. This gives a warmer, rounder chutney that pairs beautifully with a Christmas cheese board.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Weighing sugar straight into the mixing bowl means every batch of chutney has consistent sweetness without dirtying a separate scale.
- Grinding the peppercorns and cloves freshly in the TM7 releases far more aroma than pre-ground spices ever could.
- The Thermomix chops the onions uniformly fine in seconds, so they melt invisibly into the finished chutney.
- Steaming-free slow heating keeps the wine and cranberry mixture simmering gently, preventing the sugar from catching and burning.
- Gentle stirring while the mixture heats develops a deep caramelised onion flavour without any manual effort.
Ingredients
- sugar
- orange
- ground cinnamon
- cloves
- black peppercorns
- star anise
- ground nutmeg
- red onions
- dried cranberries
- red wine