Gifts from the Kitchen: Cranberry Balsamic Chutney
Cranberry Balsamic Chutney
This Cranberry Balsamic Chutney is sweet, tangy and SO delicious! Wonderful served with Brie and bread. Makes a lovely holiday hostess gift!
I’m always looking for new and delicious recipes that use cranberries. I just love that they’re both sweet and tart and are perfect in so many scrumptious foods…like cakes, loaves, jams, cookies and also this Cranberry Balsamic Chutney. Enjoy this chutney over a wheel of Brie cheese.
A Perfect Holiday Appetizer
Not only is this appetizer easy to make, but it is delicious and made with the spirit of the holiday season! The tartness of the cranberries, paired with the sweetness from the orange juice, combined with fresh rosemary and balsamic vinegar, it makes for a perfect pairing with the creaminess of Brie cheese. This combo is delicious with a glass of red!
Makes a delicious homemade gift!
In all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, gift giving can feel overwhelming and not very personal. Sometimes during the rush of it all I find myself buying a gift for someone just so I can check it off my list, but more and more I don’t like to do this. I’m learning that gift giving really doesn’t need to be so difficult, because most people love and appreciate a gift that comes from the heart. And what better kind of gift from the heart than one that you make yourself?
When I receive a gift that someone has taken the time to make, I am thrilled. I picture them at their kitchen counter, or at their craft table creating with their heart and their hands, and that is an amazing thing. It becomes more than just a gift, it’s a little piece of them.
Mason Jars and Sequins!
This year for something a little different, I made a batch of Cranberry Balsamic Chutney to share as hostess gifts. I’m going to package it up in small mason jars, and top each jar with cut out circles of sequin covered fabric. So simple, festive and pretty! With this chutney I’m also going to give a little wheel of Brie cheese and maybe even a fresh baguette. This is a gift that the hostess can share right at their gathering, or save for another time. Really, food is a wonderful gift to give and receive. Wouldn’t you love to receive this?
Cranberry Balsamic Chutney Recipe Tips:
- Cranberries: Use fresh cranberries for this chutney…frozen cranberries don’t taste as good.
- Rosemary: Use a sprig of fresh rosemary, for 2 reasons: first it’s delicious, second, a sprig is easier to remove from the cooked chutney. On a side note, don’t forget to remove the sprig!
- Serving Ideas: Serve this chutney on a wheel of room temperature Brie. It’s delicious with baked Brie as well! Just put your Brie wheel in a 400 degree oven, and bake it for about 5 minutes or until the Brie has softened slightly. Then top with the chutney and enjoy!
Cranberry Balsamic Chutney
Ingredients
- 2 cups of fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- To a saucepan add the fresh cranberries, sugar, water and orange juice.
- Simmer the mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries start to soften and the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. The cranberries will pop and bubble as they break down.
- Add the fresh rosemary and stir in the balsamic vinegar.
- Turn the heat up slightly to low-medium, and continue to cook until the cranberries are all burst and the sauce is the consistency that you like. This takes about 10 minutes or so.
- Once the mixture has thickened, remove the rosemary sprig.
- If the sauce is too chunky, sometimes I will use a potato masher just to soften it up.
- Cool the sauce to room temperature before serving.
- Once the chutney has cooled, pile it on top of a room-temperature Brie wheel, and serve with slices of fresh baguette or crackers.
PIN IT to make later!
More Homemade Gift Ideas:
Homemade gifts need not be complicated…if you made it, it’s the loveliest gift of all.
- Make a batch of jam or nuts and bolts and package them up in little mason jars for all of your friends.
- Simple things like handmade tree ornaments are always welcomed!
- Gift small jars of coconut sugar scrub.
- Put together a jar of very merry homemade cupcake mix.
Have a delicious day!
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Kendall-Jackson Wines. But the recipe, all images, thoughts and words are all my own! This is just a really delicious recipe!
Lovely idea, and a yummy one.
Thank you Ivory!
This sounds amazing! Love the idea of the little gifts… Thank you!
You are so welcome! Enjoy!
Live this idea Jo-Anna…How long will this chutney keep or can you seal it like you would jams in a water bath?
Thank you Deb! You can absolutely seal it like a jam! Or you can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Enjoy!