Spicy Cranberry Chutney (easy oven recipe!) (2024)

Published: Nov 19, 2023 · Modified: Mar 1, 2024 by Richa 12 Comments

This is cranberry sauce chutney! And it’s baked in 1 pan so completely handsfree! Just add all ingredients including some green chili, cinnamon and Garam masala to a baking dish and bake! Stovetop option in notes

This cranberry chutney is also part of my Indianized Thanksgiving spread. This gets baked in the oven. In fact, the whole spread is pretty hands-free.

We bake many of the dishes for this spread in the oven, so that there’s much less standing around and sautéing things on the stove. Instead of cooking this cranberry chutney in a pan, I just add all of it to a baking dish, and bake it. It’s simple as that!

After baking, you simply mash it a little bit to get an wonderful, jammy texture, and the cranberry chutney is ready.

If you prefer to cook your chutney on the stovetop, see the notes in the recipe card for those cooking directions.

For the spread the chickpea loaf has Indian spices, and the gravy is a quick mix and boil butter chikin sauce that you’ll also use as the glaze for the meatloaf. The veggie side is spiced, glazed carrots, and the cranberry sauce is made into this quick dump and bake cranberry chutney with garam masala and green chili added to it. For the Spinach pastry, we are using spinach and vegan cream cheese, but the spinach is spiced like saag or palak tofu, so it has all those flavors going and is delicious and creamy.

Why You’ll Love Indian Cranberry Chutney

• easy oven recipe — no standing over the stove!
• sweet cranberry with spicy chilis and savory garam masala
• no chopping or slicing!
• naturally gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and oil-free

More Indian Chutnies

• Mint Chutney
• Spicy Mango Chutney
• Tomato Chutney
• Coconut Chutney
• Date Tamarind Chutney

Recipe Card

Ingredients and Substitutions

• cranberries – Fresh or frozen is fine.
• maple syrup – For moisture and sweetness.
• sugar – For a touch more sweetness.
• dried spices – This chutney has flavors of cinnamon, garam masala, and garlic powder.
• hot green chili – Use a Serrano or Indian chili, if you can. Use half for less heat and the whole chili for spicier.
• lemon juice and zest – Adds a lovely, citrusy zing!
• water – For moisture.

Tips

• Don’t over- or under-fill the pan! If you underfill, the cranberries will be dry and crunchy. If you overfill, they won’t cook down properly.
• Your chutney is ready when the cranberries mash easily. You follow up baking with mashing by hand to get that good, jammy texture.

How to Make Baked Cranberry Chutney

Preheat the oven to 400° F (205° C).

Add all of the ingredients to an 8×5” or similar-sized baking dish. If you’re doubling this recipe, increase the size of the baking dish, as well, so that the cranberries are stacked about 2 high, but not any more. You also don’t want to use too large a baking dish, where the cranberries are just in a single layer, because then they’ll turn crispy instead jammy.

Mix everything in the baking dish really well, cover the dish with parchment paper, then put it into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or longer, until the cranberries are very tender and easily mash when you press them.

Remove the baking dish from the oven. Then, using a spatula, mash the cranberries and mix really well until they reach a jammy texture. I usually add a few teaspoons more sugar at this point, while the mixture is still hot and also adjust the consistency with water if needed. Press and mix it, so that it gets even more jammy. Garnish with some black pepper and serve.

Stovetop Directions

Add all of the ingredients for the cranberry chutney into a saucepan. Partially cover, and cook for 10 minutes, then press the cranberries.

If they’re already starting to get tender, then mash and mix in, simmer for another minutes and your chutney is ready. If not, then continue to cook for longer. If they’re starting to thicken and dry out too much, add in a few tablespoons more water, and continue to cook until the cranberries are tender and can be easily mashed.

Press most of the cranberries, and stir really well to make them jammy. Cook for another minute or 2 to thicken a little bit, and then switch off heat

Frequently Asked Questions