Spiced plum chutney is a delicious chutney blending sweet plums with tart apples and soft dates. Ground ginger and cinnamon add a subtle spice. This easy chutney is the perfect accompaniment to any cheese and charcuterie platter.
This spiced plum chutney recipe is one I make regularly, it is raisin and sultana free, and easily my favourite chutney. I like to make it around this time of year, when plums are at their seasonal best.
The recipe I've made will give you 2-3 jars, but you can easily double this up, particularly if you have an abundance of plums growing in your gardens at home. Once made the chutney can be stored, unopened for up to 12 months.
Along with the plums, I like to add a little tart, crisp apple as the apple helps balance out the sweetness from the dates and the sugar. Apples, along with plums, contain high amounts of pectin which allows the chutney to set naturally.
Why you'll love this recipe
- As with most chutney recipes, this recipe is easily doubled up if you want to make a larger batch of chutney. Just increase the size of your saucepan to suit.
- Homemade pear and apple chutney makes a great gift for anyone who enjoys a cheeseboard. I always make enough for myself with some leftover to hand out as gifts.
- This easy plum chutney recipe is gluten free, dairy free and vegan.
Recipe ingredients
- Plums - I used 6 plums, destoning them but leaving the skin on for added flavour.
- Apples - I used tart red apples from a friends garden to make the chutney. Granny Smith apples would be a good substitute as they have a firm texture and lovely sharp apple flavour. You can use any variety of eating apple, but opt for one with firm flesh so that it doesn't break down too much when cooked.
- Dates - dates add great sweetness to the chutney, for ease I use ready pitted dates, but if you have pitted dates its really easy to remove the pit.
- Onion - I use a brown onion as it has a great strong flavour which works well in a chutney.
- Vinegar - I use apple cider vinegar in this recipe as it adds acidity which balances out all the sweetness.
- Sugar - I like to use soft brown sugar in a chutney as it has a rich molasses flavour. There is no need to use jam sugar as both the plums and apples are high in pectin which helps the chutney to set naturally.
- Ground spices - I use a combination of ground ginger and cinnamon in this chutney.
- Sea salt - I like to add a teaspoon of sea salt which helps to balance out the sweetness and acidity in this chutney.
How to make plum chutney
- Destone the plums and pare and core the apples, then cut into even sized 1cm pieces. Finely chop the red onion.
- If not using pitted dates, remove and discard the pits, then chop the dates into small pieces.
- Place the plums, apples, dates and onion into a large heavy bottomed saucepan, along with the remaining ingredients. Give everything a stir.
- Place the saucepan over the heat, bring to a boil, then turn the pan down low and simmer gently for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the chutney is soft and has a jam like consistency.
- You will know the chutney is ready when you pull a wooden spoon through the mixture, and it remains separate and does not run together again.
- While the chutney is cooking, sterilise the chutney jars.
- Once the chutney is ready to pot up, place a jam funnel over the mouth of the jar and carefully ladle in the chutney.
- Fill each jar, leaving a little space at the top, and carefully cover with a wax disc.
- Using oven gloves, place the lid on the jar and secure tightly.
- Set the jars aside to cool completely before labelling and storing in a cool, dark space.
How to sterlise jars?
It is essential that before jarring or bottling any food for storage, that you sterilise the glass jar or bottle first. There are many methods for doing this, all of them relatively straight-forward:
- Firstly, you can wash the glass and lids in hot soapy water, rinse them (do not towel dry) and place on a tray in the oven at 160C/320F for 15 minutes, removing when you are ready to fill. This is my preferred method.
- You can put them through a dishwasher cycle, removing them from the dishwasher as soon as the cycle has finished and filling them with jam immediately afterwards. I use this method if my dishwasher happens to be going on.
- You can boil the jars and lids in a large pan for 10-15 minutes. [I’m never keen on this method as it involves boiling water and leads to an increased risk of scalding.]
- Finally, you can wash and rinse the glass jars, placing them into the microwave wet and then cooking them on high for 60 seconds. However, the lids would have to be boiled in a pan of water separately for 10-15 minutes as metal cannot go in the microwave. [I have never used this method as it involves 2 separate processes which I think is a bit of a faff!]
Recipe variations
- Dried Fruit - I used medjool dates as they have a wonderful caramel flavour, but you could add other dried fruits like raisins or prunes.
- Sugar - I've opted for a light brown sugar as it's got a better depth of flavour, but you could use granulated sugar here too.
- Vinegar - red wine vinegar works well with the plum, but you could also use sherry vinegar, white wine, or apple cider vinegar.
- Spices - use any variety of spices, allspice, clove, nutmeg or black pepper.
Serving suggestions
This spiced plum chutney works really well with cheese, cold meats and salamis, olives and fresh fruits like grapes and figs. Perfect with crackers and oat cakes. It would also make a great addition to Ploughman's platter with some crusty bread.
I also like to serve chutney with my Savoury Cheese Scones or Cheese & Chive Scones, replacing the jam with chutney and the cream with cream cheese!
Useful hints and tips
- Opt for firm fleshed fruit: When choosing fruit for chutney opt for ripe fruit with a firm flesh, which will hold it's shape a better when cooked. If you use overly ripe fruit, you risk it breaking down too much which can make the chutney sloppy.
- Use a heavy bottomed pan: I always use a pan with a heavy base when making jams or chutneys. This is essential as it retains an even heat. Do not use a thin bottomed pan or you risk the chutney heating up too quickly, sticking and burning to the bottom!
- Use a wax jam/chutney disk: Place a wax disc over the top of the chutney, this helps keep the chutney fresh, stopping the air from spoiling it. Seal with a tight fitting lid and set aside to cool before labelling.
- Jars: This recipe will give you approximately 2 x 350g jars.
- Allow to sit: For the best flavour, try to leave the chutney to sit for at least 2 weeks before opening. This will allow the flavours to develop and meld together, resulting in a better tasting chutney.
- This chutney is gluten free, and containing no dairy is suitable for dairy free and vegan diners.
- Allergy advice: gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soya free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.
FAQs
Plums pair really well with warmer spices, like all spice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and star anise. For a more savoury note, I like to add ginger and a touch of black pepper would work too.
Place the chutney into sterilised jars, then once jarred, cooled and tightly sealed, label the jars and place in a cool, dark place. Store unopened for up to 12 months. Once you open a jar, store it in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Take real care when decanting the hot chutney into jars, you do not want to burn yourself. I like to keep my sterilised jars in a metal baking tray with sides, that way if I do spill a little it doesn’t run everywhere.
I also recommend using a jam funnel. The funnel is placed on top of the empty jam jar. It has a wide lip which then funnels the hot chutney down into the jar.
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Additional recipe suggestions
If you like this recipe then try some of my other preserve recipes:
- Spiced Pear & Apple Chutney
- Pear & Walnut Chutney
- Date & Tamarind Chutney
- Spicy Sweet Chilli Jam
- Piccalilli
Spiced Plum Chutney Recipe
Equipment
- chopping board
- Sharp kitchen knife
- weighing scales
- measuring spoons
- Measuring jug
- 1 large heavy based saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- 2-3 sterilised jar with lids
- 2 wax jam/chutney disks
Ingredients
- 400 g plums (approx 6 plums, de-stoned and cut into 1cm pieces)
- 300 g apples (approx 2 small, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm pieces)
- 100 g pitted dates (finely chopped)
- 130 g red onion (finely diced)
- 250 ml red wine vinegar
- 130 g soft brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Destone the plums and pare and core the apples, then cut into even sized 1cm pieces. Finely chop the red onion.
- If not using pitted dates, remove and discard the pits, then chop the dates into small pieces.
- Place the plums, apples, dates and onion into a large heavy bottomed saucepan, along with the remaining ingredients. Give everything a stir.
- Place the saucepan over the heat, bring to a boil, then turn the pan down low and simmer gently for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the chutney is soft and has a jam like consistency.
- You will know the chutney is ready when you pull a wooden spoon through the mixture, and it remains separate and does not run together again.
- While the chutney is cooking, sterilise the chutney jars.
- Once the chutney is ready to pot up, place a jam funnel over the mouth of the jar and carefully ladle in the chutney.
- Fill each jar, leaving a little space at the top, and carefully cover with a wax disc.
- Using oven gloves, place the lid on the jar and secure tightly.
- Set the jars aside to cool completely before labelling and storing in a cool, dark space.
Notes
- I always use a pan with a heavy base when making jams or chutneys. This is essential as it retains an even heat. Do not use a thin bottomed pan or you risk the chutney heating up too quickly, sticking and burning!
- This recipe will give you approximately 2 x 350g jars.
- Once jarred, cooled and tightly sealed, label the jars and place in a cool, dark place. Store unopened for up to 12 months.
- For the best flavour, try to leave the chutney to sit for at least 2 weeks before opening. This will allow the flavours to develop and meld together, resulting in a better tasting chutney.
- Once you open a jar, store it in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •
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