Last Updated on July 12, 2024 by Megan Jones

Sweet Chilli Jam with a Festive Twist; A blend of sweet but not too spicy flavours. I promise, you’ll fall in love with this recipe and it’s super easy to make! Its the perfect addition to your cheese board this season, or served alongside all those yummy Christmas leftovers.

This cranberry sweet chilli jam makes a gorgeous gift for people who love sweet and spicy food. Make sure to adjust the quantity of chilli to suit your taste. Prefer your sauces with a little less spice? Then give my Cranberry Sauce | Refined Sugar Free recipe a go.

this recipe

Ingredients you will need:

• Sweet pointed red peppers – to balance out the spicy heat from the chillies.
• Cranberries – fresh or frozen can be used
• Red Onions – Here we use red onions as they caramelise beautifully and are sweeter than white / yellow onions
• Sugar – To balance out the fire from the chilly and the tartness from the cranberries.
• Garlic – Finely diced or minced so it ‘melts’ into the sauce
• Red Chillies – Remove the seeds and membrane if you prefer it less spicy.
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Fresh Ginger
• Clementines – for a festive in season twist, we use both the zest and juice for an extra citrus zing.
• All spice – to round off the sauce and add a slight earthy festive taste. This can be subbed for Nutmeg, Mace and a pinch of black pepper if you don’t have it
• Bay leaves – I used fresh, but dried will also work just fine.

How to make Cranberry Sweet Chilli jam:

• Prep your ingredients. Finely mince the garlic, ginger and chilli. Followed by the peppers and onions. Then weigh out your Sugar & Vinegar and set to one side.
• Place the onions, garlic, ginger and chillies in a large pan over a low heat with a splash of olive oil and sweat down for 8-10 minutes, or until the onions are soft but not brown / caramelised.
• Add the cranberries, peppers, sugar, vinegar, clementine zest and juice and all spice to the pan with the onions.
• Simmer gently on a low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cranberries have softened and are just starting to break down, but still holding their shape (we still want it to be a chunky sauce)
• Gently mash the sauce a little with the back of a wooden spoon, cook gently for another 15 minutes to give the cranberries time to release their pectin or until the sauce has thickened and looks jammy – it will thicken up further once cooled.
• Turn off the heat, taste and season with sea salt and a pinch of black pepper.
• Spoon into sterilised jars, seal the jars you aren’t going to eat straight away.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Use a pair of disposable gloves when cutting the chillies if you have sensitive skin, or don’t trust yourself to not rub your eye after cutting the chillies up!
• Kilner 250ml preserve jars are perfect for storing the chutney in smaller portions to prevent food waste. 
• To sterilise your jars: heat the oven to 100°C / 212°F / Gas ¼. Wash the jars and lids in hot soapy water, rinse clean and put the jars to dry in the warmed oven. Turn off the oven and leave the jars in until ready to decant your chutney. Put the lids (and any rubber seals) in a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes.
• You can use old jam jars as long as the inside of the lids are plastic coated, otherwise the vinegar will corrode the metal.

Storage tips

• The jam will keep for up to 4 months in a cool, dark place once sealed properly.
• Once opened, keep in the fridge and consume within a month.

Other recipes to try:

• Cranberry Sauce | Refined Sugar Free
• Easy Green Tomato chutney recipe

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