This home-canned cranberry mustard recipe is one of my favorite pantry staples. It’s a festive accompaniment to classic holiday fare of roast turkey, chicken, or game birds, ore roast pork loin. It’s a slightly sweet and savory spread to offer with a cheese plate, and makes a fantastic homemade holiday gift.

This richly crimson-colored, sweetly spiced (but not cloying) grainy homemade fruit mustard has a robust character with a pleasant tangy acidity and a vibrant ruby color that looks great on a plate.

It might even replace cranberry sauce as your favorite fall condiment… if not at the main meal itself, it’s amazing on a turkey sandwich!

title collage reads, "alewyfe.com Spiced Cranberry mustard, above photos of cranberries, mustard seeds in a heart-shaped bowl, canning jars of mustard, and a food processor full of the red fruit mustard mixture.

Why I especially love this cranberry mustard…

This cranberry mustard recipe is good enough that my partner fell in love with it on our first date (and then me). I was making a fresh batch of this cranberry mustard in my (now our) kitchen as he and another friend of ours were driving to Chicago from Missouri.

He was bringing a cooler filled with homemade venison summer sausage to bring to the party* we were all going to that evening, and I knew it would be a good pairing to share with our friends at the pot-luck. I didn’t know yet that wasn’t the only perfect pairing that would happen that weekend!

(*if by “party” you mean a micro-comic-con of sorts, a large gathering of friends who had traveled from several states to meet up at a local bar for drinks and karaoke, and who knew each other mostly from a politics-chat sub-group of an online fandom for a long-defunct, albeit recently resurrected, web-comic about very sweary cartoon animals… but that’s a story for another day, perhaps. I never said I wasn’t a giant Nerd, okay).

cranberry mustard being put in jars before water bath canning. A pot of reddish-mustard is in the foreground, and an assortment of small jars , canning rings, and tools are in the background

Anyway, as we were chatting, the jars of this cranberry mustard that I’d just taken out of the water bath were sealing with that familiar metallic “ping” that he told me later that he’d he forgotten that he remembered (his mom and grandmother had canned when he was very young, but he hadn’t heard that sound in years) but that it reminded him of home, somehow.

And then on our third date, he moved in… and that was over five years ago! We’d known each other for a few years beforehand though we hadn’t gotten to meet in-person, and there were a few months between those dates due to proximity, since we’d lived in different states so that’s not *quite* as impulsively wild as it sounds?

I can’t guarantee that this spiced fruit mustard is a magical elixir that will also bring you lasting love, but it can’t hurt to try it (especially if you’re trying to impress a crush who also grew up on a farm)? And either way, it’s definitely magically delicious!

a Wasa cracker topped with cranberry mustard, brie, and thick slices of venison summer sausage.

Cranberry Mustard Serving Suggestions

It will elevate your traditional turkey sandwich to a gourmet lunch… also great on a grilled cheese with sharp cheddar!
Try it spread on rye crispbread or crackers with brie or goat cheese, either on it’s own or with slices of venison or beef summer sausage.
Mix a scoop of the cranberry mustard with softened cream cheese and grated sharp cheddar and roll in chopped nuts to make a zippy cheese ball or fruity bagel spread.
It’s also a shortcut to a flavorful fall vinaigrette! Add a couple tablespoons to a shaker bottle with olive oil and a splash of lemon juice or red wine vinegar, and some freshly ground black pepper.
Great in a brightly colored fall coleslaw with grated carrots and sliced cabbage, or a salad of greens and roasted chicken or turkey.

Spiced Cranberry Mustard Ingredients

Cranberries:

You can use fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe. Do not substitute dried cranberries.

Red Wine Vinegar:

Red wine vinegar adds flavor, sharpness, and acidity to the mustard, and is essential for safe canning. You can substitute other vinegar (apple cider vinegar also works). Make sure it is 5% acidity, and don’t use homemade vinegar if you will be canning the finished mustard.

Yellow Mustard Seeds:

I buy these in bulk and decant them into large jars. They’ll keep a very long time this way in your pantry, and you’ll always have them on hand for making mustard, and also for adding to curries, homemade pickles, and turkey or meat brines.

Frontier Co-op Organic Whole Yellow Mustard Seed, 1-pound Bulk Bag, Mild Spiciness for Soup…

Ground Dry Mustard:

You can buy smaller containers of ground mustard at most grocery stores, but if you’re going to be making multiple batches of this and other homemade mustards, it’s a lot more frugal to buy in bulk.

Frontier Co-op Organic Ground Yellow Mustard Seed, 1lb Bulk Bag – Mustard Powder for Pickling…

Worcestershire Sauce:

Lea & Perrins The Original Worcestershire Sauce, 15 fl oz Bottle

White Sugar:

Granulated white sugar adds sweetness, and balances the bitterness of the mustard seeds and powder and the tart acidity and astringent cranberries to make a smooth fruit mustard.

Kosher, Canning, or Sea Salt:

Use any fine or small-flake salt that you prefer. Note that canning salt is very fine and dense, so you may need a little less than if you are using flaky kosher salt. Adjust to taste if you like (the flavor will mellow after canning, so don’t be alarmed if it’s very sharp at first).

Spices:

This cranberry mustard recipe is flavored with ground allspice, ground coriander, and dried ginger.

labeled ingredient photo collage for spiced cranberry mustard canning recipe.

Kitchen Equipment for Canning Cranberry Mustard

title image graphic text reads, "canning basics, equipment guide: what do I need to get started canning at home? alewyfe.com" cartoon graphic of an assortment of canning jars at the top, with an illustration of a cook wearing an apron making pickles, with a large pot, some canning jars, and a pair of tongs

CANNING: Equipment Guide- What Do I Need to Start Canning at Home?

This is a simple water-bath canning recipe. No pressure canner needed… just a pot big enough to simmer your mustard, and another that is large and deep enough to hold enough boiling water to cover your jars by a couple inches during processing.

Since you’ll be canning this in smaller jars, you don’t need to have or haul out your giant canning pot unless you are making a really large batch for gifts.

Immersion blender, food processor, or blender
Medium heavy-bottomed jam or sauce pot
Clean 4 oz mason jars and new lids
Canning funnel, jar lifters or tongs or jar rack with handles
Small ladle or spoodle
Water bath canner or stockpot with rack or steamer insert

cranberry and mustard seed mixture in a food processor, with dry ingredients measured out in another bowl and a blue enamel pot ready to pour the mustard back into to simmer before canning

Cranberry Mustard (Water-Bath Canning Recipe)

Alewyfe

Based on a tested recipe from Ball (with safe modifications to the spice mixture), this cranberry mustard will be a favorite at your holiday table or for homemade gifts!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 45

Cook Time 30

Water Bath Processing Time 10

Course Canning Basics, Condiments

Cuisine American, Contemporary

YIELD 4 oz jars

Equipment

water bath canner or large stockpot with rack
clean mason jars and new lids
immersion blender, food processor, or blender
large heavy-bottomed jam or sauce pot
canning funnel optional but helpful for filling the jars)
jar lifters or tongs or jar rack with handles
small ladle or spoodle

Ingredients

1 cup red wine vinegar 5% acidity (or higher)
⅔ cup yellow mustard seeds
2 ¾ cups fresh cranberries (can use frozen whole cranberries, about one 12 oz bag)
1 cup water
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup ground dry mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 ½ tsp allspice
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp kosher salt

Instructions

Cranberry Mustard Preparation:

In a medium saucepan (large enough to eventually hold all ingredients), bring the vinegar up to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat and add the yellow mustard seeds. Cover and leave at room temperature until seeds have absorbed the liquid (at least an hour).
Using an immersion blender, food processor, or blender, blend the soaked mustard seed and vinegar mixture along with the Worcestershire sauce and water until the mustard seeds are mostly broken up (mixture does not need to be perfectly smooth, and can be left more grainy if you prefer that texture). Add the cranberries and continue to blend or pulse the food processor until they are broken up or completely smooth (your preference).
Bring the mixture up to a boil (in the same pot if you used an immersion blender, or return it to the pot if you used a food processor or blender). Stir continuously until it boils. Lower the heat, continue to stir frequently, and let simmer for about five minutes.
Whisk in the sugar, dry mustard powder, and the spices. Continue to stir frequently over medium-low heat until it is reduced by a third and has a nice consistency. This will take anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes, depending on the width of your pan and the strength of your stove's burners.

Canning Instructions

While the mustard is cooking, fill your canner or stockpot with enough water to cover jars by at least an inch, fit with your trivet or jar rack insert and bring water up to a boil. I add a splash (just a few tablespoons) of white distilled vinegar to the pot to keep hard-water deposits off the jars).
Wash and rinse your canning jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Keep hot until ready to use (I like to simmer my jars in in the canner after they're washed. You don't need to sterilize them before processing, but it can't hurt!).
Do not simmer your lids (if you are using reusable gasketed lids like Tattlers or Weck jars, follow manufacturer instructions, otherwise, keep lids in clean hot water but do not boil).
Remove the canning jars from the hot water and place on a towel (I like to put the towel on a half-sheet pan for easy clean-up). Using a canning funnel (if possible) fill the jars with the hot mustard mixture, leaving ¼" headspace. Work quickly and keep mixture hot while filling jars.
Using a thin non-metallic spatula, thin wooden spoon, or jar tool, remove air bubbles from the jars and adjust headspace as needed.
Wipe jar rims. I use a paper towel or clean lint-free towel dipped in hot water, followed with a clean towel dampened with distilled vinegar. Clean jar rims mean safe seals! Place your prepared lids on the jars and secure with rings (check rings for dents and discard any damaged rings).
Using jar tongs or a wire canning jar rack, transfer the hot jars into the boiling water canner (or stockpot) and make sure there is at least an inch of water over the jars (top up from a hot kettle of water if needed).
Process quarter-pint jars in your boiling water bath for 10 minutes (0-1000 ft of elevation), 15 minutes (1001-6000 ft) or 20 minutes (above 6000 ft). Make sure the water is boiling hard the whole time- do not start the timer until the pot is boiling.
When the time is up, turn off the burner under the pot, and carefully remove the jars with jar tongs (or remove the jar rack, if you used one). Place them on a towel-covered or wooden surface and leave undisturbed until completely cool (if it's cold or drafty, you may want to cover the jars with a towel so they cool evenly). Do not tighten the bands (unless you are using reusable lids- follow manufacturer instructions if so).
After jars have cooled completely (12-24 hours) remove the bands and check for seals. Refrigerate any jars that did not seal and use promptly. Gently wash jars or wipe with a damp cloth, label, and store in a cool, dark pantry. For best quality, enjoy home-canned goods within 12-18 months.

Keyword autumn, canning, charcuterie, fall foods, holiday

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

CANNING: Spiced Cranberry Mustard

Why I especially love this cranberry mustard…

Cranberry Mustard Serving Suggestions