Description
This Apple Cranberry Crumble Pie combines tart cranberries, sweet and tender apple slices, and a warm spiced crumble topping—all baked in a flaky homemade pie crust. Finished with a golden brown, buttery oat crumble, it’s a delectable dessert perfect for fall and the holiday season. Serve it cooled to let the juices set, accompanied by vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgent treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 unbaked Flaky Pie Crust or All-Butter Pie Crust
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk (egg wash for pie crust)
Crumble Topping
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 6 Tablespoons (46g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup (40g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
Filling
- 6 cups (750–800g) 1/4-inch-thick apple slices (about 5 large peeled and cored apples; typically 2 Granny Smith and 3 Honeycrisp or Pink Lady)
- 1 and 1/4 cups (130g) fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Follow your pie crust recipe through step 5 to prepare the dough and chill it as directed.
- Make the crumble topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut in the cold cubed butter until the mixture becomes crumbly. Stir in the oats, then refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Remove pie dough from fridge. Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Place a baking sheet on the lowest oven rack to catch any drips during baking.
- Roll out and shape pie crust: On a lightly floured surface, gently roll the chilled pie dough into a 12-inch circle, rotating frequently. Transfer it carefully into a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck the crust edges down and create a thick rim by folding dough back over the edge, then crimp or flute the edges. Brush the crust edge with egg wash. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes while preparing the filling.
- Prepare the filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine apple slices, cranberries, brown sugar, flour, orange zest, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Stir thoroughly to distribute spices and coating evenly over the fruit.
- Assemble the pie: Transfer the filling into the chilled pie crust and spread evenly. Sprinkle the cold crumble topping evenly over the filling.
- Bake the pie: Place the assembled pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake at 400°F (204°C) for 20 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Shield the crust edges with a pie crust shield or homemade foil shield to prevent over-browning. Bake for an additional 35–40 minutes until the filling bubbles around the edges and an instant-read thermometer shows about 200°F (93°C) internally.
- Finish and cool: If the top browns too quickly, remove the shield towards the end and tent the pie loosely with foil. Remove the pie from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely for at least 3 hours before slicing—this helps the filling set properly.
- Serve and store: Slice the pie and serve with vanilla ice cream if desired. Leftover pie can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 1 day, or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing: Pie crust dough can be made ahead and kept refrigerated for 5 days or frozen up to 3 months. Baked pie freezes well for 3 months; thaw overnight in refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving. The crumble topping may become slightly mushy after freezing and thawing.
- Use 2 Granny Smith and 3 Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples for best flavor balance.
- Pie Crust Shield: To protect pie edges from over-browning, use a purchased pie crust shield or make one by folding a 14-inch square of aluminum foil in half, cutting a 5-inch semi-circle from the folded edge, and unfolding it to fit over the crust edges.
- No oats in crumble topping option: For a different texture, omit oats and use a crumble topping from a basic apple crumble recipe.
- Ensure filling is fully cooled before slicing to prevent runny filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10 of pie)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
