If you’re anything like me, you’ll absolutely adore this Cranberry Apple Pie Recipe. It’s the perfect cozy dessert that marries the tart sparkle of fresh cranberries with the sweet warmth of cinnamon-spiced apples. I love baking this in the fall or around the holidays when everyone craves something that tastes like warmth and comfort in a slice.
When I first tried this recipe, I was blown away by how the crisp, buttery crust compliments the juicy, tangy filling — it’s a real showstopper! Whether you’re baking for a family get-together, a festive party, or just craving an indulgent treat, this cranberry apple pie recipe is definitely worth the time. You’ll find it’s not just dessert; it’s a little moment of joy you bake yourself.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect Balance of Flavors: The tartness of cranberries and sweet spiced apples create a truly harmonious filling.
- Flaky Homemade Crust: The buttery, flaky crust with a hint of vinegar gives the pie a perfect texture every time.
- Versatile and Crowd-Pleasing: Ideal for holidays, weekend baking, or whenever you want to impress guests or family.
- Make Ahead Friendly: Dough can be refrigerated or frozen, making your baking day stress-free.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Cranberry Apple Pie Recipe relies on a few simple but special ingredients that really play well together. Fresh cranberries bring that tart pop that balances the sweet, cinnamon-spiced apple filling, while the homemade crust forms the perfect flaky envelope.
- All-purpose flour: Essential for the crust and thickening the filling; make sure it’s fresh for best results.
- Baking powder: Just a tiny pinch helps the crust get a little lift without being cakey.
- Kosher salt: Enhances all the flavors, especially in the crust.
- Shortening: The key to a tender, flaky crust — I like this over butter alone because it holds shape well.
- White vinegar (or apple cider vinegar): Adds a subtle tang that helps tenderize the crust and brings out complexity.
- Ice water: Use very cold to keep the shortening firm while making dough — that’s the trick for flakiness.
- Egg whites: Used to brush the crust to give it a beautiful golden finish.
- Butter: Adds richness to the filling and helps form that luscious sauce.
- Sugar (white and brown): Brown sugar brings molasses depth, white sugar adds sweetness — together, they’re the perfect combo.
- Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice): The warm trio that gives this pie its cozy, inviting aroma.
- Granny Smith apples: Their tartness and firmness hold up well in baking and complement the cranberries.
- Fresh cranberries: The star of the show, adding tart brightness and a festive touch.
- Coarse sugar (optional): Sprinkle on top for extra sparkle and crunch.
Variations
While I adore this classic cranberry apple pie recipe as is, I’ve had a lot of fun experimenting with different twists to suit taste buds or dietary needs. Don’t hesitate to make it your own.
- Gluten-Free Variation: I swapped regular flour for a gluten-free baking mix once and was surprised how tender and delicious the crust still turned out.
- Adding Nuts: Toasted pecans or walnuts folded into the filling add great texture and a toasty flavor — a hit at family gatherings!
- Sweetener Swap: Replacing white sugar with maple syrup or honey brings an autumnal richness that’s lovely and natural.
- Spice it Up: A dash of ground ginger or cardamom adds a warming spiciness I recently tried and loved as a twist on the usual.
How to Make Cranberry Apple Pie Recipe
Step 1: Crafting That Flaky Crust
Start by whisking together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a large bowl. Then add your chunks of shortening and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work it into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs. I usually spend 2-3 minutes here, keeping everything cold — the key is to handle it quickly so you get those lovely flaky layers.
Step 2: Bringing the Dough Together
Next, stir in the vinegar and 4 tablespoons of ice water gently at first, then keep adding the remaining water tablespoon by tablespoon until the dough just comes together. Don’t overwork it! The dough might seem crumbly, but with the vinegar and cold water, it’ll form into a beautiful ball once chilled. Divide it in half, wrap, flatten slightly, and chill in the fridge or freezer. Pro tip: freezing makes rolling easier if your kitchen is warm.
Step 3: Preparing the Filling
While the oven preheats to 350°F, melt butter in a saucepan and whisk in flour to form a smooth paste. Add water, sugars, and spices, then bring to a boil before lowering to a simmer. This mixture thickens and sweetens the filling perfectly, creating a luscious sauce you’ll love swirling through the apples and cranberries.
Step 4: Assembling the Pie
Roll out one dough ball and fit it into your pie dish, then brush it lightly with one of the egg whites to seal the crust and keep it crisp. Toss the sliced apples and cranberries in the warm sugar-spice mixture and mound it into the crust. Roll out the second dough ball and cut strips to create a lattice top. Brush the top crust with the remaining egg white and sprinkle coarse sugar if you want that added sparkle and crunch.
Step 5: Baking to Golden Perfection
Bake your pie for about an hour until the crust is a gorgeous deep golden brown, and the apples are tender and bubbly. Your kitchen will smell like heaven! Let it cool enough to set before slicing so you get those perfect, clean slices.
Pro Tips for Making Cranberry Apple Pie Recipe
- Keep Ingredients Cold: I’ve learned that cold shortening and ice water prevent the crust from becoming tough.
- Use a Pastry Cutter: It helps me get the perfect crumbly texture in the crust without overworking the dough.
- Don’t Skip the Lattice: It lets steam escape and creates that beautiful presentation my family always admires.
- Bake on the Lower Rack: I avoid soggy crust by baking the pie on the bottom oven rack where the heat crisps the bottom nicely.
How to Serve Cranberry Apple Pie Recipe
Garnishes
I love to serve this pie with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream—both soften the tartness of cranberries perfectly. Sometimes, I sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top of the whipped cream to add a surprising pop that people rave about.
Side Dishes
Pairing the pie with hot beverages like spiced apple cider or a warm cup of coffee works beautifully for chilly evenings. I’ve also served it after a simple roast chicken dinner, and the contrast makes it feel extra special.
Creative Ways to Present
For holiday gatherings, I’ve decorated the lattice crust with festive leaf-shaped cutouts made from extra dough. It’s such a simple touch but makes the pie look like it came straight out of a bakery. I also love serving individual miniature pies using this same filling for a charming twist.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I keep leftover pie tightly covered in the fridge — it stays fresh and flavorful for up to 4 days. I find the flavors actually deepen overnight, making the next day’s slice even better!
Freezing
If I’m planning ahead, I freeze unbaked pie dough balls wrapped well in plastic wrap, which lasts for months. You can also freeze a fully baked pie, wrapped airtight, for up to 2 months. Just thaw slowly in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
To reheat, I preheat the oven to 350°F and warm slices on a baking sheet for about 10-15 minutes until heated through and the crust crisps back up slightly. Avoid microwaving since it can make the crust soggy.
FAQs
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Can I use frozen cranberries in this Cranberry Apple Pie Recipe?
Yes! Frozen cranberries work fine — just thaw and drain excess liquid before mixing into the filling to avoid making it too soupy. This way, you keep the perfect texture without compromising flavor.
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How do I prevent the crust from becoming soggy?
Brushing the bottom crust with an egg white before adding the filling acts as a sealant and helps keep it crisp. Also, baking on the lower oven rack gives the bottom extra heat to stay flaky.
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Can I make this pie vegan?
Absolutely! Substitute the shortening with vegetable-based alternatives and use a mixture like aquafaba or a plant-based egg replacer for brushing the crust. Replace butter with vegan margarine in the filling. I’ve tried this, and it’s delicious.
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What kind of apples work best for this pie?
Granny Smith apples are ideal because they’re tart and hold their shape well when baked. If you want a sweeter touch, you can mix in Fuji or Honeycrisp apples but keep Granny Smith as the base.
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How long does the pie take to bake?
This cranberry apple pie recipe bakes for about 1 hour at 350°F. You’ll know it’s done when the crust is deeply golden and the filling bubbles through the lattice top.
Final Thoughts
This Cranberry Apple Pie Recipe has become one of my absolute favorites to bake and share with loved ones. From the flaky, tender crust to the perfectly balanced, cozy filling, every bite feels like a hug on a plate. I hope you give it a try—it’s a little bit of magic you can create in your own kitchen that’s guaranteed to bring smiles at any table.
Print
Cranberry Apple Pie Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins to 2 hours including chilling and baking
- Yield: 8 – 10 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Cranberry Apple Pie combines the tartness of fresh cranberries with the sweetness of apples, wrapped in a flaky homemade crust featuring a delicate lattice top. Perfect for fall and holiday gatherings, this pie balances warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice with a buttery filling that bakes to golden perfection.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup shortening, cut into chunks
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 6 Tbsp ice water, divided
For the Filling
- 2 egg whites, divided
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- Coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Make the crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add shortening and gradually work it into the flour using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add liquids and form dough: Stir in vinegar and 4 tablespoons of ice water gently. Add remaining ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough begins to come together and all flour is moistened.
- Divide and chill dough: Separate the dough into two equal portions and shape each into a ball. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and press down slightly to flatten for easier rolling. Refrigerate if used within 24 hours or freeze for longer storage.
- Prepare dough for rolling: When ready, thaw dough if frozen for 15 to 30 minutes. Roll out one ball for the bottom crust and reserve the other for cutting into a lattice topping.
- Preheat and prepare crust: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the bottom crust into your pie pan and brush with one of the reserved egg whites. Return to the freezer while preparing the filling.
- Make the filling base: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and stir in flour to create a paste. Add water, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer to thicken.
- Mix fruit with filling: In a large bowl, combine sliced apples and cranberries. Pour the brown sugar mixture over the fruit and toss to coat evenly. Pile the fruit mixture into the prepared pie crust.
- Add lattice top and bake: Cover the fruit with the rolled-out lattice crust. Brush the lattice with the remaining egg white and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Bake in the oven for about 1 hour or until the apples are soft and the crust is deeply golden brown.
Notes
- Adding vinegar to the crust helps tenderize the dough and prevent toughness.
- You can freeze the dough for up to one month; thaw it before rolling.
- Use Granny Smith apples for their tartness that complements cranberries well.
- Coarse sugar sprinkled on top adds a nice crunch and sparkle.
- Let the pie cool before slicing for cleaner cuts.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10th of pie)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
