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Cranberry Apple Pie is a sweet-tart and totally refreshing take on a classic apple pie with bright bursts of cranberry flavor! The flaky, buttery crust, sweet apple-cranberry pie filling, and tart bursts of fresh cranberries with just a hint of cinnamon make for a delicious and festive Fall dessert, sure to delight guests and family this holiday season.
If you love cranberry season, be sure to also check out our Easy Cranberry Fluff Salad, White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies, and White Chocolate Cranberry Pecan Fudge.
This post was originally shared November 2017, but has been updated with new photos and more helpful tips.
This cranberry apple pie is one of my favorite desserts any time of the year. I stock up on fresh cranberries when they are in season and throw them in the freezer, pretty much just so I can use them to bake this pie and make cranberry orange bread.
Cranberry apple pie is a surprising and refreshing twist on classic apple pie, especially if you enjoy sweet-tart desserts! I made this for my dad recently and he said it was quite possibly his favorite apple pie he's ever eaten. I mean, he's my dad, so you can take that with a grain of salt, but it really is a pretty darn delicious pie and it really stands out from the crowd.
Why This Recipe Works
- A homemade lattice pie crust allows the pie to vent so it is juicy but sliceable.
- The tartness of the fresh cranberries is balanced with the sweet apples, warm cinnamon, and buttery pie crust.
- Everybody always expects regular old apple pie, so the cranberries add a lively twist!
Ingredient Notes
- Apples: I like to use a combination of Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, and/or Granny Smith apples for this cranberry apple pie. But braeburn, honeycrisp, envy, and many other apple varieties will work well.
- Cranberries: You want fresh or frozen cranberries for this recipe for the best flavor. If using frozen, let them thaw first on the counter for a couple of hours.
- Pie Crust: When it comes to pie crust, I always, always use this perfect pie crust recipe. It's actually great to make ahead of time and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days wrapped tightly in plastic. Or you can even freeze it and just let it thaw before rolling it out when you are ready to make your pies.
- Cornstarch: The recipe calls for cornstarch as the thickening agent. I think it's just the right amount for a juicy pie that isn't overly thickened, but if you have trouble with your pies frequently being runny you can even double the amount of cornstarch or add 2 tablespoons of flour to thicken things up. Keep in mind that some apples will be juicier than others and that can factor in as well.
How to Make This Recipe
Start by making the pie crust so it is nice and cold. I always use my favorite pie crust recipe and let it chill in the fridge for an hour before rolling it out so it is easy to work with and ends up nice and flakey.
While the crust is chilling, make the pie filling by peeling and slicing the apples about ⅛-inch to ¼-inch thick. Toss them in a large bowl with the cranberries, sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon, then let the filling sit for 15 minutes to draw out some of the juices from the fruit.
I have made the mistake of tossing the filling together and then immediately dumping it into the crust before, only to slice into a soupy pie that hasn't set up at all. Letting the filling sit for a bit helps you know whether your fruit is extra juicy or not so you can either discard some of the liquid or add an extra tablespoon or two of flour or cornstarch to help thicken the pie.
Roll out the bottom crust on a floured surface, then transfer it to a pie plate (affiliate link), leaving some of the crust hanging over the edges. Transfer the filling to the pie crust, discarding the juice if there is a lot of it. Dot the top of the filling with small pieces of butter.
Roll out the second pie crust and use it to top the pie. You can either do a solid top crust with slits cut into the top for venting, or go for it with a lattice crust. Follow my step-by-step tutorial for how to make a lattice pie crust if you need a visual!
Brush the top of your pie crust with an egg wash and sprinkle with some coarse turbinado or sanding sugar for sparkle, then bake until golden brown on top and the filling is bubbling.
Cool for at least 3-4 hours before slicing.
Recipe FAQ's
Yes, you can use dried cranberries, but they won't give the same intense cranberry flavor as fresh ones will. I would decrease the amount to 1 cup if using dried cranberries.
If you frequently have issues with pies being runny, be sure to let it cool completely. Like, all the way, next day kind of cool, not just until it's just warm. I get it, I love warm pie too, but if you want it to slice well it needs time to cool and set up. You can always stick the whole pie in the oven for 10-15 minutes to warm up again before serving if you like it warm (or just microwave a slice as you go). You can also try increasing the cornstarch by 1-2 tablespoons to account for extra juicy fruit and that should help too.
Recipe Tips
- Storage: A cranberry apple pie keeps well on the counter covered in an airtight container or plastic wrap for 3-4 days or in the fridge for 5-7 days.
- Freezing: You can freeze the baked or unbaked pie. If freezing baked pie, I recommend wrapping individual slices in a couple of layers of plastic wrap for easy thawing and reheating. If you want to assemble and freeze the unbaked pie, you can bake it from frozen without thawing first just by adding another 20-30 minutes to your bake time.
- Dutch version: This cranberry apple pie is also fantastic with a crumble topping instead of a regular pie crust. In fact, my husband prefers that version over this one. You can use the crumble topping from my Dutch Apple Pie, which is also included in the notes below.
More Pie Recipes
- Easy Coconut Cream Pie From Scratch
- Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie
- Homemade Blackberry Pie
- Classic Southern Pecan Pie
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you thought with a comment and star rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
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Cranberry Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 1 [double pie crust recipe]
- 5 apples peeled and sliced (about 6 cups)
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen* cranberries
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons butter cubed
Instructions
- Prepare pie crust and chill in refrigerator until ready to roll out.
- Prepare the pie filling by combining the peeled and sliced apples, cranberries, sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in a large bowl. Toss to distribute evenly and set aside while oven preheats.
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Roll out bottom crust on a floured surface and carefully transfer to a pie dish. Spoon cranberry apple filling into the crust, leaving behind any excess juices in the bowl. Dot the top of the filling with the butter.
- Roll out top crust on the floured surface then transfer to cover the filling, cutting slits in the top to vent while baking. Alternatively, you can make a decorative top crust by cutting small holes in a pattern with a small circle cutter or cutting strips and weaving a lattice top.
- Trim the edges of the crust and crimp using your thumb and forefinger to finish the edges, then brush the crust all over with a beaten egg wash.
- Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 400°F. Without removing pie from oven, decrease the baking temperature to 350°F and continue baking another 40-50 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. You may need to use a pie crust shield to protect the edges from browning too much.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for 3-4 hours before slicing. Filling will thicken as it cools.
Notes
- Cranberries: If using frozen cranberries, thaw completely and drain any excess liquid before combining with sliced apples and other filling ingredients.
- Storage: A cranberry apple pie keeps well on the counter covered in an airtight container or plastic wrap for 3-4 days or in the fridge for 5-7 days.
- Freezing: You can freeze the baked or unbaked pie. If freezing baked pie, I recommend wrapping individual slices in a couple of layers of plastic wrap for easy thawing and reheating. If you want to assemble and freeze the unbaked pie, you can bake it from frozen without thawing first just by adding another 20-30 minutes to your bake time.
- Dutch version: Instead of a regular top crust, you can combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ cup softened salted butter, and a pinch of salt in a bowl using a pastry cutter. Cut the butter into the other ingredients until it looks like crumbs. Sprinkle this streusel over the filling in place of a top crust and bake as directed.
Caroline says
Such a pretty looking pie! I like the combination of apples as well.
Wendy Klik says
A perfect Fall dessert.
Sue Lau says
Looks very nice and perfect for the Autumn holiday! Thanks for joining in this month.
Karen says
What a wonderful take on apple pie, and I love, love , love your top crust. I'm stealing that!
Manu says
I love the idea of adding cranberries to apple pie. Such a festive addition! This pie looks amazing!
Amy says
Thank you so much Manu!
Teri @ The Freshman Cook says
The cranberry apple combination looks amazing, and I know it must taste awesome! I love the circles on the top crust, and the crumble topping sounds like a very tasty way to go also!
Carlee says
What a perfect Thanksgiving pie flavor combination. I need to put this in my memory banks (aka Pinterest) for next year!
Madeleine Yeh says
This is a great recipe. It isn't much more work than an apple pie since the cranberries don't need to be cut up. The pie came out an appetizing pink with a good flavor, not too sweet and not too tart.