Apple Cranberry Crisp (Easy and Delicious)
Apple cranberry crisp is an incredibly easy and delicious dessert that’s perfect for fall and winter, when cranberries are in season. But here’s a tip: freeze cranberries and you can make this wonderful dessert all year long!
This is a recipe that I know by heart.
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It’s basically my fruit crumble recipe, but with a couple of changes, that’s all. I grew up with my mother making this, and then I started making it, and it’s just so easy, you’ll see that you’ll be making it over and over again, too!
How do you Keep Apple Cranberry Crisp From Getting Soggy?
Your apple cranberry crisp won’t get soggy if you use this recipe. Even if you keep it in the fridge for a few days, all you have to do is pop it in an air fryer, toaster oven or oven and it will taste freshly made. No soggy crisp in your future!
I highly encourage you to check out my British apple pie recipe. It’s simply marvelous!
Is Apple Crisp and Apple Crumble the Same Thing?
Whether you make an apple crisp or crumble or an apple cranberry crisp or crumble, they are not truly the same thing. A crisp usually contains oats, whereas a crumble is only flour, butter and sugar. Here’s my rhubarb crumble recipe so you can see the difference for yourself. They are both equally delicious!
What is the best type of apple to use for apple crisp?
In the US, we don’t have a big selection of cooking apples, so my suggestion for the best apples for an apple crisp (or any other apple dessert) is the only real cooking apple we have access to: Granny Smith apples. However, feel free to mix Granny Smith with Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp as these apples will also work. You may have to cut down on the sugar as these are also sweeter.
Why is my Apple Crisp not Crispy?
If your apple crisp or apple cranberry crisp isn’t crispy, you are using the wrong recipe. No worries, you have a super crispy one just below, so you won’t every have this problem again!
Does Apple Cranberry Crisp Need to be Refrigerated?
If it’s in a cool place, apple cranberry crisp is okay for a few hours, but to be safe, it is better to cover and refrigerate it.
Does Apple Cranberry Crisp Freeze Well.
Absolutely! It freezes very well. If you plan to freeze it, underbake it just a tad so you can pop it back into the oven and it will taste freshly made!
Apple Cranberry Crisp
recipe by Christina Conte 8 servings
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
! FRUIT
- Granny Smith apples
- lemon juice
- cranberries
- sugar
! TOPPING
- butter
- flour
- rolled oats
- brown sugar
- white sugar
Preheat oven to 375˚F 190˚C
Directions
Prepare the Fruit
Steam the apples, with sugar and lemon juice for about 6 minutes, tossing every 2 minutes. Add half a cup of the cranberries into the apples, stir and immediately place into a pie dish. Sprinkle the rest of the cranberries on top and set aside.
Prepare the Crisp Topping
Cut cold butter into pieces in a large bowl, then add the flour.
Using two knives, cut the butter into the flour so the butter ends up in small pieces. Using your hands (don’t use a mixer) rub the pieces of butter into the flour so you end up with large crumbs. DO NOT CREAM the mixture.
Toss in the oats and stir to mix in evenly.
Next, add the sugars and gently mix so that it is also evenly distributed throughout the crisp mixture.
The end result will look like this. It truly only takes a few minutes to make.
Top and Bake the Apple Cranberry Crisp
With a large spoon, or even your hands, add the topping to the fruit in the pie dish.
Evenly distribute the crisp topping over the apples and cranberries.
Place into the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, uncovered.
After 30 minutes, turn the dish in the oven (180 degrees, meaning half a circle, not temperature) and continue to bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Look at your apple cranberry crisp carefully to make sure it’s ready, just like Mr. Turkey (I love him; he hung out for Thanksgiving)!
Serve
You have lots of choices on how to serve apple cranberry crisp! First of all, you can serve it warm or cold (I suggest warm). Next, you can choose to serve it as-is, or plain.
As delicious as it is on its own, I suggest serving the crisp with some freshly whipped cream. I just love my iSi Gourmet Whip for the job. Just cream: no additives, chemicals and no sugar! It’s delightful when you use a good quality cream (like Organic Valley, or Straus Family Creamery in California).
You could also serve it with vanilla ice cream or real homemade custard, like they do in the UK with crumbles.
However you choose to serve apple cranberry crisp will be appreciated and enjoyed by everyone!
One of my all time favorite cranberry recipes from my friend, Cathy, is her Pumpkin Mousse with Toffee Crunch and Cran-Raspberry Sauce! It’s sooo good!
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Apple Cranberry Crisp (Easy and Delicious)
Ingredients
For the fruit:
- 4 large Granny Smith apples (or six small apples- peeled, cored and cut into slices)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen, washed)
- ½ cup sugar
For the topping:
- 4 oz butter
- 3 oz flour
- 3 oz rolled oats
- 2 oz brown sugar
- 1 oz white sugar
Instructions
Prepare the fruit:
- Steam the apples, with sugar and lemon juice for about 6 minutes, tossing every 2 minutes.
- Add half of the cranberries into the apples, stir, and immediately place into a pie dish. Sprinkle the rest of the cranberries on top and set aside.
Prepare the topping:
- Cut cold butter into pieces in a large bowl, then add the flour.
- Using two knives, cut the flour into the butter so the butter ends up in small pieces. Using your hands (don't use a mixer) rub the pieces of butter into the flour so you end up with large crumbs.
- Toss in the oats and stir to mix in evenly.
- Next, add the sugars and gently mix so that it is also evenly distributed throughout the crisp mixture.
Top and Bake the Apple Cranberry Crisp:
- Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚C)
- With a large spoon, or even your hands, add the topping to the fruit in the pie dish.
- Evenly distribute the crisp topping over the apples and cranberries.
- Place into the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, uncovered.
- After 30 minutes, turn the dish in the oven (180 degrees, meaning half a circle, not temperature) and continue to bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.
- You have lots of choices on how to serve apple cranberry crisp! First of all, you can serve it warm or cold (I suggest warm). Next, you can choose to serve it as-is, or plain.
- Serve with freshly whipped cream, or serve with real, homemade custard.
Notes
- This isn't a very sweet dessert, due to the cranberries and not a lot of sugar. If you feel you like a sweeter dessert, add a little more sugar.
Nutrition
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Do you think I could substitute almond flour or gluten free flour for the regular flour?
Yes, as a matter of fact, I should have added that I’ve made this gluten free and it’s delicious, using oat flour in place of the regular flour, so I know it works! I will have to do another recipe for that one! :) Enjoy, Fiona! You’ll love it as it’s one of these gf recipes that doesn’t taste gf! :)
Looks delicious, Christina. And I do like that you’ve added some cranberries in. I love cranberries. They’re too good to be limited to Thanksgiving and the occasional glass of juice!
Wholeheartedly agree!
Looks so delicious. What a great dessert to have on hand in the freezer.
Thanks, Cathy! It’s great!
PS Thank you for the mention. So happy you love the Pumpkin Mousse with Toffee Crunch and Cran-Raspberry Sauce as much as I do.
One of my favorite desserts!
Can’t wait to try this. I was just thinking about something like this the other day.
Brilliant! Let me know how you like it, Kelly!
Your crisp looks absolutely wonderful, Christina! As I am only shopping at our farmers market for fruits and veggies, Granny Smith apples are not an option. But I’m finding that the ones we have (pink ladies and gala) work really well with most baking as long as (as you suggested) the sugar is reduced. This year I was smart and bought four packs of cranberries as soon as they came on the market. I have two bags left and plan to use some of them in baking, like this crisp
Cranberries are wonderful to have stashed in the freezer! I was so pleased with this crisp which I made for Thanksgiving, and so was our one guest (a friend who was going to be alone, so we ate outside). I want to make it and serve with custard next time! :)