The tart and fruity apple cranberry crisp celebrates the changing seasons most refreshingly. While it can be enjoyed year-round, this recipe is best when warm summer weather fades to crisp autumn air. Fruity summer desserts take advantage of farmer’s market harvests and make for some seriously beautiful sweets. When apples and cranberries are at their peak, this dessert truly shines.
The bright red cranberries offer a wonderful tartness, contrasting the sweetness of the apples and spiced brown sugar crumb topping. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a spoonful of Greek yogurt or a dollop of sweetened whipped cream for a dessert that’s the perfect send-off to summer.
Like all of our favorite crisps and cobbler recipes, this comforting dessert is perfect for beginners. Ready in about an hour, cranberry apple crisp is a quick dessert you can whip up on the fly anytime a craving strikes.
Apple Cranberry Crisp Ingredients
- Apples: When making a cranberry apple crisp, choose a type of apple suited for baking (Hint: they’re also the best apples for apple pie). Granny Smith apples are an easily accessible option that holds their shape well through baking and has a wonderfully tart flavor.
- Cranberries: Fresh cranberries stud this sweet apple filling, bringing a rosy red hue and extra tartness to this festive fall dessert recipe. If you don’t have access to fresh ones, you can also use frozen cranberries.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the apple cranberry crisp filling and encourages the fruit to release its juices as the cranberry apple crisp bakes in the oven.
- Flour: All-purpose flour helps thicken the fruit pie filling and gives the topping some structural integrity by binding together with oats and nuts.
- Oats: In the oven, the oats become crunchy with a subtle chewiness, offering a wonderful textural contrast to the tender fruit in this apple cranberry crisp. This recipe uses quick-cooking oats versus other types of oats.
- Brown sugar: Use brown sugar to sweeten the topping and infuse it with a subtle molasses flavor.
- Butter: The fat from the butter helps the crumb topping brown while adding a rich layer of flavor.
- Pecans: We love the added crunch and nutty flavor pecans give this cranberry apple crisp. You can omit them if you have a nut allergy or swap the pecans for another variety of nuts you enjoy. Walnuts, sliced almonds, macadamia nuts or shelled pistachios would all be tasty alternatives.
Directions
Step 1: Combine the fruit
Combine the apples, cranberries, sugar and flour in a large mixing bowl, then pour the fruit into a greased 11×7-inch baking dish.
Step 2: Make the topping
In a separate bowl, mix the apple cranberry crisp topping ingredients until crumbly.
Editor’s Tip: Don’t overmix the crumb topping. Doing so can cause the butter to become too warm before baking, which will impact the texture and crumbliness of the topping. A pastry blender is a handy baking tool under $20 that helps get the texture just right.
Step 3: Bake and serve warm
Sprinkle the crumb topping over the apple cranberry mixture and bake at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes or until the fruit is tender. Serve warm.
Recipe Variations
- Try other fruits: While we love a good apple dessert, you can add or swap other fruit into this recipe. Try with an equal amount of pears, peaches, plums, cherries or strawberries. No matter the fruit, just swap in an even 1:1 ratio.
- Add spices: Feel free to sprinkle in up to 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of your favorite fall spices into the filling and/or topping mixture. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger and cardamom are all spices that pair well with apple cranberry crisp.
- Make it gluten-free: For a gluten-free apple cranberry crisp, swap the flour for your favorite 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend.
How to Store Apple Cranberry Crisp
Cranberry apple crisp is best kept refrigerated and enjoyed within two or three days. Warm it up in a 350° oven using an oven-safe baking dish or warm it in the microwave. We’ve also been known to sneak a bite or two of leftover apple cranberry crisp cold straight from the fridge with no regrets.
Can you freeze apple cranberry crisp?
Yes! Apple cranberry crisp is a wonderful make-ahead dessert. Prepare as directed, then freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to three months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as directed above to enjoy.
Apple Cranberry Crisp Tips
What type of apples are best for apple cranberry crisp?
While Granny Smith may be the most popular variety of apples for apple cranberry crisp, they’re far from the only option. Check out our guide for a complete outline of the best apples for cooking, baking and snacking.
How do you serve cranberry apple crisp?
Serve this cranberry apple crisp warm with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. We also like this apple crisp recipe at room temperature with a spoonful of creamy Greek yogurt.
