Apple Cranberry Pie

By Maria Lichty

Published on November 16, 2022

View RecipePin Recipe4.7133

This homemade Apple Cranberry Pie is the perfect dessert for the holidays. It always makes an appearance at our dessert table every Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is a showstopper!

The pie crust is buttery, flaky, and tender. It is a double crust pie, so you get pie crust on the bottom and a pretty lattice crust on top. Double delicious!

You can’t go wrong with classic apple pie for dessert, but I think the cranberries make the apple pie even more special. I love the pop of color they add and the little bit of tart helps balance out the sweetness. You will love biting into a bursting tart cranberry. It is a pleasant surprise.

The combination ties fall and the Christmas season together, making this the perfect pie for all of your holiday celebrations. I recommend serving the pie warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. Dessert heaven!

How to Make the Pie Crust

Let’s talk about the crust for a second. I used to be afraid of pie crust, but after making A LOT of chicken pot pies, I am getting the hang of it. This is the BEST pie crust recipe! And if you want to cheat and use store-bought pie dough, go for it! No judgment here, just make sure you buy two because this is a double crust recipe!

• Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cubed COLD butter and toss to coat. Dump the mixture out onto a clean surface and use a rolling pin to roll the butter into thin sheets, combining it with the flour.
• Use a bench scraper to scrape the rolling pin and to bring the mixture back into a pile as necessary. Continue until all of the butter is incorporated into the flour. Mixture will be very flaky. Return mixture to the bowl and place in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill the butter.
• Remove from freezer and add the buttermilk. Use a spoon and then your hands to stir the mixture until it comes together into a ball. If mixture is too dry, add the water a tablespoon at a time.
• Divide the dough in two and flatten into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge while you make the filling.

How to Make the Filling

• I love using Honeycrisp apples in this recipe. They are sweet, crisp, and my all-time favorite! Peel and slice the apples.
• Put the apple slices in a large bowl and drizzle with fresh lemon juice. Toss to coat the apples. This will keep the apples from browning.
• Add the fresh cranberries, sugar, flour, cinnamon, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Stir until combined.

Assembling the Pie

• Remove one disk of pie dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle. Dough should be about ¼ inch thick.
• Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie pan. Pat with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Trim the extra overhang of dough with a knife and set aside.

• Fill pie with apple cranberry filling. Place the pie in the fridge while you roll out the second disk of dough.

• Roll our the dough and use a pastry wheel, pizza cutter, or sharp knife to cut the pie dough into strips, about 1-2 inches wide.

• Carefully weave the pie dough strips over and under one another. Press the edges of the dough strips into the bottom pie crust edges to seal. Trim off the excess dough and pinch the edges using your fingers to create a pretty edge. You can also use a fork to seal the edges. 
• If you don’t want to do the lattice top, you can cover the filling with the 12-inch pie dough circle.  Trim and crimp the edges and make sure you cut slits in the top of the pie.

• Using a pastry brush, lightly brush crust and edges with egg wash. Sprinkle pie with turbinado sugar, if using.

Baking the Pie

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet, just in case the filling bubbles out.
• Bake for 60-80 minutes until the crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling. If the top of the pie is browning too quickly, you can tent the top with aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield. Make sure you check it halfway through to be safe. Every oven is different so make sure you check on your pie a few times.
• When the pie is done baking, remove from oven and cool completely before serving so it can set up. This will take about 3 hours. If you cut it too soon, the pie will not be set up and be a mess to eat:)
• Serve with vanilla ice cream! You can store the pie on the counter for up to 24 hours or keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Making Ahead & Freezing Instructions

• You can make the pie one day in advance, this is helpful when you are making a big holiday feast. Cool the pie completely and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator or cool place for up to 24 hours. If you store it in the fridge, let it come to room temperature before serving. You can also warm it back up in the oven. Place the pie in a 250 degrees F oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until heated through.
• The pie dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• You can also freeze the baked pie. Make the pie in a freezer safe dish. Cool the pie completely and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving.

More Pie Recipes

• Salted Caramel Pumpkin Pie
• Blueberry Crumble Pie
• Apple Slab Pie with Crumb Topping
• Biscoff Pumpkin Pie
• Key Lime Pie

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Pies/Tarts

Apple Cranberry Pie

Buttery, flaky pie crust with spiced apples, tart cranberries, and creamy vanilla ice cream. This is the perfect holiday dessert!

4.71 from 54 votes

PrintSave RecipeReview

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

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For the pie crust:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup cold buttermilk
• 1-2 tablespoons cold water
• 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
• Turbinado sugar, optional

For the filling:

• 4 large Honeycrisp apples,  cored, peeled, and sliced (about 6-7 cups)
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 1/2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons  orange zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• First, make the pie crust. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter and toss to coat. Dump the mixture out onto a clean surface and use a rolling pin to roll the butter into thin sheets, combining it with the flour. Use a bench scraper to scrape the rolling pin and to bring the mixture back into a pile as necessary. Continue until all of the butter is incorporated into the flour. Mixture will be very flaky. Return mixture to the bowl and place in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill the butter.
• Remove from freezer and add the buttermilk. Use a spoon and then your hands to stir the mixture until it comes together into a ball. If mixture is too dry, add the water a tablespoon at a time. Divide the dough in two and flatten into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
• Put the apple slices in a large bowl and drizzle with fresh lemon juice. Toss to coat the apples. This will keep the apples from browning. Add the cranberries, sugar, flour, cinnamon, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Stir until combined.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Remove one disk of pie dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle. Dough should be about ¼ inch thick. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie pan. Pat with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Trim the extra overhang of dough with a knife and set aside. Fill pie with apple cranberry filling. Place the pie in the fridge while you roll out the second disk of dough.
• Roll our the dough and use a pastry wheel, pizza cutter, or sharp knife to cut the pie dough into strips, about 1-2 inches wide. Carefully weave the pie dough strips over and under one another. Press the edges of the dough strips into the bottom pie crust edges to seal. Trim off the excess dough and pinch the edges using your fingers to create a pretty edge. You can also use a fork to seal the edges. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush crust and edges with egg wash. Sprinkle pie with turbinado sugar, if using.
• Place the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet, just in case the filling bubbles out.
• Bake for 60-80 minutes until the crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling. If the top of the pie is browning too quickly, you can tent the top with aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield. Make sure you check it halfway through to be safe.
• When the pie is done baking, remove from oven and cool completely before serving so it can set up, about 3 hours.

Notes

If you don’t want to do the lattice top, you can cover the filling with the 12-inch pie dough circle.  Trim and crimp the edges and make sure you cut slits in the top of the pie.

You can make the pie dough in advance. Store wrapped pie dough in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 357kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 328mg, Potassium: 128mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 25g, Vitamin A: 533IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 28mg, Iron: 2mg

Keywords apple, cranberry, pie

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