Apple Cranberry Pie with Golden Oat Crumble Topping

Apple Cranberry Pie

This apple cranberry pie has one bottom crust, a filling of distinct apple slices and tart red cranberries, and a chunky oat crumble instead of a pastry lid. Bake it until the fruit bubbles thickly and the apples near the center are tender; a golden topping alone does not mean the filling is done. Let the whole pie cool before cutting it into wedges, then add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to each slice just before serving.

Ingredients for Apple Cranberry Pie

Crust and filling

• 1 pie-dough round for a 9-inch pie, homemade or refrigerated (about 230g)
• About 2 1/2 pounds firm baking apples (about 1,150g whole), yielding roughly 6 cups peeled, cored, 1/4-inch slices
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (about 100g)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch (about 25g)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, optional

Oat crumble and serving

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (90g)
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (45g)
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar (70g)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed (85g)
• About 1 pint vanilla ice cream, for 8 small scoops

How to Bake Apple Cranberry Pie

1. Line the pie plate: Fit the dough into a standard-depth 9-inch pie plate without stretching it, and crimp the edge. Refrigerate the unbaked shell while you prepare the topping and filling.
2. Make the crumble: Mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt. Work in the cold butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until you have loose crumbs and larger clumps. Refrigerate the topping.
3. Mix the filling: Peel, core, and slice the apples about 1/4 inch thick. Toss them with the cranberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and optional orange zest until no dry cornstarch remains. Add frozen cranberries straight from the freezer; do not thaw them.
4. Assemble and chill: Mound the fruit in the cold shell. Scatter the crumble over most of the filling, leaving small gaps where juices can bubble through. Refrigerate the assembled pie for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) with a rack in the lower third.
5. Bake: Set the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for about 35 to 45 minutes more. Check the browning after about 35 minutes total. If the crumble or exposed crust is getting too dark, tent the pie loosely with foil. Rotate it once if your oven browns unevenly.
6. Check and cool: Start checking the fruit around 55 minutes total. The juices should bubble thickly, including near the center, and the crust and crumble should be golden brown. A thin knife inserted into an apple slice near the center should meet little resistance. Keep baking if the apples are firm or the filling has not bubbled thickly; frozen cranberries may extend the bake. Cool the whole pie on a rack for at least 3 hours. Cut into 8 wedges and add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream to each just before serving.

Choosing Apples and Cranberries

Firm baking apples, such as a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp, soften while keeping recognizable slices. Cut them to a similar thickness so they cook evenly, and avoid soft, mealy apples. Fresh and unthawed frozen cranberries both work; judge a pie made with frozen fruit by the bubbling filling and tender apples rather than the clock.

How to Tell When the Pie Is Done

The crumble can brown before the fruit finishes cooking. If that happens, tent the pie loosely with foil and continue baking. Look for thick bubbles through gaps in the topping and test an apple near the center with a thin knife. The lower oven rack helps the bottom pastry brown, so check the crust along with the fruit before removing the pie.

Getting a Slice That Holds Together

Measure the cornstarch and bake until the juices bubble thickly so the filling can thicken. Then cool the whole pie for at least 3 hours before slicing. Cutting it hot is more likely to release juice, and adding ice cream before plating will melt it during the wait.

Storing Leftover Pie

Store the pie without ice cream. Once fully cool, cover it and keep it at room temperature for up to 1 day or refrigerate it for up to 5 days. You can bake it a day ahead and add ice cream when serving. An individual slice can be gently warmed, though it may not hold its shape as neatly as a fully cooled slice.

If freezing a baked pie, freeze it for up to 3 months and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. The crumble may soften.

Nutrition

Approximate per serving, based on 1 of 8 slices with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream: 550 calories, 6g protein, 23g fat, and 82g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g: 230 calories, 3g protein, 10g fat, and 34g carbohydrates. Values vary with the pie dough, apples, ice cream, and scoop size.