This homemade cranberry apple crumble pie is studded with tart fresh or frozen cranberries and topped with a cinnamon-spiced oatmeal streusel. The bright red cranberries add a pop of color and flavor, and the sweet crumbly oatmeal streusel topping accents the not-too-sweet juicy apple pie filling and flaky butter crust. Serve your cranberry apple crumble pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream to really take it over the top. Now that’s something worth celebrating and sharing!

It’s a great addition to your holiday pie table, or to bake and make any day special, or brighten up a bad one. And boy, we’ve had no shortage of those lately, huh!

I try to keep the politics out of the food here, but food and culture are inherently at least a little bit political, so sometimes, some days, a little bit slips in. Bear with me for a sec, or just jump to the next section to cut straight to the pie?

But remember, nothing is as American as apple pie, except maybe resisting the ostensibly divine right of kings. And with a nod to M.F.K. Fischer, when the hungry Wolf of fascism is at the door and things seem bleak… you’ll want some good recipes to survive the threat.

a book shelf with a copy of MFK Fischer's How to Cook a Wolf, open to a quote from CPS Gilman, "There's a whining at the threshold, there's a scratching at the floor. To work! To Work! In Heaven's name! The wolf is at the door!"

My mom always topped her apple pies with a quick homemade streusel topping instead of a top crust. She calls them “French apple pies”, which we’ll overlook while making this on America’s birthday (though this year, it’s hard to feel like celebrating for a lot of us)… although we owe the French a lot for this day in particular, I suppose. But this, my friends, feels more and more like the less delicious kind of The Crumbles (CW: depressing systemic global and political problems, YAY. I’m SO fun at parties. Ok, not really, but I bring pie and dark humor?).

But whatever is happening in the world around you when you read this, it’s either better or less bad with a freshly baked pie. Heck, make three and spread the love around, why dontcha? The only way we make it through this increasingly hot mess of a world we live in is by taking care of each other, and nothing says love and care quite like a homemade pie.

So, whether you’re a Yankee Doodle Dandy today or a Doom and Gloom Crumbly Cassandra… Pie won’t fix everything, but it sure as heck won’t hurt… And building local community by sharing and caring for one another *absolutely* will help.

It’s as American as Apple Pie, and fighting for our freedoms, and even the freedom to blow off a finger or three (if you’re reading this on the Fourth of July, try to be careful with the fireworks AND the paring knives today, willya? Our nurses and doctors are so tired, y’all)…

Anyway. Pie. Let’s make some.

Cranberry Apple Crumble Pie Ingredients

Apples:

I like to use a blend of different baking apples to elevate the pie filling, mixing sweeter and more tart varieties for a mix of textures and flavors. You can use all one kind for simplicity’s sake. There are hundreds of varieties of apples, but you’ll only find a handful in stores.

I like a mix of Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Fuji, though Pink Lady, Winesap, Cortland, Jonathan, Golden Delicious, and Braeburn are also all good options that may be available in stores, unless you have access to more obscure heirloom varieties (if you have a yard, you should plant a few!).

Streusel Topping:

A homemade streusel crumble mixture only takes a few minutes to throw together, and makes this pie really special. It’s easier than rolling a top crust, and won’t leave a gap as your filling cooks down. You can mix this easily by hand, but a food processor will also make quick work of it.

We’re using a blend of butter, all-purpose or wheat pastry flour, rolled or instant oats, brown and granulated sugar, and sweet spices (add a pinch of salt if you used unsalted butter).

You’ll mix the dry ingredients and then cut or rub in the butter until the mixture is crumbly and just holds together when squeezed (add an extra spoonful of flour or tablespoon of butter if necessary).

Pie Crust:

Use your favorite pastry crust to line your pie pan. I prefer this homemade all-butter pie crust, though you can use your favorite flaky pastry recipe or even a store bought one to save time.

Cranberries:

If you’re making this in the fall, fresh cranberries should be plentiful. I like to stash a few pounds in the freezer to bake with throughout the year, and replenish my stash when they’re on sale around Thanksgiving.

Fresh red currants are a good summer substitute if you don’t have frozen cranberries, and can find fresh currants! Alternately, pitted fresh or frozen sour cherries are a similar color and flavor profile, providing a tart contrast to the sweet apple filling.

Spices:

Cinnamon is essential, but I also like a blend of other spices to add complexity. You can use a good quality commercial apple pie spice blend, or mix your own blend of cinnamon with allspice, clove, nutmeg, cardamom, mace, and ginger (or your preferred combination of sweet spices).

Kitchen Equipment Needed

Deep dish pie plate:

This is a generously filled pie and should be baked in a 9″ deep dish pie pan. I prefer these glass Pyrex pie plates for my fruit pies, though you can also reduce the apple filling and use a shallow pie plate.

Mixing bowls:

You’ll need a small mixing bowl (or food processor) for the streusel topping and a larger one to mix the cranberry apple filling.

Apple peeler:

You can peel the apples by hand with a good vegetable peeler, then core and slice them on a cutting board- quarter the apples first, cut the cores out in wedges, then slice. Leave some of the apples with their peels if you prefer a more rustic texture to your pie (the peels have a lot of the fiber and nutritional value). Or save the peels & cores in the freezer to make a batch of apple scrap jelly or homemade vinegar!

Or, you can make quick work of the job with a hand-cranked apple peeler & slicer (there are various models designed to clamp on or stick to your counter top with suction- I have the clamp on type, though it’s not quite deep enough to attach to my butcher block counter, so I have to improvise with an additional clamp from the wood shop… I leave mine set up all the time, otherwise it takes as much time to set up as to use. If you have smooth surface countertops like stone or quartz, the suction cup ones work well and are faster to set up.

How to Make Cranberry Apple Crumble Pie

step by step photos of making the crumble topping and assembling the cranberry apple pie.

make streusel crumble:

Mix the dry ingredients for the crumble topping together in a small mixing bowl, or pulse a few times to mix in a food processor fitted with a blade, or a stand mixer with paddle attachment.
Using a pastry blender, a few butter knives, or a stout whisk, cut in the butter to the mixture until it is crumbly and evenly mixed. You can also rub the butter in with your fingertips, working quickly to not melt the butter with the warmth of your hands. Or a few quick pulses with the food processor or mixer should do the trick.
This is easiest if the butter is slightly softened, but not melted!
Set this mixture aside (in the fridge if your kitchen is very warm).

roll out pastry crust:

Roll out your pastry crust and fit it into your pie plate. Flute or crimp the edge decoratively, or use the floured tines of a fork to press the edge of the crust down evenly along the rim of the pie plate.
Use any pastry scraps to patch holes in the crust, or save them to bake off for decorations (or sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake them for a sweet snack).
Place the prepared pie crust in the fridge or another cool place while you prepare the filling.

make the fruit filling:

Peel, core, and slice the apples, tossing them with the lemon juice in a large mixing bowl as you work. If you are slicing them by hand, make thinner, even slices (1/4″ or so) if you want a softer, more tender fruit filling, or larger pieces if you prefer a chunkier pie filling with more discrete pieces of apple.
Fold in the brown and white sugar, and sift the flour and spices over the top of the apples, and fold again until the apples are well-covered. The flour works to thicken the apple juices into a nice filling as the pie bakes.
Sprinkle the fresh or frozen cranberries over the apples and stir again to mix.

fill and top the pie:

Preheat the oven to 425℉ (220℃ or gas mark 7).
Fill the prepared pie crust with the apple & cranberry mixture. This will look like too much filling, and will be a tall mound over the pie. Don’t worry, it will bake down!
Dot the top of the apple filling with a tablespoon or two of butter, cut into small pieces.
Place the filled pie plate onto a baking sheet, and carefully cover the fruit filling with the crumbled oatmeal streusel topping, gently packing it into the nooks and crannies in the top and sides in a roughly even layer.

bake the cran-apple crumble pie:

Bake the pie on the baking sheet to catch any overflow of juices or filling (this will save you a lot of cleanup, and make it easier to handle your pie in the oven safely).
Set a timer for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375℉ (190℃ or gas mark 5) for the remainder of the baking time.
As the pie bakes, the filling will sink down and the crumble topping will crisp up and turn golden brown.
The pie is done when it is bubbly all the way through, the apples have softened, and the crust and crumble top are crisp. This will usually be at least 45-50 minutes at 375℉.
You may want to use a pie shield or a strip of aluminum foil around the outer crust rim so that it doesn’t burn before the pie is baked through. You can start with the edges covered and remove them for the last 10-20 minutes of baking, or cover them later if they are starting to brown too much- your preference!
Let the pie cool for several hours for best results when slicing. The filling will still be very juicy and the slices won’t hold together well.
It’s best to cool it completely and then gently rewarm the pie or individual slices before serving.

Storage & Serving Ideas

This cranberry apple pie is fantastic served warm from the oven, though the slices will be messy, and even better rewarmed gently in the oven after completely cooling. Bake it a day or even two before a holiday meal to take the stress off and have one less thing to juggle on the day of the big dinner! You can also warm individual slices in the microwave before serving. It’s also fantastic cold for a farmer’s breakfast or snack!

You can leave the pie out in a cool place, well covered, for up to three days, unless the weather is very warm. It’s safer to refrigerate it if you have room, since there are no preservatives other than the lemon juice and pinch of salt, and nothing is sadder than spoiled pie! In summer, you definitely want to chill any leftovers that you want to keep for more than a day or two.

You can also freeze the whole pie or individual slices. Wrap well in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months (for best quality). Let the pie thaw slightly before warming it in the oven or microwave. Be careful of thermal shock if you froze it in a glass pan… it’s best to thaw in the fridge overnight and warm it the next day if you’re freezing a whole pie in glass, or at least a few hours on the counter top.

Serve your cranberry apple crumble pie with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, a simple dollop of whipped cream, or a wedge of sharp cheddar or gouda cheese. Unless it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas, then you should serve this with a slice of pumpkin pie and another thin slice of pecan pie, of course, and a side of mincemeat tartlets! Garnish with a nap.

Cranberry Apple Crumble Pie

Alewyfe

This homemade apple pie is studded with tart cranberries and topped with a cinnamon-spiced oatmeal streusel. It's a great addition to your holiday pie table, or to bake and make any day special!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 55

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Contemporary

YIELD servings

Equipment

1 deep dish pie plate

Ingredients

1 flaky pie crust

Cranberry Apple Pie Filling

2 ½ – 3 lbs mixed baking apples
⅓ cup fresh or frozen cranberries
¼ cup all purpose or wheat pastry flour
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup granulated white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon or apple pie spice
½ tsp salt

Struesel Pie Topping

4 tbsp salted butter slightly softened but not melted
½ cup rolled oatmeal
½ cup all purpose flour can substitute whole wheat
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated white sugar
½ tsp salt (increase to 1 tsp if using unsalted butter)
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp apple pie spice (substitute ⅛ tsp each of cloves, nutmeg, allspice, & mace, or your preferred blend of sweet spices)

Instructions

make streusel crumble:

Mix the dry ingredients for the crumble topping together in a small mixing bowl, or pulse a few times to mix in a food processor fitted with a blade, or a stand mixer with paddle attachment.
Using a pastry blender, a few butter knives, or a stout whisk, cut in the butter to the mixture until it is crumbly and evenly mixed. It should have the texture of wet sand, and you can adjust with another spoonful of flour or butter if it's too dry or sticking together too much.
You can also rub the butter in with your fingertips, working quickly to not melt the butter with the warmth of your hands.
If you're using a mixer or food processor, a few quick pulses should do the trick.
Set this mixture aside (in the fridge if your kitchen is very warm).

roll out pastry crust:

Roll out your pastry crust and fit it into your pie plate. Flute or crimp the edge decoratively, or use the floured tines of a fork to press the edge of the crust down evenly along the rim of the pie plate.
Use any pastry scraps to patch holes in the crust, or save them to bake off for decorations (or sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake them for a sweet snack).
Place the prepared pie crust in the fridge or another cool place while you prepare the filling.

make the fruit filling:

Peel, core, and slice the apples, tossing them with the lemon juice in a large mixing bowl as you work. If you are slicing them by hand, make thinner, even slices (1/4″ or so) if you want a softer, more tender fruit filling, or larger pieces if you prefer a chunkier pie filling with more discrete pieces of apple.
Fold in the brown and white sugar, and sift the flour and spices over the top of the apples, and fold again until the apples are well-covered. The flour works to thicken the apple juices into a nice filling as the pie bakes.
Sprinkle the fresh or frozen cranberries over the apples and stir again to mix.

fill and top the pie:

Preheat the oven to 425℉ (220℃ or gas mark 7). Place the rack in the center of the oven.
Fill the prepared pie crust with the apple & cranberry mixture. This will look like too much filling, and will be a tall mound over the pie. Don’t worry, it will bake down!
Dot the top of the apple filling with a tablespoon or two of butter, cut into small pieces.
Place the filled pie plate onto a baking sheet, and carefully cover the fruit filling with the crumbled oatmeal streusel topping, gently packing it into the nooks and crannies in the top and sides in a roughly even layer.

bake the cran-apple crumble pie:

Bake the pie on the baking sheet to catch any overflow of juices or filling (this will save you a lot of cleanup, and make it easier to handle your pie in the oven safely).
Set a timer for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375℉ (190℃ or gas mark 5) for the remainder of the baking time.
As the pie bakes, the filling will sink down and the crumble topping will crisp up and turn golden brown. The pie is done when it is bubbly all the way through, the apples have softened, and the crust and crumble top are crisp. This will usually be at least 45-50 minutes at 375℉ (190℃).
You may want to use a pie shield or a strip of aluminum foil around the outer crust rim so that it doesn’t burn before the pie is baked through. You can start with the edges covered and remove them for the last 10-20 minutes of baking, or cover them later if they are starting to brown too much- your preference!
Let the pie cool for several hours for best results when slicing. The filling will still be very juicy and the slices won’t hold together well. It’s best to cool it completely and then gently rewarm the pie or individual slices before serving.

Keyword 4th of July, apple, autumn, baking, comfort food, fall, fall foods, festive, fruit, holiday, picnic, simple, Thanksgiving, winter, Yule

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BAKE: Cranberry Apple Crumble Pie for The Crumbles