This apple cranberry crisp is a wonderful twist on the classic apple crisp. It’s the perfect Autumn dessert that’s not too sweet and has a perfect mix of sweet-and-tart flavors. It’s holiday-ready and it’s perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Serve this with a big scoop of good-quality vanilla ice cream!

I love the tender fruit filling seasoned with delicious warm spices. The buttery, crispy topping really knocks this crisp out of the park. As different fruits come into the season, I hope you’ll try my peach crisp and cherry crisp next! ♥

The Best Apples for Apple Crisp

For this recipe, I generally use Granny Smith apples. They hold up well when baked, and end up tender and soft but they don’t turn into mush. They’re the apple my Grandma always baked with and she is the best baker I ever knew.

There are other choices of course. Try Fujis, Honeycrisp, Gala apple, or Braeburn. They all bake up well and each offers a different flavor profile. You can use a combination to create a more complex flavor in your crisp.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Filling:

Granny Smith Apples – These hold up well when baked. A softer, snacking apple will get too mushy. Honeycrisp and Gala also work well.
Cranberry- Use fresh or frozen. If you use frozen, do not thaw.
Granulated Sugar – Adds a clean, sweet taste to the crisp.
Brown Sugar – This brings delicious nuances of molasses and toffee.
Flour – All-purpose flour.
Cinnamon – This will add a lovely warm fall flavor with woody overtones.
Nutmeg – This will add aromatic nutty nuance.
Ginger – This is another warm spice that adds a slightly sweet and spicy nuance.
Orange Zest – Use a micro planer to zest the orange.

Topping:

Flour
Granulated Sugar
Brown Sugar
Oats – I use quick-cooking oats.
Cinnamon
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Salt
Unsalted Butter – Don’t substitute margarine for the butter. Butter produces a nice crispy crust with a rich flavor! I cut the butter into cubes and freeze it for 10-15 minutes before adding to the topping ingredients.
Pecans – If you’d prefer you can swap out the pecans with walnuts. Both work well.

Can I Use Dried Cranberries In An Apple Crisp?

Yes, you can. I prefer to use fresh or frozen cranberries in this crisp. I find that the dried cranberries aren’t as juicy and they’re often too sweet.

Does Cranberry Apple Crisp Need Refrigeration?

No, you can keep it at room temperature but it will last longer when refrigerated.

Storing +Freezing +Make-Ahead

How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? The crisp be left at room temp for up to two days. If it’s refrigerate, it will be good for up to 5 days.
Can You Freeze This? Yes, you can freeze it before or after baking it!
- If you are freezing after you’ve baked your apple cranberry crisp, let it cool completely. Then wrap in a layer of cling wrap. You’ll want the wrap to sit directly on the topping if you can. Then wrap with foil and label and date it. It will last about 3 or 4 months before texture issues start to develop.
- To reheat: It can go in the oven frozen or thawed. Bake at 350 until warmed through- about an hour. (make sure your baking dish can go from the freezer to a hot oven without cracking if you plan on baking it straight from the freezer.)
- Freezing apple cranberry crisp before baking follows a very similar approach. Once you’ve completed your easy apple cranberry crisp, wrap it with a layer or two of cling wrap and then with foil. To bake, you can thaw or bake frozen. You’ll need to allow about 1- 1 ½ hours to cook from frozen in a 375-degree oven. Cook until the filling is bubbling up around the sides, and the apples are tender.

Make-Ahead Tips: This holds beautifully for a day or two once baked so it’s perfect to make ahead. I think it tastes better the next day. You can also freeze it either baked or unbaked for an extended shelf life!
Food safety: If you’d like more food safety info check out this article. I’ve yet to find an article that specifically lists cobblers and crisps, I use the “fruit pies” under baked goods as my reference.

How to Make Apple Cranberry Crisp

Combine the apple mixture ingredients.
Mix until well combined.
Transfer the apple mixture to the baking dish.
Sprinkle water.
Combine the topping ingredients.
Mix.
Top it over the apple mixture. Bake.
Serve.

See full instructions below.

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