Apple Cranberry Pie

Filled with lots of sweet and tart flavor, my apple cranberry pie is just the cozy, homemade pie to bake up when fresh apples are in the prime of their season. Kissed with cinnamon and a touch of orange zest, this apple cranberry pie recipe has a fragrant, buttery crust and is generously filled with spicy, juicy fruit offering a taste of fall in each wonderful bite!

Apple Cranberry Pie, The Sweet-Tart Flavor of Fall

For me, the autumn season is a time for conscious creativity and purposeful play in the kitchen that yields comfort, joy, warmth, and the possibility of fond memories being made over good food and good conversation.

Fall is a time of coziness, of cool evenings, and of warm blankets being pulled up to the chin and snuggled into, not to mention the scent of sweet spices dancing in the air....

During this time of year I enjoy turning on the oven and reaching for the flour, butter, sugar and spices, as well as the fresh, sweet-tart fruits of the season—apples and cranberries—and turning all of those glorious ingredients into a buttery homemade apple cranberry pie brimming with an unmistakably sweet and spicy aroma...

After all, there's nothing quite like the scent of an apple cranberry pie while it bakes, it's rich fragrance wafting throughout the home and tickling noses, tantalizing them with a little hint of what's to come.

Because my apple cranberry pie is one of my ultimate favorite homemade pies to prepare during apple season, I wanted to share this recipe with you so that you and your loved ones could also enjoy this deliciously sweet, tangy autumn dessert gently kissed with a touch of cinnamon and a hint of orange zest.

I personally can't think of a more rustic fall dessert than homemade apple cranberry pie. And I savor every last sweet and tart bite while spending time around the table thoroughly enjoying with those that I love.

An Apple Cranberry Pie Recipe with a Buttery Crust

Whenever I set out to prepare homemade pie, I'll typically prepare my pie crust a day or two ahead of time. The day of baking is totally fine, but it is important to be aware that the pie dough will need at least 1 hour to chill and rest before being rolled out.

I simply prepare my buttery pie dough in my food processor, and process the ingredients just until they're moist and coming together, taking care not to over process. (A little crumble is good, and as long as the dough is moist enough to come together and hold well, you're in good shape.)

Then, I divide the dough ball in half and press each half into a disc shape. I wrap each disc in plastic wrap, placing it in the fridge to chill at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days when I make the dough ahead of time.

What I like about this fresh apple pie filling is that it is nice and sweet but not overly sweet, sprinkled with a bit of cinnamon and even a small amount of orange zest to really bring out those autumn flavors.

Here's a peek at my apple cranberry pie recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. I prepare my pie dough, wrap in plastic wrap, and allow it to chill and rest in the fridge for at least an hour, and even up to 3 days.
2. When ready to assemble, I preheat my oven to 425°, and line a medium baking sheet with foil.
3. I prepare my apple and cranberry filling to have ready, then roll out my first disc of dough to fit my pie dish; I place the rolled out dough into the dish and pour my apple filling into the bottom crust.
4. Next, I roll out the second disc of dough, place it over top of the filling and trim off any excessive, overhanding dough; then, I press and crimp the edges together, tucking the edge of the pie dough under to keep juices in as the pie bakes.
5. Then, I brush a bit of egg wash over the top of the pie, sprinkle on some turbinado sugar for sparkle, then cut a few “vent” slits into the top of the crust to allow steam to escape.
6. I place the pie onto the foil-lined baking sheet (helps to cook the bottom crust as well as catch any juices) and bake at 425° for 20 minutes; then, I lower the heat to 350° and bake an additional 75 minutes (total of 1 hour, 35 minutes) until the pie is baked through, covering with foil toward the end to prevent too much browning.
7. Once baked, I allow the pie to cool for at least 5 to 6 hours, or until completely cooled. (Ideally, I allow the pie to cool overnight to allow for it to totally set up, and enjoy the next day.)

Recipe

Apple Cranberry Pie

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This apple cranberry pie is bursting with juicy apples, fresh cranberries and spice, and has the sweet-tart flavor of fall in each bite!

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 10

Nutrition Info: 441 calories per serving

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Total time: 2 hours

Pie Dough Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• ½ cup ice-cold water
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 egg, whisked, for egg wash
• 2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar, for sprinkling over crust

Filling Ingredients:

• 6 Gala apples, peeled and sliced fairly thinly
• 2 ½ cups fresh cranberries
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour

Preparation:

1. Prepare you dough by adding your flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor, and process to combine; add in the cold butter, and pulse until it becomes pea-sized crumble. While pulsing the mixture, drizzle in the ice-cold water and the apple cider vinegar (you can also combine these together) until the dough comes together into a ball.
2. Turn the dough out, divide in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap; place into fridge to chill for at least 45 minutes to 1 hour, or longer, if doing ahead a day or two (can also be kept in freezer and then thawed in fridge if doing further in advance).
3. Once the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 425°, and line a baking sheet with foil, and place it into the oven while it preheats. Also, have a 9 to 9 ½ inch pie dish on hand (preferably chilled, I use glass).
4. Prepare your filling by tossing together all of the filling ingredients in a large bowl to coat well, and have it ready. Roll out one of your dough disks to about ⅛ inch thickness, and place into your pie dish, then add the filling in.
5. Roll out the other dough disk, and place over top, and cut the overhanging dough edges to leave about 1 inch of dough; press the edges together, then tuck those into the pie dish, and create a crimped edge for a decorative touch.
6. Brush the top and edges with the egg wash, make four slits in the top with a knife to allow steam to escape during baking, and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Place onto the baking sheet in the oven, and bake at 425° for 20 minutes; then, turn down the temp to 350°, and bake for an additional 70-75 minutes (about 1 hour 35 minutes total), turning the pie half-way through the baking process and covering it loosely with foil to prevent it from browning too much, if necessary.
7. Allow the pie to cool completely for 4-5 hours (perhaps even more) before serving.

Tips & Tidbits for my Apple Cranberry Pie:

• Prepare your pie dough ahead of time: You can prep your dough ahead of time, and either freeze it (if making well in advance), or keep it wrapped in plastic in the fridge; then, all you'll need to do is simply prepare your filling, roll, and bake!
• Adding some apple cider vinegar to the pie dough: A little trick to creating a tender and flaky pie dough is to add a small amount of vinegar to the dough when preparing it, so I opt for apple cider vinegar here. You won't be able to taste it at all, it'll just work a bit of magic behind the scenes. 😉
• Gala apples, a great pick: I love Gala apples for apple pie, because they are sweet, and have that strong apple flavor. Galas also have a firmer texture which helps keep their shape when the pie bakes. But you can substitute your favorite, if you prefer—just know that granny smith may be too tart with the combination of cranberries, since those are already tart.
• Bake your pie on a baking sheet: Line a baking sheet with foil and place it into the oven while it preheats; then, place your pie directly onto the hot baking sheet while it bakes, and it will catch any juices that may drip down as well as help that bottom crust to bake through.
• Allow the pie to completely cool, or even make it a day ahead: I typically like to bake my pies the day before I plan to serve them, as this gives plenty of time for them to cool, and for the juices to settle and firm up a bit, as well; but if you bake it the day you plan to serve it, know that you should allow for at least a few hours of cooling before serving.

Hungry for more sweet, fall treats? Check out these Caramel Apple Pie Bars, these Maple Pecan Scones, this Pumpkin Bread, these Maple Donuts, this Apple Cake, or these Apple Fritters!

Cook’s Note: This recipe was originally published in 2017, and has been updated with even more love!