The best fall flavors come together in this easy Apple Cranberry Crisp, with a brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecan crumble topping.
Not into cranberries? Try our traditional Apple Crisp or Pear Crisp instead.
Easy Apple Cranberry Crisp Recipe
While trying to sell our house years ago, and keeping it all prepped for showings, I had baskets of different apples in the dining room and kitchen with a subliminal message, “Hi. Aren’t we pretty? We’re in season. Because it’s Fall. And lovely. And…don’t you want to buy this house?”
But the apples don’t stay good forever, and nothing says “don’t buy this house” like moldy, rotten fruit. So, I had to actually use the apples and then get new ones. Well, that’s a lot of apples to consume each week. I started making desserts like this Apple Cranberry Crisp. The house was sold the next day. The lesson here is that not only is this cranberry crisp delicious, but it’s also a good luck dessert. HA.
Apples and cranberries are a wonderful fruit duo, baked until soft and juicy, and topped with a brown sugar-pecan mixture. Sweet, tart, and a little crunchy. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is a must.
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
For the Fruit
- Apples: Any type of baking apple works. We love Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Honey Crisp, or Braeburn.
- Cranberries: Fresh or frozen both work. I like to buy them when they’re in season and freeze them so I can make this dessert year round.
- Granulated sugar: For sweetness and to cut through the tart cranberries.
- Flour: Used to thicken the liquid that’s formed while baking.
- Orange juice: Adds a lovely hint of citrus. Oranges and cranberries love one another.
- Vanilla: For added flavor.
For the Crisp Topping
- Flour: Simple all-purpose flour.
- Butter: We prefer using unsalted butter to control the saltiness. Make sure it’s cold, not room temperature or melted.
- Sugar: Both granulated and brown sugar are combined for sweetness and a slight hint of molasses.
- Cinnamon: Provides a wonderful warm fall flavor. You could also use our homemade apple pie spice recipe instead.
- Kosher salt: For taste.
- Pecans: For a delicious, nutty flavor. You can swap this out for a different nut if preferred, or simply omit. The nuts can also be replace with rolled oats.
How to Make Cranberry Crisp
Making a crisp is really one of the easiest desserts out there. Just mix, dump, and bake.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for complete details and don’t miss the video.)
- Make the filling: Toss all the fruit filling ingredients together, then transfer to a greased 9×13 baking dish.
- Make the topping: Mix all of the topping ingredients together, cutting the butter in with your hands, and sprinkle over the pears.
- Bake: Transfer to the oven and bake until the apples are tender, the cranberries have popped, and the crust is golden.
- Serve: Enjoy warm or room temperature with some vanilla ice cream!
Make Individual Crisps Instead
How to Store
Any leftovers can sit on the counter, tightly covered, for a day. Longer than that, transfer to an airtight container (or cover the baking dish tightly) and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Briefly reheat the crisp in the microwave, in a microwave safe bowl until warmed through.
More Cranberry Desserts:
I hope you love this delicious and simple recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Apple Cranberry Crisp
Ingredients
- 4 large apples , peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 12 ounce cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoons orange juice
Crumble Topping
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , cold, cut into cubes
For Serving (optional)
- vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the apples, cranberries, sugar, flour, vanilla, and orange juice; toss well to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and set aside.
- For the topping – in the same bowl, combine the flour, both sugars, pecans and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with your hands until crumbly; sprinkle over apple and cranberry mixture.
- Bake until fruit is tender, topping is browned, and juices are thick and bubbling around edges, about 45 minutes. (If you notice the topping is browning too quickly, tent with foil the last 15 minutes of bake time.)
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- Top with a scoop of ice cream and enjoy!
I added 1/2 cup old fashioned oats in place of the pecans due to allergy. What an excellent recipe! Thank you!
OK. I just made this, and it was soooo good. Ice cream paired with it would have been even better. I used three different kinds of apples, so it wasn’t too sweet. It had just the right amount of tartness from the cranberries.
I made this last night in a 9 inch square dish. Apples and cranberries piled high…lots of crisp on top…so, so good. Oh, and vanilla ice cream. It was the perfect combo of sweet and tart. Thank you for bringing this recipe to my attention. My husband thanks you, too.
“nothing says ‘don’t buy this house’ like moldy, rotten fruit” – Too funny. I love apples. And cranberries. This is truly the ideal fall dessert.
Simply delicious and easy!
Absolutely fantastic. I usually make an apple pie (along with a pumpkin one) but wanted to give this a test run. Loved it. Adding this to the Thanksgiving menu, as well.
I think your readers are onto something here, Amy: fresh baked treats for prospective buyers.
If you start doing that, let me know. I’ll call my agent to arrange a showing. ;)
If you’re baking these babies before the “buyers” arrive, I think this will seal the deal. Cinnamon and sugar baking in the oven is a sure way to their hearts. These are irresistible! And with vanilla ice cream, oh my goodness… I can see these on my Thanksgiving table, too.
Love crisps and buckles. Yum!!
I baked them in single ramekins as suggested. Just fabulous.
Ame, you’re killing me. I will have to make this soon, especially since it looks pretty easy.
Dani – I couldn’t agree more!
I’m like you – I don’t like apples much in their natural state. But over pork or in a crumble like this, I’m fine. And as much as I’m not into the sweets, I really learned to love crumbles this summer. I should do one for Fall, and soon. :)
you should bake those 1/2 before you have a showing. i have a feeling the smell alone would make people want to buy your home.
This looks so good! Wish we had scratch and sniff (& taste) via computer!
Ahh, the inviting smells of baked apple crisp during an Open House. Nothing compares, except excellent staging. Amy, you’re set.
Chopper’s been making apple crumble since we picked several baskets from near my parents in northern Wisc. Every kind of apple imaginable, and we know the names of none of them. Those country apples may not look like the ones sold at Byerly’s, but man, they make a tasty dessert!
That looks delicious :)
Maybe offer them a huge batch of this crisp if they buy your house!
i ate four of them.