This apple cranberry pie features tart cranberries and sweet and tender apples for a wonderfully delicious holiday pie! A flaky, golden crust, apple pie spice, and a hint of almond just add to the overall mouthwatering flavor. Trust me, after just one bite, this could easily become your new all-time favorite pie!
Easy Apple Cranberry Pie
This homemade apple cranberry pie is a delicious fruit dessert that ties the flavors of fall and Christmas together! It is a wonderful holiday pie to serve throughout the season because everyone will appreciate the unique twist on classic apple pie.
The filling of this pie features a fresh tart flavor from juicy cranberries that balances out the sweetness of the apples! Toss in some lemon juice, almond extract, and apple pie spice to create a pie that will disappear quickly before your eyes.
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🥘 Apple Cranberry Pie Ingredients
If you want to make this recipe extra simple, you may use a store-bought pie crust. However, I highly recommend trying my super easy homemade butter pie crust for added flavor!
Apple Cranberry Pie
- Apples - 4 medium apples (peeled, cored, and sliced).
- Lemon Juice - 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, you can use fresh or bottled.
- Almond Extract - 1 teaspoon of almond extract.
- Salt - 1 pinch of salt.
- Cranberries - 2 cups of fresh cranberries.
- Butter - ¼ cup of butter.
- Sugar - ½ cup of sugar
- Light Brown Sugar - ¼ cup of light brown sugar.
- Water - 3 tablespoons of cold water.
- Apple Pie Spice - 1 ½ teaspoon of apple pie spice (or ground cinnamon).
- Butter Pie Crust - 2 butter pie crusts (or store-bought crusts).
- Cornstarch - 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch.
Egg Wash
- Egg - 1 large egg.
- Water - 1 Tbsp water
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Apple Cranberry Pie
This apple cranberry pie requires minimal preparation since the apples don't even need to be pre-cooked! You will need a baking sheet, a large mixing bowl, a silicone whisk, a saucepan, and a 9-inch pie pan to get started.
You will get one 9-inch pie from this recipe. If you need to serve a larger crowd, it is simple to double or triple the batch!
Prepare Filling
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and make sure that your oven rack is in the middle or lower position. Then, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- Toss ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add your 4 medium-peeled and sliced apples, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of almond extract, and a pinch of salt. Toss until all of the ingredients are incorporated. Then, add in the 2 cups of cranberries and then toss again until well combined.
- Melt butter. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the ¼ cup of butter. Once melted, whisk in the ½ cup of sugar, ¼ cup of brown sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons of apple pie spice, and 3 tablespoons of water. Stir constantly, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk. In a small bowl, quickly whisk together the 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water.
- Whisk. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the cornstarch slurry.
- Coat fruit. Immediately pour the mixture over the sliced apples and cranberries. Gently stir or toss the apples and cranberries until they are well coated. Set aside while you roll out the dough.
Assemble Pie
- Roll pie crust. On a lightly floured surface, roll out your bottom pie crust and then gently transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan. You will want to have a border of about 1-2 inches.
- Fill the pie crust. Carefully dump the apple and cranberry mixture into the crust, using a rubber spatula to get all of the sauce out of the bowl. Try to even out the top of the apples and cranberries.
- Put top crust on. On the same floured surface, roll out the top crust and gently place it over the filling.
- Seal top and bottom crusts. Using a sharp knife, carefully trim away excess dough so that the top crust and bottom crust are lined up with about ½-inch of overhang. Press the top and bottom crust together, creating a seal, and then flute the pie crust.
- Cut slits for steam. Next, cut four slits into the top of the crust to allow steam to escape while baking.
- Make egg wash. In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 large egg and 1 tablespoon of water to create an egg wash, and then lightly brush it over the top of the crust. Add a sprinkle of sugar to the crust.
Bake
- Bake. Place the pie pan onto the foil-lined baking sheet and bake it in the preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 65-75 minutes, or until the juices are bubbling and the crust is golden brown.
- Cool and serve. Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool completely in order to finish setting up before slicing and serving.
This sweet pie will be a hit on any holiday or special occasion! Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream or chantilly cream! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- My butter pie crust recipe makes a double crust, so you won't need to double the recipe!
- Aim for apple slices that are approximately ⅛-inch thick.
- You'll want to use an apple variety that won't turn mushy when baked in the oven. Honeycrisp is my personal favorite! You can take a look at my post which is all about the best apples for apple pie for some more ideas!
- Feel free to briefly pulse the cranberries in a food processor if you would like them in smaller pieces (plus, it adds more cranberries to each bite!)
- If your crust is browning too quickly, place a loose sheet of aluminum foil over the top and then continue baking as directed.
🥡 Storing
Keep your apple cranberry pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Wrap your pie in two layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Store it in the freezer for up to 4 months. For more information, you can read my post about how to freeze fruit pies!
❓ FAQ
In this recipe, it is not required to bake the bottom crust before filling and adding the top layer. It will cook perfectly every time, however, if you want a crispier crust, you may do a blind bake first. It's really up to your personal preference!
Yes! You can make this pie 1 day in advance. Allow it to completely cool, then wrap the pie with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to store, make sure to allow it to come to room temperature before serving. You may also reheat it in the oven at 250°F (120°C) for 20-30 or heated enough to your liking.
When it comes to apple pies, you will see conflicting information on whether or not you need to cook the apples beforehand. In this recipe, there is no need to precook your apples because they will cook up tender while the pie is baking in the oven for 65-75 minutes!
>>>>See all of my recipes HERE<<<<
🥧 More Tasty Holiday Pie Recipes
- No Bake Pumpkin Pie - America's traditional holiday pie that is creamy, packed full of flavor, yet requires no baking time!
- Sweet Potato Pie - This Southern classic dessert is a delectable custard pie great for serving on Thanksgiving or any other holiday!
- Pecan Pie - This pecan pie recipe is perfect for when you need a make-ahead dessert for the holidays!
- Chocolate Pumpkin Pie - A delicious and rich chocolatey twist on the classic pumpkin pie!
- Granny Smith Apple Pie - My homemade apple pie is easy to make and won't disappoint any time you serve it!
- Blueberry Pie - This tasty pie features fresh blueberries cooked in lemon and cinnamon that are poured into a buttery pie crust!
📋 Recipe
Apple Cranberry Pie
Ingredients
Apple Cranberry Pie
- 4 medium apples (peeled, cored, and sliced)
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 cups cranberries (fresh)
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon cold water
- 1½ teaspoon apple pie spice (or cinnamon)
- 2 butter pie crust (or store-bought crust)
- 1½ tablespoon cornstarch
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
Prepare Filling
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and make sure that your oven rack is in the middle or lower position. Then, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your peeled and sliced apples, lemon juice, almond extract, and a pinch of salt. Toss until all of the ingredients are incorporated. Then, add in the cranberries and then toss again until well combined.4 medium apples, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon almond extract, 1 pinch salt, 2 cups cranberries
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, whisk in the sugar, brown sugar, apple pie spice, and water. Stir constantly, cooking for 1-2 minutes.¼ cup butter, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup light brown sugar, 3 tablespoon cold water, 1½ teaspoon apple pie spice
- In a small bowl, quickly whisk together the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water.1½ tablespoon cornstarch
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the cornstarch slurry.
- Immediately pour the mixture over the sliced apples and cranberries. Gently stir or toss the apples and cranberries until they are well coated. Set aside while you roll out the dough.
Assemble Pie
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out your bottom pie crust and then gently transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan. You will want to have a border of about 1-2 inches.2 butter pie crust
- Carefully dump the apple and cranberry mixture into the crust, using a rubber spatula to get all of the sauce out of the bowl. Try to even out the top of the apples and cranberries.
- On the same floured surface, roll out the top crust and gently place it over the filling.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully trim away excess dough so that the top crust and bottom crust are lined up with about ½-inch of overhang. Press the top and bottom crust together, creating a seal, and then flute the pie crust.
- Next, cut four slits into the top of the crust to allow steam to escape while baking.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to create an egg wash, and then lightly brush it over the top of the crust.1 large egg, 1 tablespoon water
Bake
- Place the pie pan onto the foil-lined baking sheet and bake it in the preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 65-75 minutes, or until the juices are bubbling and the crust is golden brown.
- Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool completely in order to finish setting up before slicing and serving.
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- My butter pie crust recipe makes a double crust, so you won't need to double the recipe!
- Aim for apple slices that are approximately ⅛-inch thick.
- You'll want to use an apple variety that won't turn mushy when baked in the oven. Honeycrisp is my personal favorite! You can take a look at my post which is all about the best apples for apple pie for some more ideas!
- Feel free to briefly pulse the cranberries in a food processor if you would like them in smaller pieces (plus, it adds more cranberries to each bite!)
- If your crust is browning too quickly, place a loose sheet of aluminum foil over the top and then continue baking as directed.
- To store: Keep your apple cranberry pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: Wrap your pie in two layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Store it in the freezer for up to 4 months. For more information, you can read my post about how to freeze fruit pies!
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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