Cranberry apple crumble is the kind of fall dessert that makes the most of two classic fruits. Sweet, tender apples and tart cranberries bake together under a buttery, golden crumble topping that gets perfectly crisp around the edges. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have a dessert that is hard to resist.
I decided to give a classic apple crumble a little upgrade by adding cranberries to the mix. The apples bring plenty of sweetness, while the cranberries add that tart bite that keeps things from getting too sweet. I really like the combo because it makes a classic dessert a little more interesting, especially for the holidays. And don't forget the vanilla bean ice cream, which is definitely not optional in my book. Just put a scoop on top of some warm crumble and let it start melting into those crispy, buttery crumbs. So good!
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Ingredients
- Apples, like Honeycrisp
- Cranberries
- All-purpose flour, divided
- Brown sugar, divided
- Salted butter
- Apple pie spice blend, homemade or store bought
- Vanilla
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 10 inch round or 9 inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Cut the apples into pieces about 1 inch in size. In a large bowl, toss the apples, cranberries, flour, brown sugar, apple pie spice blend and vanilla until the fruit is evenly coated.
Step 2: Pour the apple and cranberry mixture into the prepared pan. Spread it out evenly and gently pat it down.
Step 3: Make the crumble topping. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, flour and brown sugar. Stir until the mixture is crumbly.
Step 4: Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the fruit, breaking up any large pieces with your fingers as you go. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the topping is lightly browned, the fruit is bubbling around the edges and the apples are tender.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten free - to make the recipe gluten free, use a gluten free flour.
- Vegan - to make the recipe vegan, use a vegan butter.
- Apples - apples have different sweetness levels and textures. I recommend apples that are not too sweet nor too tart and that hold their texture well, like the Honeycrisp variety. If you want a sweeter crumble, you can choose a sweeter apple. Cranberries add tartness, but if you want a crumble that's more tart, choose a tart apple like a Granny Smith.
Equipment
A 10 inch round pan or a 9 inch square pan is needed for this recipe.
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can reheat leftovers in the microwave to warm them up. But for a crisp topping, it's best to reheat it in the oven. Bake in an oven safe dish until it's heated through and the top is crisp, about 25 to 30 minutes or longer depending on how much you are heating up and what type of baking pan you are using.
Next Level Tips
- 6 cups of apples is about 2 pounds of apples. I always buy a little extra because apples never go to waste at my house.
- I prefer to cut my apples in cubes for apple crumbles, crisps and pie. You can cut the apples into wedges or slices if you prefer. The most important thing to remember is just to cut the pieces in about the same sizes regardless of the shapes. That way they cook in about the same amount of time.
FAQ
Yes, you can use fresh cranberries.
You can use any apples you wish. Granny Smith has always been the classic choice for apple pies and crumbles as they are tart and not overly sweet. But because cranberries are also tart, we no longer need a tart apple for this crumble. Honeycrisps or any middle-of-the-road, not too sweet but not too tart apples, are my preference. If you like a sweeter crumble, you can choose a sweeter apple. Or if you like a more tart crumble, you can go with a more tart apple.
It's really hard to say how many apples are 6 cups of apples because apples come in a wide range of sizes. It seems like there are some giant apples out there these days. However, a great starting point is about 2 pounds of apples. Use those scales at the grocery store! Or buying apples in the bulk bags of 2 or 3 is often cheaper anyway.
To check if the apples are done, carefully insert a knife into the crumble where you can see an apple. If the apple cuts easily, it's done. If the apples are still very firm after baking for 45 minutes, lightly cover the crumble with aluminum foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Cranberry Apple Crumble
Equipment
- 1 10 inch round or 9 inch square baking pan
Ingredients
For the filling
- 6 cups apple ex. Honeycrisp
- 2 cups cranberries frozen or fresh
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons apple pie spice blend homemade or store bought
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the crumble topping
- ¾ cup flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons salted butter melted
Instructions
Make the filling
- Preheat the oven to 350 ℉. Spray a 10 inch round or 9 inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
- Cut the apples iinto pieces about 1 inch in size.
- In a large bowl, toss the apples, cranberries, flour, brown sugar, apple pie spice blend and the vanilla together until the apples are evenly coated.
- Pour the apple and cranberry mixture into the prepared pan. Spread it out evenly and pat it down.
Make the crumble topping
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, flour and brown sugar. Stir until the mixture is crumbly.
- Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the fruit, breaking up any large pieces with your fingers as you go.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the top is lightly browned, the filling is bubbling around the edges and the apples are tender. If the fruit is not yet done at 45 minutes, lightly tent the crumble with aluminum foil to prevent the top from getting too brown and then continue baking for about 10 more minutes.
Notes
- To make just enough apple pie spice blend for this recipe, use the following:
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
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