Description

This Apple Cranberry Crisp is a warm, comforting dessert featuring a delightful combination of tart cranberries and sweet apples, topped with a buttery oat crumble. Perfect for the holiday season or any festive gathering, this crisp offers a balance of fruity flavors and a crunchy, golden topping that pairs wonderfully with vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Filling

8 cups apples, peeled and sliced into ¼” slices (a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp works best)
2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, do not thaw)
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons orange zest (or substitute with lemon zest)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger (or substitute with nutmeg)
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (optional but recommended)

For the Topping

8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into cubes
1 ½ cups old fashioned oats (rolled oats recommended)
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter to prevent sticking.
Mix the Fruit Filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced apples and cranberries. Drizzle with orange juice and add the orange zest. Gently toss to distribute flavors evenly.
Add Dry Ingredients to Filling: Sprinkle flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger, and cardamom over the fruit mixture. Fold everything together carefully to coat the fruit without crushing it. Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Prepare the Oat Topping: In a separate large bowl, mix together flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and old-fashioned oats.
Add Butter to Topping: Add the cubed unsalted butter to the dry topping mixture. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Assemble the Crisp: Evenly spread the buttery oat topping over the fruit filling in the baking dish.
Bake the Crisp: Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling.
Cool and Serve: Remove the crisp from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delightful dessert experience.

Notes

For best results, use a combination of tart Granny Smith and sweet Honeycrisp apples to balance flavor.
If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them to avoid excess moisture in the filling.
Orange zest adds a bright citrus note but can be substituted with lemon zest if preferred.
The ground cardamom in the filling is optional but adds a lovely depth of flavor.
Letting the crisp cool slightly before serving helps the topping firm up and the juices to thicken.
This crisp pairs wonderfully with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.