I love to mix up fruits in pies, generally using whatever is available seasonally and whatever I have on hand. This apple cranberry pie is a fun example of this. I wanted an apple pie, but had about a cup of cranberries leftover from Thanksgiving I needed to use. I added it in, and now I have a lovely holiday themed pie!
I always like using a partial wheat crust as I try and get in my whole grains wherever I am able. Some people like to use a hard winter wheat in all recipes, not me, I love a soft winter wheat (whole wheat pastry flour) as it gives a more tender crumb. I used the whole wheat pastry flour in my pie dough and also in the crumb topping.
Choose your pie dough below, or buy one. No judgment here, I know life is busy!! If you are making it, be sure to prepare it at least several hours in advance, or even the day ahead like I usually do.
Roll to the size you are making. I was gifted an awesome pie dish from Jefferson Street Ceramics, which I am so in love with. Y’all it is the perfect size! Here is the link if you want to gift on to yourself or someone you love this holiday season. They are hoping to get their website up soon, when they do, I will change the link. It’s a great company, family owned and good quality ceramics. I have baked in mine twice and can’t wait to bake more!
With an all butter crust, this is what you want to see when you roll out your crust- little chunks of butter throughout.
I love to fill my apple pies just as full as I can get them, deep dish style. They are always domed and barely contain themselves!
Also, sorry on the video. I thought I had it recording for the crumb part, and didn’t. So you get video on rolling the crust and filling!
You will notice most of my apple pies are always done with a crumb topping. I do this out of laziness. For one, making a crumb topping is so much easier. But also, the apples will shrink as they bake. Which means, if you have not cooked them first, you will have a little pocket under your top crust from shrinkage. Again with the laziness factor, I don’t want to take the time to cook the apples first, so crumb topping it is.
It is such a pretty pie. They layers of apple and cranberry make it look so festive.
Plus your house will smell amazing. This pie smells like a combo of fall and Christmas that I really like!
Apple Cranberry Crumb Pie
Ingredients
- 1 recipe pie dough I have several options in this post, or buy one!
- 8 cup apples, peeled, cored and sliced I prefer the classic granny smith apple for this recipe. If you like another, use it!
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1/2 cup granulated
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Crumb topping
- 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup oats
- 6 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut in small chunks
- 1/2 cup brown sugar I prefer a dark brown here.
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch ground cloves
Instructions
Crumb topping
- Let's start with the crumb topping.Combine whole wheat flour, brown sugar, butter and walnuts into small food processor. Pulse until the butter is blended but still in small chunks. Add in oats and pulse a few more times. Place in fridge.Roll your pie dough for the bottom crust. I made mine in a 8 inch deep dish pan. Crimp edges as you choose. Place dough in fridge or freezer to rest before filling and baking.Preheat oven to 375 degrees.Start peeling, coring and slicing apples. Because my pie dish was a deeper dish, I sliced my apples a little more thin than I normally would. Add them to a good sized bowl. Add in remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pour filling into pan. Top with crumb topping. Mine was a tall pie, so you will have to add the crumb carefully. If there is extra, place in a ziplock bag and place in freezer.Bake pie until it is a dark golden brown on top and apples are tender. I check for doneness but inserting a fork carefully into center of your pie. You want the apples to be tender, but not mushy. There is a fine line! Remember they will continue to cook a touch when you remove from oven as well. Once it's finished, remove from oven and set on cooling rack. You can serve right away, let it cool a few hours or let it set in the fridge overnight (my favorite way to do it).Serve it on it's own, or with ice cream, whip cream or a pastry cream. All are amazing options. Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!
Gluten Free Pie Dough
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup gluten free flour mix.
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum, if not in your flour mix
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, chilled and cubed
- 1/4 cup ice water.
Instructions
- Have all ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start. Make sure all ingredients are chilled. Add flour, xanthan gum and salt to food processor. Mix. Add in cubed, chilled butter. Pulse until butter is in pea sized chunks, don’t overmix. You want small chunks of butter in dough. Add water and pulse again until it comes together. After the first couple seconds, check to see if you need more water. You want the dough to start to come together when you pinch it. See video for example. Wrap dough in saran wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 3 days. Pull out and use as desired.
Partial Wheat Pie Dough
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks chilled butter, cubed
- 1/3 cup water, plus extra if needed
Instructions
- Pulse flours and salt in food processor until blended. Add chilled butter and pulse again until butter is in small, pea sized chunks- see video. Add water and pulse. I prefer to pulse instead of just turning it on. I feel like it mixes these pastry doughs more efficiently. Pulse a few times and check to make sure you have enough water. Pinch a small amount of dough together, if it is too crumbly, add more water, a tablespoon at a time. Split dough and form into 2 disks. Chill for at least an hour, or up to 3 days
Pate Brisee- all white flour
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour I love King Arthur's flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
- 1/4 cup ice water this is a variable. I almost always need another tablespoon or 2.
Instructions
- In a bowl of food processor, combine flour and salt. Add in butter and pulse. You want to still have chunks of butter in there, just not anything bigger than a pea. To this add the water. Only pulse this for several seconds, then test. Pinch the dough in your fingers. If it still seems crumbly, add more water, one tablespoon at a time. You want to work quickly because you don't want the butter to soften in dough. It's better to keep it in the chunks. This gives you the flaky crust you are looking for!When it's ready, form into disk, wrap in saran wrap and place in fridge. Let it rest and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When you are ready, use as directed in recipe. Remembering to keep the dough chilled.