This Old Fashioned Cranberry Apple Crisp is the perfect easy dessert recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other special gathering this season! The sweet and tart fruit is topped with a buttery oat crumble for the ultimate decadent treat -- with just 10 minutes of prep!
I honestly can't think of a more perfect dessert for your next holiday or Sunday supper! This easy apple crisp is made from scratch, but it comes together quickly, can be prepped and baked ahead of time, and (most importantly) it tastes amazing! Your guests will be showering you with praise, and nobody will ever need to know that it only took you a few minutes to throw together. That's my kind of baking!
Are Apple Crisp and Apple Crumble the same thing? What about a Cobbler?
There are plenty of old fashioned apple dessert recipes, so it's easy to get confused! Crumbles and crisps are very similar, as they both include a fruit base with a streusel topping. Originally, an old fashioned apple crisp would contain oats in the topping, while a crumble would not. These days, the words "crumble" and "crisp" are often used interchangeably when referring to these desserts. A cobbler, by contrast, is a fruit dessert with a biscuit or cake-like topping (source).
How to make Cranberry Apple Crisp from scratch:
First, let's prepare the filling. Stir together:
- Chopped apples
- Fresh cranberries
- White sugar
How to make Apple Crisp topping:
Next, you'll need the following ingredients for the crisp topping:
- Old fashioned (or "rolled") oats
- Butter
- Pecans
- Brown sugar
- Flour
- Salt
Simply stir everything together in a bowl.
Sprinkle the oat streusel topping over the fruit.
Finally, bake the crisp (uncovered) at 325 degrees F for 45-55 minutes. The fruit filling will be bubbly and the topping will be golden brown.
How to serve Cranberry Apple Crisp:
Apple crisp can be served cold, at room temperature, or (preferably) -- warm! The crisp is best when topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations:
- What are the best apples for an apple crisp? I prefer baking with apples that have a firm flesh and don't break down into apple sauce when cooked. I've shown Pink Lady apples here, but other great varieties for an apple crisp include Granny Smith (if you like a tart apple), Honey Crisp, Braeburn and Jonagold.
- Can the crisp be made ahead? Absolutely! You can make this dessert up to 2 days in advance. To do so, bake the crisp according to recipe instructions. Allow to cool completely, cover, and refrigerate.
- Should apple crisp be refrigerated? If you plan to enjoy the crisp on the same day that it is baked, then you do not need to refrigerate it before serving. If you don't plan to serve the crisp on the same day as baking, then the dessert needs to be refrigerated overnight.
- How long does crisp last? It will keep in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 days.
- Can Cranberry Apple Crisp be frozen? Yes! To freeze this dessert after baking, bake according to recipe instructions and allow to cool completely. Wrap tightly with a double layer of foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
- How to reheat this apple crisp: If frozen, allow the crisp to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. To reheat, warm the crisp in a 350 degree F oven (uncovered) for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through.
- Can you sub brown sugar for white sugar in this recipe? Brown sugar works best in this topping, so I do not recommend substituting with white sugar for the topping. If you would like to sub with brown sugar in the fruit filling, that will work fine!
More quick and easy apple dessert recipes:
- Shortcut Apple Pecan Date Bars
- Slow Cooker Baked Apples
- Apple Dump Cake
- Mom's Easy Apple Pie
- 4-Ingredient Cream Cheese Apple Dip
- Mom's Apple Walnut Cake with Caramel Glaze
Old Fashioned Cranberry Apple Crisp
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 3 cups chopped apples (you do not need to peel them first, but you can if you prefer)
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- ¼ cup white sugar
For the Topping:
- ¾ cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans (about 2 ounces)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 1 ½ -quart or 2-quart baking dish (or an 8-inch square dish) with cooking spray.
- Combine cranberries, apples and sugar in the prepared dish.
- In a separate bowl, combine oats, melted butter, pecans, brown sugar, flour and salt. Sprinkle topping over the fruit.
- Bake (uncovered) for 45-55 minutes (or until fruit is tender and topping is golden brown).
Notes
- What are the best apples for an apple crisp? I prefer baking with apples that have a firm flesh and don't break down into apple sauce when cooked. I've shown Pink Lady apples here, but other great varieties for an apple crisp include Granny Smith (if you like a tart apple), Honey Crisp, Braeburn and Jonagold.
- Can Apple Crisp be made ahead? Absolutely! You can make this dessert up to 2 days in advance. To do so, bake the crisp according to recipe instructions. Allow to cool completely, cover, and refrigerate.
- Should apple crisp be refrigerated? If you plan to enjoy the crisp on the same day that it is baked, then you do not need to refrigerate it before serving. If you don't plan to serve the crisp on the same day as baking, then the dessert needs to be refrigerated overnight.
- How long does Apple Crisp last? The crisp will keep in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 days.
- Can Cranberry Apple Crisp be frozen? Yes! To freeze this dessert after baking, bake according to recipe instructions and allow to cool completely. Wrap tightly with a double layer of foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
- How to reheat this apple crisp: If frozen, allow the crisp to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. To reheat, warm the crisp in a 350 degree F oven (uncovered) for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through.
- Can you sub brown sugar for white sugar in this apple crisp recipe? Brown sugar works best in this topping, so I do not recommend substituting with white sugar for the topping. If you would like to sub with brown sugar in the fruit filling, that will work fine!
Linda Howe
Can you use dried cranberries in this recipe? If so how do
I make this recipe? My 3-year-old grandson loves both cranberries & apples, what a joy this will be for him to eat! Thank You
Blair
Hi, Linda! Yes, but if you're using the dried cranberries, I recommend making this as an apple crisp, and then just adding a handful or two of the cranberries into the apple mixture. The dried cranberries won't give the dish volume or juice like the fresh cranberries, so you'll need to use about 5-6 cups of chopped apples for the filling. Hope that helps, and enjoy!
Wendy Southers
Excited to make this. Can you double the recipe? If so what size baking dish would you use.
? So
Blair
Hi, Wendy! Sure! Double all of the ingredients and bake the crisp in a 3 or 4-quart dish (about 9 x 13-inches). Enjoy!