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This cranberry apple crisp recipe is the holiday dessert I make when I want something cozy that still feels a little special. Tart cranberries and juicy Honeycrisp apples bake under a buttery brown sugar oat topping, and there’s no pie crust to roll and no mixer to pull out.
If you’re used to classic apple crisp, this apple crisp with cranberries recipe is the one to try next. The tart cranberries cut right through all that sweetness, and the oat topping bakes up crisp every single time (no soggy topping here, promise!). It’s an old fashioned apple cranberry crisp at heart, and it belongs right alongside my favorite Thanksgiving dessert recipes.
Quick Look: The Best Cranberry Apple Crisp Recipe
- 🍎 What it is: Tart cranberries and Honeycrisp apples baked under a buttery brown sugar oat topping.
- ⭐ Why it works: Cornstarch thickens the cranberry juices, so the filling sets instead of running.
- 💛 Why you’ll love it: Sweet, tangy, and crunchy, with no pie crust and no mixer.
- ⚠️ What to watch for: Cut it too soon and the filling looks watery. Let it rest first.
- 🍳 Pan notes: A 9-inch pie plate or 8×8 pan, set on a baking sheet to catch drips.
- ❄️ Make ahead: Assemble it 2 to 3 days ahead and bake when ready, or freeze it unbaked.
Why This Recipe Works
Tart and sweet in every bite. A straight cranberry crisp recipe can be mouth-puckering, and plain apple crisp can lean too sweet. Together, the Honeycrisp apples mellow the cranberries out, which is why this is my go-to cran apple crisp recipe. If you love that sweet-tart combo, my super moist cranberry orange bread is the next one to bake.
The filling actually sets. Cranberries release a lot of juice as they bake. Three tablespoons of cornstarch thicken it into a jammy filling instead of a puddle at the bottom of the pan.
The topping stays crunchy. Cold cubed butter worked into the oats bakes into crisp, buttery clusters. If you want to go all out, that same oat topping goes over my creamy apple crisp cheesecake.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
Here’s what matters most in this recipe for cranberry apple crisp. Full measurements are in the recipe card.
- Cranberries. Fresh or frozen both work, so you can make this cranberry and apple crisp well past cranberry season.
- Honeycrisp apples. I use Honeycrisp because they’re naturally sweet and hold their shape in the oven. Want it a little more balanced? Use half Honeycrisp and half Granny Smith for extra tartness. Whatever you pick, use a firm baking apple so it doesn’t turn to mush.
- Cornstarch. Don’t skip it or cut it back. It’s what thickens the cranberry juices so the filling sets.
- Old-fashioned oats. They give the topping its hearty crunch, and they’re what make this a crisp instead of a crumb-topped pie like my dutch apple pie with crumb topping.
- Cold butter. Salted or unsalted both work, but it needs to be cold and cubed straight from the fridge.
Substitutions And Additions
This recipe for apple cranberry crisp is easy to make your own.
- Swap in a pear. Trade one of the apples for a ripe but firm pear for a softer, juicier bite.
- Add nuts. Fold chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds into the topping for extra crunch. They pair beautifully with the tart cranberries.
- Make it gluten-free. Use certified gluten-free old-fashioned oats and swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free blend.
- Make it dairy-free. Coconut oil or your favorite vegan butter works great in place of the butter in the topping.
- Double it. Switch from an 8×8 pan to a 9×13 baking dish. Keep an eye on the bake time, since the deeper filling may need a few extra minutes.
- Skip the cranberries. Put the whole thing in a muffin tin instead and you’ve basically got muffin tin mini apple pies.
- Toppings. A scoop of my custard-based homemade vanilla ice cream melting into warm crisp is my favorite way to serve it. Whipped cream or a spoonful of vanilla Greek yogurt are great too.
How To Make Cranberry Apple Crisp
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the topping.
- Add the cold cubed butter and vanilla, then work it in with a pastry cutter or clean hands.
- Stop when it’s crumbly and looks like small peas. Pop the bowl in the fridge while you make the filling.
- Toss the peeled, chopped apples with the cranberries, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Spread it into a 9-inch pie plate or 8×8 pan.
- Sprinkle the chilled topping evenly over the fruit and set the dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips.
- Bake uncovered for 55 minutes, until the topping is golden. Let it rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Expert Tips
- Keep the butter cold. Cold butter gives you those little pea-sized clumps that bake up crisp instead of melting into a paste. It’s the same trick that keeps the topping crumbly on my pumpkin crisp with a creamy pumpkin pie filling.
- Don’t cover the pan. Bake it uncovered so the topping can crisp up. Only tent it loosely with foil if the top starts to darken too fast.
- Use a baking sheet. An apple and cranberry crisp bubbles up as it bakes and can leak over the sides of the dish.
- Be patient before you scoop. The filling keeps setting as it cools, so cutting in too soon will always look watery.
Cranberry Apple Crisp FAQs
You sure can, which makes it perfect for Thanksgiving! Assemble the cranberry apple crisp as directed, then wrap it tightly and store it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days before baking. Want to bake it later? Assemble the crisp, wrap it tightly, and freeze it. Bake it straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time.
Absolutely! If it isn’t cranberry season, use frozen cranberries in your cranberry apple crisp and bake it just as the recipe directs.
This usually comes down to the cornstarch. Cranberries release a lot of liquid as they bake, so don’t skip or reduce the 3 tablespoons of cornstarch in the filling of your cranberry apple crisp. It’s what thickens everything up as it bakes. If it still looks a little juicy, let it rest for the full 5 to 10 minutes before serving. The filling keeps setting as it cools.
Let the cranberry apple crisp cool completely, then cover it tightly and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it uncovered in the oven instead of the microwave so the oat topping can crisp back up.
I don’t recommend it. This cranberry apple crisp is built on whole fresh or frozen cranberries, and canned cranberry sauce is already cooked and sweetened, so the filling would turn out softer and much sweeter. Save your leftover sauce for my cranberry sauce cheese danishes instead.
More Cranberry And Apple Desserts
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The Best Cranberry Apple Crisp
Ingredients
For the topping
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
- 2/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup butter cold, cut into cubes
For the cranberry apple filling
- 3 large Honeycrisp apples peeled and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups cranberries fresh or frozen
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and vanilla extract and work it in with a pastry cutter or clean hands until the mixture is crumbly and looks like small peas. Place the bowl in the fridge while you make the filling.2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Peel and chop the apples. In a second large bowl, toss them with the cranberries, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract. Spread into a 9-inch pie plate or an 8×8-inch square pan.3 large Honeycrisp apples, 1 1/2 cups cranberries, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3 tbsp cornstarch
- Sprinkle the chilled topping evenly over the fruit. Set the dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake uncovered for 55 minutes, until the topping is golden. If the top darkens too fast, tent it loosely with foil.
- Let the cranberry apple crisp rest for 5 to 10 minutes to set before serving with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
- Don’t skip the cornstarch. It’s what keeps the filling from going watery.
- Apples: For a more balanced filling, use half Honeycrisp and half Granny Smith.
- Make ahead: Assemble up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate, or freeze unbaked and bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
New Thanksgiving (and sneak in throughout the year) dessert. Family devours this. Worth the 5 rating for our family, thank you for the recipe
So happy it’s a new Thanksgiving tradition, Karen! It’s way too good to save for once a year anyway 😊
Absolutely amazing! I doubled it in baked in a 9 x 13 and it turned out perfect!
So easy and so good!!!
YAY!