Cranberry Apple Pie

It takes a lot to improve the old-fashioned apple pie. Warm, comforting, and inviting, an apple pie is welcome at picnics and potlucks, holiday gatherings and house warmings.

But in the fall, when we turn our eyes toward desserts like pumpkin pie and caramel cake, adding cranberries to apple pie feels like a natural choice. Tart and juicy cranberries complement the sweetness of the apples beautifully without making the pie sour.

Learn how to make this classic Cranberry Apple Pie and how to store it so it stays fresh until the last bite.

Tips for the Best Cranberry Apple Pie

Take it from our Test Kitchen—these tips will make your pie the best you've ever made:

• Keep piecrusts chilled: Between steps, you should keep piecrusts stored in the fridge or freezer. If the pastry gets too hot, it may not bake up flaky and delicate.
• Crimp the edges of the piecrust: It's important to get a good seal so the crust gets crispy and the juices stay inside.)
• Cool completely. The sugar mixture in the pie needs to cool so it can properly thicken up. If you take out a slice too soon, the mixture may leak out and pool in the empty spot of the slice you ate.
• Use a pie shield: If the pie crust begins to brown more quickly than you'd hoped, protect it with an aluminum foil pie shield.

Cranberry Apple Pie Ingredients

To make apple cranberry pie, you will need:

• A package of refrigerated piecrusts: Fast and easy, pre-made crusts are great, but you could make your own. Try our Double-Crust Pie Pastry.
• All-purpose flour: For the work surface so you can easily roll out the piecrusts.
• Granny Smith apples: We like these apples for pie because they hold their shape after baking, and the balance of tart and sweetness is spot-on for this pie.
• Fresh or frozen cranberries: If these ruby red berries are in season, use fresh. Otherwise frozen is great. You can even rehydrate dried cranberries in warm water for 20 minutes. Drain before adding to the pie mixture.
• Dark brown sugar: For adding sweetness and a caramelized flavor to the pie filling.
• Apple butter: Consider this your secret weapon to a fantastic pie. The deeply rich flavor of apple butter boosts the filling's flavor for a warmly spiced, sweet pie. You can use your own homemade apple butter, or buy a jar.
• Cornstarch: Helps to thicken up the sugary syrup of the filling.
• Fresh orange juice: Adds moisture for the filling along with a fresh citrus zing.
• Ground cinnamon and ground ginger: Excellent warming spices for this pie.
• Salt: Just a touch of salt balances the sweetness of the pie.
• Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness to the pie filling and a delectable crunch to the piecrust.
• Unsalted butter: Lends richness to the pie filling.
• Egg and water: Forms an easy egg wash for the crust.

How To Make Cranberry Apple Pie

You'll need more than four hours to make this apple and cranberry pie recipe, but only about 40 minutes of that is active cook time. The rest is for baking and cooling. Here's a brief outline of the process; the full recipe is further below:

• Step 1. Put one piecrust in a 9-inch glass plate, and crimp the edges. Chill the crust.
• Step 2. Roll the remaining piecrust out onto a floured work surface into a 12-inch round. Cut strips, and weave them to from a lattice pattern. Freeze.
• Step 3. Stir together the pie filling ingredients, tossing to coat the apples well in the mixture.
• Step 4. Spoon the apple mixture into the chilled piecrust, mounding it in the center and scattering cubes of butter over the fruit.
• Step 5. Brush the lattice crust with egg wash. Add the crust to the top of the pie, and seal the edges. Sprinkle granulated sugar on the crust.
• Step 6. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet to catch any juices, and bake until bubbly with a golden brown crust.
• Step 7. Let the pie cool for 30 minutes on the baking sheet, and then transfer it to a wire rack until completely cool.

What Does Cranberry Apple Pie Taste Like?

In this flavorful cranberry apple pie recipe, the tart cranberries and apples soften, and the flavors merge together. The warm spices and brown sugar balance the tartness of the cranberries and apples, and the sugar sprinkled on top provides balance for the sweet, buttery crust.

The apple butter in this recipe adds depth to the flavor. Overall, this pie's rich flavor and pretty presentation make it perfect for the holidays.

How To Tell When Apple Pie Is Done

When this cranberry apple pie is done, the crust will be golden brown and the filling uniformly bubbly. Allowing the pie to cool properly matters to the result, too: This pie is best after it's fully cooled and you can get a perfect slice on the bottom.

How To Store Cranberry Apple Pie

Leftover cranberry apple pie should be placed in a pie protector or other airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. The crust may be a bit soggy after you remove it from the fridge, but you can warm the pie slightly in the oven to improve texture..

Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin.