Description
Warm apple cranberry crisp brings together sweet and tart flavors in a comforting dessert that feels like a hug from my grandmother’s kitchen. Crispy oat topping and tender fruit create a perfect balance that makes this dish a go-to treat for chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit Base:
- 4 medium apples
- 2 cups cranberries
Supporting Sweeteners and Spices:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Crisp Topping:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
Instructions
- Gather cold butter, 4 medium apples (about 907 grams), 2 cups (240 grams) cranberries, and all measured ingredients to create this seasonal dessert.
- Coat your 23×23 centimeter baking dish with butter or neutral cooking spray at 190 celsius (375 fahrenheit) oven temperature.
- Slice apples into thin 0.5 centimeter pieces, removing cores and stems completely.
- Combine apples, cranberries, 60 milliliters granulated sugar, 30 milliliters brown sugar, 15 milliliters lemon juice, 30 milliliters flour, and spices in a large mixing bowl.
- Toss fruit mixture until every piece receives an even spice coating, ensuring no dry patches remain.
- Transfer fruit mixture into prepared baking dish, spreading contents evenly across the surface.
- Create topping by mixing 240 grams rolled oats, 180 grams flour, 120 grams brown sugar, 2.5 grams cinnamon, and 1.25 grams salt in a separate container.
- Dice 113 grams cold butter into small cubes, then integrate into dry topping ingredients using a fork or pastry cutter.
- Break butter into tiny fragments until topping resembles coarse, sandy crumbles.
- Distribute topping generously across fruit layer, covering entire surface.
- Place dish in preheated oven, baking for 40-45 minutes until fruit bubbles and topping turns golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow crisp to rest 15 minutes before serving, allowing flavors to settle and filling to stabilize.
- Serve warm with optional vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.
Notes
- Choosing the right apples makes a big difference, so pick firm varieties like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp that hold their shape during baking.
- Using fresh cranberries delivers the brightest flavor, but frozen work perfectly if fresh aren’t available.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with almond flour or gluten-free blend in both filling and topping.
- Serve this crisp warm to maximize the contrast between the tender fruit and crunchy oat topping, which creates the most delicious texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 258 kcal
- Sugar: 23 g
- Sodium: 94 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg