My father originally found a recipe for apple cranberry pie years ago in Bon Appétit magazine (Oct, 1998). We’ve modified it somewhat over the years, experimenting with different crusts and baking temperature and times. We love the sweet and sour interplay of apples and cranberries in this pie!
The Best Apples for This Apple Pie
Like our classic apple pie, this one benefits from a mix of different kinds of apples. Since some apple varieties cook more quickly or slowly than others, or have a sweeter or more tart flavor, using several different apples creates a mix of textures and flavors in the pie. Some favorites to try here are Granny Smith, Jonagold, Fuji, Pippin, Braeburn, and Golden Delicious. Great Tip! As you peel, core, and slice the apples, put the apple slices in a bowl and sprinkle with a little lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to prevent them from discoloring.
Add Nuts to Your Pie Crust
The crust for this apple-cranberry pie is made extra special with the addition of finely ground almonds. This adds a light almond nutty flavor that goes well with this pie filling.
Egg Yolk for a Deeply Golden Crust
Want a beautiful crust? Brush the top of your pie with a mixture of egg yolk and cream just before it goes into the oven. This will give your crust a deeply golden color and a lovely shiny surface.
More Favorite Thanksgiving Pies
Our All-Time Best Thanksgiving Pies from Simply Recipes Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Pie Pecan Pie Apple Slab Pie Classic Sweet Potato Pie
The crust recipe given includes ground almonds which give the crust a lovely flavor that works well with the apples and cranberries. You can also use our favorite sour cream pie crust that is easy to put together and makes an especially flaky crust.
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1/3 cup finely ground blanched almonds or almond flour
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 heaping teaspoon brown sugar
3 to 6 tablespoons ice water
For the filling:
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 to 2/3 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you want the filling to be)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice or cinnamon
2 1/4 pounds of an assortment of good cooking apples such as Granny Smith, Pippin, Golden Delicious, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices (about 7 cups of apple slices)
1 tablespoon brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the egg wash:
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon whipping cream
Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, with pea-size pieces of butter. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until the mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it’s ready; if not, add a little more ice water and pulse again. Remove the dough from the machine and place on a clean surface. Carefully shape into 2 discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. As you roll out the dough, use a metal spatula to check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. Add a few sprinkles of flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Place in a 9-inch pyrex pie dish. Press down to line the pie dish with the dough. Fold the dough under itself so that the edge of the fold is flush with the edge of the pan. Crimp the edges using your thumb and forefinger or press with a fork. Remove the pie and let cool on a rack for at least 1 hour. Serve pie warm or at room temperature.
