Tart cranberries combine with fresh Granny Smith apples and cinnamon in this homemade pie bursting with flavor. But it is the smooth pastry cream layered between the crust and fruits that makes this pie something special for a year-round dessert.
COOK + BAKE | Updated July 7, 2023
Stop for a moment and breath in.....
Can you smell it? That's right.....Fall is in the air. The weather is turning cooler, school is back in session, and the leaves are starting to change. We can officially say that summer is over.
I don't do much baking during the heat of the summer, but I start to get the urge again as soon as I can sense fall has arrived.
One of the first ingredients I reach for to use in a recipe is apples. Fresh fruit picked straight from the tree always has the best taste and most apples are at their peak in September.
There are so many ways to use this seasonal fruit and I love finding new and inventive recipes that incorporate their flavor into my baking. This recipe for Rustic Apple-Cranberry Pie is one that I make again and again because it so delicious. (See more of my favorite apple inspired recipes.)
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
Aside from recipes that have been passed down through my family, there are not many I've made over the years that I return to again and again.
But years ago, I found this recipe for Apple Cranberry Pie created by Alan Carter for an issue of Better Homes & Gardens and have never fallen more in love with a dessert than this one. Aside from altering the ratio of fruits from the original, there has been no need to make any other adjustments to his perfect pie.
IT IS MORE THAN JUST FRUIT
The combination of the tart Granny Smith apples and cranberries with the cinnamon and allspice is delicious. But what really makes this pie special is a smooth pastry cream filling that is spread across the bottom crust. It makes this more than just a fruit pie recipe and turns it into a special dessert.
IT IS RUSTIC
This is a rustic type of pie, so you don't need to have any fancy crust making skills for it to still turn out beautiful.
Honestly, it is hard to control how this pie looks when it comes out of the oven because it is so packed full of fruits that the shape takes on a life of its own as the ingredients cook down.
YOUR HOME WILL SMELL LIKE FALL
Best of all, baking this pie fills your home with the incredible fall scents of apples and spice, which I find makes a home seem cozy and comforting....just what you want for the autumn season.
PERFECT FOR FALL AND CHRISTMAS
Because cranberries are a fruit that start to show up fresh a little later in the fall and into the Christmas holiday, this pie actually becomes a perfect dessert for anytime during the rest of the year. Feel free to use frozen cranberries while the fresh ones are out of season.
What You'll Need
Interested in trying this Apple Cranberry Pie? Here's the ingredients you'll need to get. (It looks like a lot, but believe me, the flavor is worth it!)
For the pastry cream to spread on the bottom of the crust, you'll need:
- whole milk
- granulated sugar
- egg yolks
- cornstarch
- salt
- unsalted butter
- vanilla
The pie ingredients you'll need:
- pie crusts - the recipe appears below
- Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored, and sliced to just over 1/4 inch thick to ensure they don't become too soft when baking
- cranberries - fresh or frozen
- lemon juice
- granulated sugar
- ground cinnamon and allspice
- salt
- large egg - beaten
- whipping cream
And the pie crust ingredients are:
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- kosher salt
- baking powder
- unsalted butter - cold and cut into chunks
- ice cold water
- sour cream
- apple cider vinegar - substitute white vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice if you don't have any
How to Make Apple Cranberry Pie
There are a few extra steps to making this pie, but it is so seriously worth the time you'll spend putting it together. Making the pastry cream and pie crust should be done at least the day before you need it because they both have to chill.
HOW TO MAKE THE PASTRY CREAM
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt until combined.
- In a small saucepan, combine the milk and more sugar. Cook over medium heat until bubbles start forming on the edges. You don't want to let the mixture come to a boil.
- Slowly beat in about one third of the milk mixture into the yolk mixture, then quickly beat in the remaining milk. But adding just a little to start, it keeps the eggs from curdling from the hot milk.
- Pour everything back into the saucepan. Cook and stir continually over medium heat until it thickens to a smooth cream and comes to a boil.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in your butter and vanilla until all of the ingredients are combined.
- Transfer the cream to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Press down making sure that plastic wrap is covering the surface of the pastry cream. Let it cool on your counter and then store in the refrigerator for up to three days.
HOW TO MAKE THE PIE
Making the Bottom Crust: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-inch deep dish pie tin or glass pie plate. The butter acts like glue, bonding the crust to the pan and stopping the fruit juice from sneaking underneath the crust. Fruit pies release a lot of liquid and that can lead to a soggy bottom pie.
Roll out one of your pie pastry on a floured work surface to a circle of about 14 inches in diameter and about 1/4 inch thickness and then transfer the dough without stretching it into the baking pan. Trim the pastry even with the rim of the dish.
Mixing the Filling: In a large bowl, combine the apple slices, cranberries, and lemon juice. In a second bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Set the bowls aside.
Assembling the Pie: Spread all of the pastry cream over the bottom crust. Toss the apples and cranberries with the dry ingredients and pile them over the pastry cream. Roll second portion of dough to a 12 inch circle with a 1/4 inch thickness and place it over the filling. Trim the dough to 1/2 inch beyond the bottom pastry and crimp the edges as desired. Cut four small slits into the top crust to allow the steam to escape and the filling to cook evenly.
Before Baking: Combine a beaten egg with whipping cream and brush it over the entire pastry. This helps the crust to brown nicely. Place the pie on a foil lined baking sheet. Because there is so much fruit in the pie, it is likely you'll get juices that bubble out. You'll need the pan to catch the juices and the foil will make clean up easier.
Bake the Pie: Bake the pie uncovered for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through the baking time to ensure even cooking. If necessary, cover the edges of the pie crust with aluminum foil or a silicone crust shield to prevent overbrowning. Cool the pie on a wire rack and then store in the refrigerator. You must allow the pie to cool completely before cutting into it so that the juices have a chance to set up.
HOW TO MAKE THE CRUST
- In a very large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, kosher salt, and baking powder.
- With a pastry blender, cut in the pieces of butter, leaving chunks about the size of peas. You could also use a food processor if you'd prefer.
- Combine the ice cold water, sour cream, and vinegar in a separate bowl and then add it all at once to the flour mixture. Quickly stir to distribute. Do not overmix. The dough should be slightly crumbly.
- Divide the dough into three portions which can each be shaped into a disk and wrapped in plastic wrap. Let them rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. The finished dough should break apart and not stretch.
- You'll only be using two of the rounds. The extra dough can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to one month for another use. Frozen dough should be thawed overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
Tips for Making This Pie
BE SURE TO USE FRESH APPLES
Older apples that have been stored longer are more likely to become too soft during the baking process. You'll want to choose ones that you've just purchased from the store. Freshly picked at the farmer's market is even better!
ADDING VINEGAR TO PIE CRUST
The small amount of vinegar in the pie crust helps discourage additional gluten from forming, making the pie crust more tender, easier to handle, and keeps the pie from shrinking when baked. It also helps keep the dough from "graying" which is important in this particular recipe because you'll end up with an extra round of dough that you'll likely have to store for use in another pie.
It is best in this pie to use apple cider vinegar, but you can substitute white vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice for a similar effect.
CHILL YOUR PIE CRUST INGREDIENTS
For the best pie crust, your ingredients need to be chilled and stay that way as much as possible. You may even want to chill your tools and bowl before beginning. This allows the butter to remain in small chunks in the dough and will produce flaky layers as it bakes. Butter that is warm or melted when it goes inside the oven will produce a tougher, less flaky crust.
KNOW WHEN YOUR PIE IS DONE
The pie is ready when the filling is bubbling slightly and the apples are tender but still provide some give. You can check this by poking with a knife or cake tester through the slits you made in the crust. Your crust should look golden brown.
If you are worried about whether or not the pie is done, feel free to leave it in a few minutes longer. It is better to be slightly over-baked rather than under-baked.
RUSTIC APPLE-CRANBERRY PIE
Tart cranberries combine with fresh Granny Smith apples and cinnamon in this homemade pie bursting with flavor. But it is the smooth pastry cream layered between the crust and fruits that makes this pie something special for a year-round dessert.
Adapted from Alan Carter's recipe in BH&G, November 2010
Makes 8-10 servings
PASTRY CREAM INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup and 3 Tablespoons sugar, divided
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
PIE INGREDIENTS
- 2 pie crusts (recipe appears below)
- 5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
- 1 1/2 cups cranberries
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 Tablespoon whipping cream
PIE CRUST INGREDIENTS
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 3/4 cups cold, unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup ice-cold water
- 2 Tablespoons sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
HOW TO MAKE PASTRY CREAM
STEP 1: In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks, 3 Tablespoons of sugar, cornstarch, and salt until combined.
STEP 2: In a small saucepan, combine the milk and 1/4 cup of sugar. Cook over medium heat until bubbles start forming on the edges.
STEP 3: Gradually beat in 1/3 cup of hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, then quickly beat in the remaining milk. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until it thickens to a cream and comes to a boil.
STEP 4: Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla until combined.
STEP 5: Transfer the cream to a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Cool it on your counter and then store in the refrigerator for up to three days.
HOW TO MAKE APPLE CRANBERRY PIE
STEP 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out one pastry round on a floured work surface to a 14 inch circle. Butter a 9-inch deep dish pie dish and transfer the dough to the dish without stretching. Trim the pastry even with the rim of the dish.
STEP 2: In a large bowl, combine apples, cranberries, and lemon juice. In another bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.
STEP 3: Spread the pastry cream over the bottom crust. Toss the apples and cranberries with the dry ingredients and then pile over the pastry cream. Roll the top crust to a 12-inch circle and place it over the apples. Trim to 1/2 inch beyond the edge of the pie dish and then fold top pastry under bottom and crimp as desired. Cut four small slits into the top crust.
STEP 4: Combine a beaten egg with whipping cream and brush it over the top of the pie crust. Place the pie on a foil lined baking sheet.
STEP 5: Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and then store in the refrigerator to cool completely.
PIE CRUST INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: In a very large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, kosher salt, and baking powder.
STEP 2: With a pastry blender, cut in the butter leaving chunks the size of peas.
STEP 3: Combine ice-cold water, sour cream, and vinegar in a separate bowl and then add it all at once to the flour mixture. Quickly stir to distribute but do not over-mix. The dough will be slightly crumbly.
STEP 4: Divide the dough into three portions and shape them into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have some questions about making this Apple Cranberry Pie? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions that may help.
DO YOU HAVE TO USE THE PIE CRUST RECIPE
To make things a bit simpler, you can use a refrigerated pie crust instead of making your own. Or substitute a crust recipe that you are comfortable making. I realize that this pie crust seems more complicated than most with many more ingredients.
I highly suggest you try the recipe included here for the crust at least the first time you make the pie, though. It has a flavor that really compliments the taste of the fruits and browns beautifully.
CAN A DIFFERENT APPLE BE SUBSTITUTED
The tart Granny Smith apple pairs well with the cranberries in this particular pie. But if you'd like to try a another type of apple, be sure to keep this in mind.
Different varieties of apples bake better than others. Some become too soft when baked in a pie and are better for snacking (like the McIntosh). Apples other than Granny Smith that are suitable for this pie include:
- Crispin (also known as Matsu)
- Honey Crisp
- Gala
- Pink Lady
- Golden Delicious
- Cortland
- Braeburn
Choose one variety or a couple of complimenting tartness and sweetness.
CAN THIS PIE BE MADE WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES
No, this pie will not be the same with dried cranberries, even if you rehydrate them before cooking the pie. Fresh or frozen cranberries are the only way to go.
HOW DO YOU STORE THIS PIE
Because it is filled with the egg-based pastry cream, this pie needs to be refrigerated after it has cooled. Individual slices can be warmed in the microwave or the entire pie can be put back into the oven for about 10 minutes when you are ready to serve.
The pie is best eaten within two days after baking.
I am confident this is a pie that you'll love eating and serving to friends, family, and guests this fall. Add a scoop of ice cream, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and enjoy!
Looking For Some Other Apple Recipes?
APPLE CIDER POUND CAKE
CINNAMON CRUSTED FRENCH TOAST TOPPED WITH CARAMELIZED APPLES- Flavor filled bite of fall for breakfast.
APPLE MUFFINS WITH CRUMB TOPPING
APPLE DANISH CHEESECAKE - Possibly the most delicious cheesecake I've ever tasted!
APPLE BUTTER PIE - A creamy custard similar to pumpkin pie but packed with apple flavor.
OATMEAL APPESAUCE COOKIES WITH GOLDEN RAISINS - A fall twist on the traditional oatmeal raisin cookie
17 MORE DELICIOUS APPLE INSPIRED RECIPES TO TRY THIS FALL
This post is part of the Tastes of the Season series hosted by Kristen of Ella Clair & Co. Be sure to check out these other featured apple recipes and get stocked up on all the ingredients you'll need to do some fall baking.
Click here to see all of my previous Tastes of the Season posts.
Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls by Ella Claire | Rustic Apple Cranberry Pie by anderson + grant | Apple Cranberry Slab Pie by Inspired by Charm | Apple Donuts by A Burst of Beautiful |
Caramel Apple Tart by Julie Blanner
Easy Apple Dumplings by Craftberry Bush | Apple Crisp by House 214 Design |
Apple Cider Scones by Everyday Occasions | Apple Fritter Skillet Bake by Nest of Posies |
Rustic Apple Tarte Tatin by Maison de Pax
Paleo Apple Crisp by Nesting with Grace | Crock Pot Applesauce by My Sweet Savannah | Gluten Free Apple Crisp by City Farmhouse | Baked Breakfast Apples with Oatmeal by French Country Cottage | Apple Blossom with Salted Caramel Sauce by Nina Hendrick Design
No Churn Apple Pie Ice Cream by Boxwood Avenue | Bird's Nest Apple Pie by Zevy Joy | Apple Upside Down Spice Cake by Love Grows Wild
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