Apple Cranberry Pie

Last updated on January 7th, 2025

Apple Cranberry Pie combines a blend of juicy apples, tart cranberries, and homemade apple pie spice, nestled in a lattice flaky, all-butter crust. Bring a slice of warmth and quintessential fall dessert to your Thanksgiving buffet table with this show-stopping pie that’s guaranteed to become a family favorite.

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Ingredients

Apples: Use a variety of apples mixed together like Jonagold, Jonathan and Granny Smith. Jonagold and Jonathan apples have a mix of sweet and tart flavors and with a firm texture. Granny Smith apples are firm and very tart, making them ideal since they are firm and do not mush compared to other apples.

Cranberries: Use whole, fresh cranberries which are plentiful in the fall. You can also use frozen cranberries, however, do not thaw them before adding to the pie filling or they will make the pie watery and mushy.

ClearJel: I prefer to use Instant ClearJel, which doesn’t make the filling cloudy like flour may do. If ClearJel is hard to find in your area, you can use cornstarch. To substitute: If the recipe calls for 1 T. cornstarch, use 1 1/2 T. ClearJel. If the recipe calls for 2 T. flour or tapioca, use 1 T. ClearJel. You can find ClearJel in Amish or health food stores areas, or online.

Homemade apple pie spice: Apple pie spice is readily available in stores and usually contain a blend of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, mace and cloves. I prefer to make my own Apple Pie Spice blend, a bolder version with a higher ratio of cinnamon along with spices like nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, and allspice.

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Method

1. GATHER EQUIPMENT

• Basic baking equipment: measuring cups and spoons, liquid measuring cups, spatula, bowls, knifes
• Highly Recommended, (but not required): food processor, stand mixer or pastry blender to make the pie crust, apple slicer & corer, food chopper or mini food processor
• Recommended for making pies: pie plate, pie shield (or homemade foil one), pastry wheel (for cutting top-crust strips), mini-cookie cutters (for making shapes), pastry mat, rolling pin, pie weights

2. PREP INGREDIENTS

• Place ice cubes in glass of water and set aside. When you go to use the water it needs to be ice cold.
• Prep apples by slicing or cutting into bite-size pieces and set aside.
• Rough chop the cranberries.
• Use frozen butter and dice into small cubes and put right back into the freezer if your not making the dough right away.

3. MAKE PIE CRUST

• To avoid a tough crust, add vinegar or vodka to prevent excess gluten from forming.
• You can make the pie crust ahead of time and place in refrigerator or freezer until needed. It’s best to put the assembled pie in the fridge for about 15 minutes prior to baking, so it goes cold into a nice, hot oven.
• Work quick to keep everything cold as possible.

4. MAKE PIE FILLING

• If using frozen fruit, do not thaw the fruit before adding it to the pie filling or it will make the pie watery and mushy.
• You can use fresh fruit filling or pre-made. TIP: If you pick or harvest fresh fruit in season pre-make the pie filling and use a canner or prep and put in freezer safe ziploc bags or containers.

5. ASSEMBLE PIE

• Take out 1 disk for for the bottom crust. The bottom crust should be rolled out 2-3″ larger than your pie plate. You should roll out 1/8″ thick, use a cookie rolling pin to ensure even layer. Trim excess dough off with paring knife and crimp edge using your fingers or a fork. Place it in fridge to ensure the crust from shrinking.
• Roll out the second (top) crust. Cut strips 1″ wide with ruler and knife or pastry cutter.
• To prevent a soggy crust, dust bottom of crust with thickening agent (clear jel or tapioca) and then brush lightly with egg wash (1 egg+1 T. cream). Pierce pie shell with fork.
• Pour filling into crust, top with diced butter spread around.
• Pull out the tray of strips and place on top of filling in a lattice pattern. NOTE: you could also assemble into a lattice pattern on a piece of parchment paper, chill until use, and lay on the top of the filling.
• Place decorative shapes on top of lattice crust with a dab of egg wash.
• Brush lattice with egg wash and sprinkle with course sanding sugar.
• Be sure to place the assembled pie in the fridge for about 15 minutes prior to baking, so it goes cold into a nice hot oven.

6. BAKE PIE

• Start baking pie in a hot 400° oven for 15 minutes. This will help keep the shape of crust.
• Reduce oven temperature to 375° and bake for an additional 45-50 minutes. Cover with foil or pie protector to ensure filling is cooked through but that the crust doesn’t burn.
• Watch to see when pie starts to bubble, then let it bake 5 more minutes.

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Dietary Substitutions

TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE:

• Swap out the flour with gluten-free flour. I recommend using a high-quality brand such as King Arthur’s Gluten-Free Flour.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of sour cream to the pie crust to help hydrate the flour.

BAKER’S TIP: If time allows, be sure to let the batter rest as hydrating the gluten-free flour is an important step to help eliminate grittiness.

TO MAKE VEGAN/DAIRY FREE:

• When making the pie crust, swap out the butter with vegan butter. My favorite is Violife Plant Butter or Country Crock Olive Oil Sticks. To keep pie crust from shrinking, be sure to chill pie dough before filling and baking since plant-based butter contains mostly oil.

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Equipment

• Highly Recommended Tools to help, but not required:
• food processor, stand mixer or pastry blender to make the pie crust
• apple slicer & corer
• food chopper or mini food processor
• Recommended for making pies:
• pie plate: I bake my pies in vintage ceramic pie plates which conduct slow, even heat. You can usually find a vintage pie dish at your local antique store, however, there are several modern brands like LeCruset or Emile Henry.
• pie shield (or homemade foil one)
• pastry wheel (for cutting top-crust strips)
• mini-cookie cutters (for making shapes)
• pastry mat
• rolling pin
• pie weights

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Storage

Baked Pie: If pie has been baked, cover pie and leave on counter up to 3 days. You can freeze a pie that has been baked up to 6 months.

Unbaked Pie: Cover pie with saran wrap or foil. Place covered pie in a freezer-safe container up to 6 months. Bake pie straight from freezer and add additional baking time as needed.

Here are more pie recipes to try:

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @vintagebakedmodern on Instagram and hashtag it #vintagebakedmodern

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