Table of contents
Apple Cranberry Pie combines natural ingredients like a blend of juicy apples, tart cranberries, and homemade apple pie spice, nestled in a flaky, all-butter lattice crust. I was inspired to make this by a classic cranberry-apple pie recipe featured in Farm Journal’s Best-Ever Pies 1981 cookbook, and also wanted a twist on my traditional apple pie. As the fall season sets in and we start to crave a warm, cozy slice of pie, be sure to add this quintessential Thanksgiving dessert your new holiday family favorite this year.
My vintage inspiration for this apple cranberry pie recipe came from a recipe for cranberry-apple pie in my copy of Farm Journal’s Best-Ever Pies (1981). Their recipe states…”One of those pies you’ll want to bake all winter long. Delicious whether you serve it plain or with a scoop of ice cream.” I couldn’t agree more this pie is perfect for Thanksgiving or on a cold winter day.
My modern modifications to the original recipe included: using Instant ClearJel instead of cornstarch, adding more fruit for a full pie, adding brown sugar in addition to white sugar for more sweetness, added apple pie spice to enhance the warmth of flavors, added orange juice in addition to the orange zest to give it some zing.
I also have been inspired to make other recipes from my vintage Farm Journal cookbooks like Old Fashioned Lemon Meringue Pie from “Farm-Journal’s Complete Pie Cookbook” (1965), and my Oatmeal Apricot Cookie from “Freezing and Canning Cookbook” (1963).
Try another recipe inspired by the book Peach Slab Pie
Ingredients to make Apple Cranberry Pie
Crust
- All-purpose unbleached flour is made by grinding the seeds of the wheat plant and removing the bran and germ. It has a moderate protein content of 10-12%, making it a versatile option for baking cookies, cakes, and pastries.
- Sugar is derived from sugarcane and provides sweetness to baked goods. The most common type being granulated white sugar. Cane sugar is a natural option that is less processed with a slightly courser texture.
- Butter is made from churned cream that contains 80% butterfat. European butter is churned longer and has a higher fat content (82%-85%), which is why it yields more flavor.
- Pink salt is a type of rock salt that contains trace minerals, adding nutrients to baked goods.
- Vodka is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from grains or potatoes. Adding vodka to pie crust will give it a flaky, tender texture because the alcohol prevents the gluten from developing.
Filling
- Apples like Jonagold, Jonathan and Granny Smith. Jonagold and Jonathan apples for the best combination of flavor and texture. Jonagold and Jonathan apples have balance of both sweet and tart flavor with a firm texture. Granny Smith apples are very tart, and firm, making them ideal for baking since they aren’t as mushy.
- Cranberries are a tart, slightly bitter fruit that grow on low vines in bogs. When harvested in the fall by flooding the bogs, the berries float to the top of the water. Use whole, fresh or frozen cranberries in the pie.
- Oranges are a citrus fruit that add a bright, zesty flavor to savory and sweet foods. Using both the zest and the juice enhances the flavor and helps balance the sweetness of the apples and tartness of the cranberries.
- Instant ClearJel is a modified food starch used as a thickener, stabilizer, and gelling agent, used for pie fillings creating a clear, smooth texture rather than cloudy. In baked goods it helps retain moisture and produces a light, tender texture. Use cornstarch as a substitution if ClearJel is hard to find. For every 1 T. of cornstarch, use 1 1/2 T. ClearJel. For every 2 T. flour or tapioca, use 1 T. ClearJel. You can find it online here.
- Brown sugar is granulated sugar with molasses added, providing deep flavor and moisture to baked goods. Light brown sugar contains 3.5% molasses, while dark brown sugar has 6.5% giving a more robust flavor profile.
- Apple pie spice is readily available in stores and usually contain a blend of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, mace and cloves.
Make your own ingredients
- Apple Pie Spice: Just mix a few staple fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, and allspice for a custom rich blend. Here is my recipe for Apple Pie Spice blend.
CRUST
- To avoid a tough crust, add vodka or white vinegar to prevent excess gluten from forming. This not only keeps the crust flaky, it also prevents shrinking during baking.
- To save time, make the pie crust ahead of time and place in refrigerator or freezer until needed.
- Work quick to keep everything cold as possible.
FILLING
- When using frozen fruit, do not thaw before adding it to the pie filling or it can make the pie watery and mushy.
- Fresh fruit filling or pre-made filling will both work. Its easy to pre-make homemade pie filling after you pick or harvest fresh fruit in season. Follow the USDA canning procedures or store in freezer safe containers or ziploc bags.
ASSEMBLE PIE & BAKE
- To prevent a soggy crust, dust the bottom crust with a thickening agent and brush with an egg wash.
- Use a ceramic or glass pie plate, which conduct slow, even heat.
- To make the lattice pattern, cut strips of dough, weave into pattern on top of a piece of parchment paper. Chill until use, and lay the pattern on the top of the filling.
- For a shiny, brown crust, brush the entire pie with egg wash sprinkled with course sanding sugar.
- Put the assembled pie in the fridge for about 15 minutes prior to baking to ensure the crust from shrinking.
- Cover crust with pie protector or foil to make sure the filling is cooked through but that the crust doesn’t burn.
Dietary Substitutions
For the past 12+ years, I have owned an all-natural specialty bakery converting conventional recipes to gluten free, vegan, wholesome, etc. You can read more about my pro-baking here.
Here are a few basic tips when converting conventional recipes into specialty baked goods.
- Shelf Life: Specialty baked goods tend to dry out faster and have a shorter shelf life than conventional baked goods. Store in an airtight container on counter for 1 – 2 days. For longer storage, freeze up to 6 months. Avoid refrigerating, as it can dry out baked goods.
- Let Batter Rest: Alternate flours can be dense or slightly gritty compared to white flour, so be sure to let the batter rest at least 15 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator before baking. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and produce a lighter, tender crumb.
- Oven Temperature: Alternative flours are delicate and tend to brown faster before the center is cooked through. Reduce oven to 325° and bake “low and slow,” adding a few extra minutes of bake time if needed.
Gluten-Free (no gluten)
- Flour: Swap out the flour with a premium gluten-free flour such as King Arthur Measure for Measure or use a homemade gluten-free flour blend. Be sure the flour blend contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. per every 1 cup of flour to the recipe.
- Hydration: Gluten free flours can make baked goods dense. Add 1 tablespoon of additional extra liquid (the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help lighten the texture.
- Fat: Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat, such as butter or oil to the recipe.
Vegan/Dairy Free (no animal products)
- Butter: Use unsalted vegan butter sticks such as Violife for best flavor and texture.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat, coconut or almond milk.
- Eggs: Replace each egg by adding 1 tsp. baking soda to the batter, then pour 1 Tbsp. white vinegar over it. Add the vinegar last though, to keep the leavening reaction.
- Fat: Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat like oil or vegan butter to the recipe.
Keto (low carb, high fat)
- Flour: Swap the white flour for almond flour or coconut flour.
- Sweetener: Replace sugar with Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener which calls for a 1:1swap that mimics granulated sugar.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as coconut or almond milk.
- Hydration: Almond flour can make baked goods dense. Add 1 -2 tablespoons of additional extra liquid (the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help lighten the texture. Add 1 additional egg to help bind the batter.
- Fat: Add up to 2 Tbsp of additional fat, such as butter or oil to the recipe.
Wholesome (minimally processed)
- Flour: Swap out 1/3 to 1/2 of the white flour with King Arthur white whole wheat flour or King Arthur 100% whole wheat flour or Bob’s oat flour.
- Sweetener: Replace white sugar with maple syrup or honey. Use 3/4 c. honey for every 1 c. sugar. You can also swap out the white sugar with 1:1 swap using natural cane sugar, coconut sugar or date sugar.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat, coconut or almond milk.
- Lower Fat: For every 1 c. of butter, use 3/4 c. heart-healthy oil (like canola or extra-light olive) OR 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce + 1/2 c. oil.
Allergen Free (none of the 9 allergens)
- Flour: Swap out the flour with a premium gluten-free flour such as King Arthur Measure for Measure or use a homemade gluten-free flour blend that does not contain tree nuts or soy. Be sure the flour blend contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. per every 1 cup of flour to the recipe. Here is a list of some other gluten-free flours to try.
- Butter: Use unsalted vegan butter sticks such as Violife for best flavor and texture. Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat like oil or vegan butter to the recipe.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat or coconut milk. Check the labels to make sure they are soy-free and nut-free.
- Eggs: Replace each egg by adding 1 tsp. baking soda to the batter, then pour 1 Tbsp. white vinegar over it. Add the vinegar last though, to keep the leavening reaction.
- Nuts: Omit all peanuts and tree nuts (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, or walnuts.
Storage
Baked Pie: After the pie is baked, cover pie and leave on counter up to 3 days. You can also 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.
Apple Cranberry Pie
Equipment
- measuring cups & spoons
Ingredients
CRUST
- 2 c. unbleached flour
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 12 T. butter cold & diced into cubes
- ⅓ c. ice cold water
- 1 T. vodka (or lemon juice or white vinegar)
PIE FILLING
- 4 c. apples sliced or diced
- 3 c. cranberries fresh or frozen
- ½ c. sugar
- ¼ c. brown sugar
- 2 T. Instant ClearJel or cornstarch
- 2 T. orange zest
- 2 T. orange juice
- 2 tsp. Apple Pie Spice
- 2 T. diced butter
- pinch salt
Instructions
PREP
- Prep apples by slicing or cutting into bite-size pieces and set aside.
- Prep cranberries by chopping into large bite-size pieces and set aside.
- Dice up butter into small cubes and put in freezer until making the crust.
- Place ice cubes in glass of water and set aside.
CRUST
- Place flour, sugar, and salt into food processor. Add cold butter, water, and vodka and pulse just until the dough comes together (crumbly).
- Pour out the crust onto a piece of saran wrap, cut in half and shape into (2) round disks. Refrigerate 10-20 minutes if using right away or overnight.
- Pull out first disk for the bottom crust and roll between 2 sheets of parchment paper with enough to hang 1” over your pie pan. Roll out 1/8" thick, use a rolling pin to ensure even layer. Trim excess dough off with paring knife and crimp edge using your fingers or a fork.
- Once you roll out the bottom crust, place it in fridge to ensure the crust from shrinking. Place back in fridge until use. Follow this same process again with the other disk.
- Roll out the second (top) crust. Use a pastry cutter to cut into 10 (1") strips. Cut strips 1" wide with ruler and knife or pastry cutter. Place strips in a weave pattern on a flat baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put back in fridge until ready to use.
- For the top crust cut out decorative shapes with pie cutters or mini cookie cutters and place in fridge until ready to assemble pie.
- To prevent a soggy crust, dust bottom crust with thickening agent (clear jel or tapioca) and then brush lightly with egg wash (1 egg+1 T. cream) and pierce pie shell with fork.
MAKE PIE FILLING
- Place apples, sugar, brown sugar, ClearJel, orange zest and juice, apple pie spice, salt, and stir until incorporated.
ASSEMBLE PIE
- Pull out the bottom crust from refrigerator.
- Pour filling into crust, top with diced butter spread around.
- Place the lattice crust on top of the filling.
- Place decorative shapes on top of lattice crust with a dab of egg wash.
- Brush pie with egg wash and sprinkle with course sanding sugar. Place assembled pie in fridge to chill for 10 minutes.
BAKE
- Bake pie at 400° for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 375°, cover crust with a pie protector or foil rim around the edge and bake an additional 45-50 minutes.
- Watch to see when pie starts to bubble, remove the pie protector and bake 5 more minutes.
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This post includes original cookbook images and text excerpts from Farm Journal’s Best-Ever Pies (1981), shared for educational and historical purposes. All rights belong to the original publisher.
Any commentary, notes, or recipe adaptations are my own and reflect my professional baking experience in an FDA-inspected, commercial kitchen. I am not a licensed medical professional and do not provide medical advice.
All modern recipe adaptations and photography © 2025 Vintage Baked Modern LLC. Please do not copy or reproduce without permission.
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