Apple Cranberry Pie {My Favorite Thanksgiving Pie}
This amazing apple cranberry pie is so, so fantastic. The tart cranberries are the perfect compliment to the tender apples and caramelly, sweet filling. It’s my favorite Thanksgiving pie!
I first made this apple cranberry pie a couple of years ago, and it totally took front and center at our Thanksgiving beating out all other pies for favorite status. So of course I spent last year tweaking it here and there to get it just perfect…and we ate it again at Thanksgiving (and then, Christmas, too).
I had every intention of getting a recipe posted last year. And I don’t have any good excuse for not, except life always has a way of lovingly and chaotically getting in the way of my best blogging intentions. I’m sorry. Because this is THE PIE you need to have at Thanksgiving.
So I’m making up for it this year and getting the recipe to you in plenty of time for you to add this amazing apple cranberry pie to your menu. Just do it. Please, please, please.
Why is apple cranberry pie so special?
I’ve always loved apple pie. It’s one of my all-time favorite pies. But adding cranberries to the anticipated apples is pure brilliance. They add the most glorious pop of tartness that compliments the apples and the sweet, caramelly filling in the best way.
The combination is to-die for good. I tried to track down fresh cranberries earlier this year because I had a serious craving for this apple cranberry magic. Spoiler alert: it didn’t happen; fresh and even frozen cranberries are ridiculously hard to find in May.
The other ingredient that is essential is the almond extract. I’ve historically not been a huge almond extract fan. I usually leave it out of recipes that call for it because I’ve found it so easily takes over.
But just like in this best-ever cherry pie, the almond extract adds a necessary hint of something special without overpowering the pie with almond-y flavor. Don’t leave it out (unless you are terribly allergic), ok?
What kind of apples to use
I almost always Honeycrisp apples in this pie, but you could try out different varieties or combinations. Make sure to choose crisp apples that don’t turn to mush when baking. And if you use Granny Smith, I’d recommend using them along with another sweeter variety (and cut the lemon juice in half).
I slice the apples about 1/8-inch thick and toss them with the lemon juice, almond extract, pinch of salt, and cranberries. You want to get the apples and cranberries prepped and ready in the bowl because once the sauce is done simmering, it needs to immediately be poured on top of the mixture.
Speaking of the sauce
This apple cranberry pie is a bit unusual in that the filling/thickening aspect of the pie is a caramelly sauce (instead of tossing the fruit with flour or tapioca or cornstarch).
It’s an extra step. It’s worth it. I promise.
Plus it’s really, really easy. You melt butter in a saucepan or skillet, stir in flour until thick (yep, you’re making a roux!) and then add the granulated and brown sugar. This mixture simmers for just a couple minutes until bubbly and thick.
The key, like I mentioned before, is to pour the filling over the apples and cranberries right away. It thickens and crystallizes as it cools, so the warm sauce needs to fulfill its purpose in life ASAP.
As it hits the cold apples and cranberries, it’s going to clump up a little bit. Don’t stress. It’s totally ok and expected and normal. Just toss everything together the best you can. As it sits, while the pie crust is being rolled out, the juices of the apples will help thin the sugary sauce out and coat everything evenly.
Let’s talk about pie crust
I almost always use this favorite pie crust for my homemade pies. Whatever you use (favorite recipe or storebought) just make sure you have enough pie crust for a double crust pie because you’re going to use crust on top, too.
I actually think this pie would be super delicious with a crumble topping now that I think about it. Someone want to try it out and report back?? Maybe the crumble topping from this apple pie or the streusel from this pie? Oh yes, I think that sounds amazing.
Either way, roll out the bottom pie crust and gently lift and tuck it into the pie plate (no stretching or pulling, pretty please!). Leave about an inch or so as an overhang all around the pie.
*Here’s a pie-making boot camp tutorial all about making and rolling out the crust if you need a little more help!*
Scrape the filling (and all the sauce) into the pie plate. It’s going to be piled high – don’t worry, it’s going to cook down a bit as it bakes.
Now roll out the top crust and place it over the pie. I totally spaced taking a picture of this part; sorry! Trim the top crust evenly with the bottom crust (leaving about 1/2-inch overhang all the way around). Fold the bottom crust up and over evenly with edge of pie plate and press/pinch to seal.
Here’s a visual from the cherry pie if you’re wondering what the heck I’m trying to explain with the top and bottom crust.
Now flute the edges so they are picture perfect. Or not. I’m learning as I get older that perfection is unattainable and exhausting. So we’re just saying right here and now that we are ok with imperfect pies!
Why do you need to cut slits in the top of pie crust?
With a sharp paring knife, you’ll want to cut four slits in the top crust of this pie. The reason? The slits let the steam escape while baking which helps release steam and allows the filling to cook evenly. They are also helpful to judge the doneness of the pie filling as the pie bakes. Just peek (carefully!) into those slits to check on the bubbly filling and tender fruit.
Sometimes I channel my inner pie goddess and cut little shapes out of the extra pie dough. Sometimes they look cute. Other times they look like weird blobs on top of the pie. Weird blobs, it turns out, are still yummy. To get them to stick, use a little bit of the egg wash.
I like to brush the top of the pie crust with egg wash (egg + water). It helps add shine and a beautiful golden color to the crust.
How to avoid cursing when making homemade pie
Place the unbaked pie on a foil-lined baking sheet. You’ll thank me later. This pie (and many other types of homemade pie) tends to bubble over just a bit as that filling cooks.
Cleaning sticky, caramelized fruit filling off the bottom of your oven (or an unlined sheet pan) is not fun. I repeat: it is not fun.
So line the pan with foil and you’ll be a happy little non-cursing camper.
This pie bakes for about 75 minutes in my oven (you may need more or less time based on how your oven cooks, how thick the pie crust is, etc). Just keep an eye on the crust – if it is browning too much but the filling still needs some time, tent the top crust with foil and keep baking.
If you are using a glass pie plate, the bottom crust should be nicely golden as well.
How to tell if a pie is done?
The bubbling filling and golden crust are telltale signs…but sometimes it’s hard to know if the fruit is tender, especially apples.
Those slits come in handy. Pulling the pie out of the oven for a second and peering closely into the slits can give you an indication if the fruit looks cooked enough. But sometimes I’m still not sure, so I’ll use a paring knife or fork to poke gently inside of the slits and pierce the fruit to see if the pie needs more time or not.
One more thing: if I have a choice, I prefer to overbake pie just a bit vs underbaking. As long as the crust isn’t burned to a crisp, don’t worry about leaving the pie in for a few minutes longer if you are unsure.
And there you have it
The best little apple pie I’ve ever had.
I’m so excited for Thanksgiving because of this apple cranberry pie. My life has meaning because of this apple cranberry pie. I am a better mom because of this apple cranberry pie. (My kids are severely disagreeing at that last statement; it takes dark chocolate and naps to really amp up motherhood around here.)
If you are wanting just a slight changeup to the regular apple pie that graces the Thanksgiving dessert table, consider this your one chance to look like a total rock star.
The apple + cranberry combo is sure to win over taste buds and traditions.
How to make pie ahead of time
One quick note since I get asked this question a lot: can pie be made ahead of time? And if so, how?
Yes, yes, yes! I always make our holiday pies the day or two before. Once they are baked and cooled, I cover with foil and keep cool (in a refrigerator or cool garage if the fridge is at capacity). I’ve also left fruit pies (not cream or dairy) at room temperature for 24 hours with no ill effects.
About 30 minutes before we are ready to serve up the pie, I pop the pie in a 250 degree oven for 20-30 minutes to warm back up. Or, you can just warm up individual slices in the microwave.
I have not successfully frozen an unbaked pie with good results, but I have frozen a completely baked and cooled fruit or pecan pie. I wrap it completely in a double layer of saran wrap, freeze, and then pull it out to thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature. I reheat the same way I described above.
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Apple Cranberry Pie
Ingredients
Pie:
- 9- inch double crust pie dough
- 4-5 medium apples, about 1.75 pounds; I use Honeycrisp, peeled, cored and sliced 1/8-inch thick (about 5-6 cups total)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Pinch salt
- 1 ½ to 2 cups (170 to 227 g) fresh cranberries
Sauce:
- ½ cup (113 g) salted butter
- ½ cup (71 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¾ cup (159 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (106 g) light brown sugar
Egg wash:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place an oven rack in the middle or lower middle position of the oven. Line a large baking sheet with foil and set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with the lemon juice, almond extract and salt. Add the cranberries and toss to combine.
- In a 10- or 12-inch skillet or small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and whisk constantly until smooth and well-combined. Add the water, granulated sugar and brown sugar and cook at a simmer, whisking or stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.
- Immediately pour the mixture over the apples and cranberries. Toss to combine. The sauce mixture may clump up a bit but it will thin out the more it is stirred together (or the longer it sits). It doesn't have to be perfect.
- Roll out bottom crust and place evenly in pie plate (don't stretch or pull it, just lift and tuck into the pie plate). Leave a 1- to 2-inch border all the way around.
- Scrape the apple/cranberry filling evenly into the pie plate (get all of the caramel mixture!) – try to get the apples in even layers instead of piled in at wonky angles. It will be piled pretty high; that's ok as it will cook down in the oven.
- Roll out the top crust and place it over the filling. Trim the top crust evenly with the bottom crust (leaving about 1/2-inch overhang all the way around). Fold the bottom crust up and over evenly with edge of pie plate and press/pinch to seal. Flute the edges of the pie crust.
- Cut four slits with a sharp paring knife in the top crust.
- For the egg wash, whisk together the egg and water and brush a thin layer over the top and edges of the crust.
- Place the pie on the foil-lined baking sheet (important! the filling may bubble over a bit) and bake for 65-75 minutes until the crust is golden and filling is bubbling (tent the top of the pie with foil if it is browning too much partway through baking). If you are using a glass pie plate, the bottom crust should be lightly browned.
- Remove the pie from the oven and let cool completely, 4-5 hours (even longer is better). This is important so the pie isn't soupy. If you like warm pie, individual pieces can be warmed in the microwave or the pie can be served warm, the filling just might be a little less set.
Notes
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (inspired by this crazy popular recipe on allrecipes)
127 Comments on “Apple Cranberry Pie {My Favorite Thanksgiving Pie}”
My family all raved about this pie. From best apple pie I have ever eaten from son in law to that pie is the bomb from son. Reminds me of jolly rancher green apple candy! I am going to buy and freeze some cranberries for the rest of the year. Have some vanilla ice cream at hand when you serve it!
You are right! This is the best!!!! I made it for our Thanksgiving Eve which is now going to be our pie day. A friend said. “You know how on Thanksgiving you are always so full to really enjoy the pie!? Let’s have a pie day the day before and just eat pie!” I made 3 and she made 3 and it was the best day spent with our families. This was the first time making the Apple cranberry for me and it was everyone’s favorite! I told them it’s another Mel’s recipes – you can’t go wrong with her!! So thank you!!! This pie is going to be on the table every Thanksgiving from here on out. Btw- loved your post about blogging and love you!
this is my first cranberry apple. Wow it is so perfect. Cooking the sauce is perfect. No soggy crust.
I adore this pie! Thanks for the amazing recipe!!
Terrific. I think the almond extract make the cranberries taste like cherries. I added the almond extract to the melted butter for equal infusion. I also added 1TBS of organic orange rind/zest, 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and allspice after adding the stove top mixture ( sprinkled on top before adding the top crust). I topped pie crust with egg wash and raw sugar. came out beautiful. Thank you for an excellent recipe.
This pie has become my families favorite, my sons love it. This year my father-in-law tried it and he loves it now as well.
Very good pie. So glad I tried it!
And so glad I heeded your warnings about placing the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet. Apparently I didn’t seal the edges of my crust very well and the pie leaked. Would have had an oven disaster otherwise.
Thanks for all the tasty recipes you post.
We LOVED this pie—absolutely delicious! I added a few shakes of cinnamon to the apples/cranberries/almond extract/salt/lemon juice because I couldn’t imagine apple pie without cinnamon (;
Thank you for all of your amazing recipes and the love and humor with which you write them!
I’ve made this pie 4 times, and everyone who tastes it thinks I’m some kind of baking deity. Thank you for this excellent recipe! I have one cooling on my counter right now.
I’ve tried it with crust on top as well as crumb topping (from your fresh peach pie recipe), and I think I prefer the crumb ever so slightly. Next time I’ll try it with the crumble from the strawberry rhubarb recipe you linked below.
Can I use all brown sugar for a deeper flavor with the sugar?
Yes, you probably can!
This was easy to make and absolutely delicious. It was also pretty. I’ll be making it again. And again.
PS: I followed the directions exactly
I want to try this pie with a crumble topping. Do you have a recipe that you love?
I love the crumble from this recipe: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/strawberry-rhubarb-crumble/
I just saw your apple cranberry pie recipe and can’t wait to make and serve it at our Thanksgiving gathering. You are AMAZINGLY talented and I am very grateful for your baking prowess which you so graciously share. Thanks so much ♥️
I made this pie at Thanksgiving last year and it was a HIT! So now I am craving this pie again, but fresh cranberries are not in my local grocery store yet. Have you ever tried this pie with dried cranberries?
I haven’t, sorry!
It is January and today will be my third time making this wonderful pie since Thanksgiving. I use granny smiths and love the added tartness of the cranberries. Thank you.
I’ve had this on my list to make since you first posted it and finally got around to it on Sunday. I shouldn’t have waited so long! Just as you and everyone described, it takes apple pie to a bright and delightful level. I had a weird issue that didn’t affect the taste at all and in fact made the pie look amazing upon presentation but was curious about why it happened. As you stated, pile the filling high since it will bake down but but my crust stayed gloriously high (like almost 2 inches of gap). Could I have done anything differently?
Hmmm, might be mitigated by piling it high but not *that* high. Also if you want an extra step, you can cook the apples for 3-4 minutes in a little butter to cook them down a bit before adding to the pie – that can help with a gappy crust.
I made this pie for Christmas last year, then again this year, and will again for every Christmas forever. My family calls it “Christmas pie.” 🙂 We eat it with eggnog ice cream, as another commenter suggested, and something about the combination of all those flavors seems almost magical. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
This pie is fabulous. It is now my older son’s favorite pie…EVER. He did a little happy dance while eating it. I used a store bought (vegan) crust and substituted vegan “butter.” Thanks for the recipe!
He still loves it, but this year I made a vegan hot water crust pastry.
This is the second year I have made this pie and it was, again, very well-received! I did chop the cranberries and I used Honeycrisp apples. The filling got rather “juicy” as I was rolling out the pie dough and a little began “bubbling up” through my crust before it made it into the oven. I grabbed my baster and removed the excess liquid from the (temporary) breach in my crust near the rim. After that, it baked beautifully.
Made this for Thanksgiving today and it was delicious! We all loved the cranberries in it and it is just SO pretty!
I made this today for Thanksgiving and had an issue with the filling. The roux was fine but when I added the water and then the sugar everything was very granular and lumpy.
Definitely not pourable like you show in the picture. I added a bit more water and it helped but I was afraid to add too much. Have you had this happen? Pie looks good but won’t taste it until tomorrow. I hope it tastes as good as it looks.
Hi Mickey – I think it should be fine! As it cooks, the roux will liquify and then thicken.
Mel, do you think this would work with dried cranberries? thanks!
You could try, but the flavor would be pretty different since dried cranberries are often a lot sweeter than fresh (and I’m not sure how the texture would do as it bakes).
We have a nut allergy so the almond extract is out unless I do imitation almond extract. Should I just leave it out?
You can definitely leave it out!
Hey mel, I’m just not a huge cranberry fan….would it taste ok without them you think?? Or should I just suck it up and trust you because you haven’t failed me yet! haha
Oh boy, if you don’t like cranberries, I don’t want you to hate this pie. You might be better off sticking with a traditional apple pie!
I’ve made this recipe with apples and cranberries, and it was amazing! Do you think the sauce method could work for a peach pie?
It’s worth a try…I also have a peach pie recipe here:
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/fresh-peach-pie/
We made the apple cranberry pie last night and used the apple pie crumble for the topping. It had a really good taste but we think it made the pie too rich… 2 full sticks of butter, 1 for pie indgredients and another for the crumble!
Also, we put the almond extract which I was apprehensive about (not liking marzipan flavor!), but it didn’t overpower. I actually used a 12 ounce bag of cranberries (too much?) which turned out to be ok as it added a nice tart bite!
Best pie ever! Made it three times since Thanksgiving! Question: first time the sugar rue sauce went perfectly, last two times I have trouble getting it to melt all the way. When pouring it over apples it is still a little gritty. I’m afraid to burn it because I am definitely simmering it longer than two mins but not completely melting. This last time I baked it for 65 min and there were clumps that didn’t melt. Don’t know if it’s because I didn’t get the rue completely melted or if I need to bake pie for 75 mins?
Hi Patricia, try adding 1-2 more tablespoons water to the mixture and see if that helps!
This is the best pie I’ve ever made! I did a crumble top, and served it with eggnog ice cream-divine!
Oh my goodness, that sounds AMAZING!
Literally the best pie I’ve ever had.
LOVE hearing this, Eve! Thank you!
How cool is it to find this recipe!? I was just jotting down the ingredients to your banana coconut cream pie and the link to this pie popped up! My husband JUST asked me if we could put cranberries in our apple pie this year. So THANK YOU! Ha ha!
It’s amazing, Sarah! I hope you love it!
Delicious and beautiful! The filing has a nice Carmel taste with pops of tart from the cranberries. This may be my favorite pie.
I love hearing from all of you who loved this pie so much. Thank you Hanna!
I hardly ever comment but I think you’d like to hear this short story. As I was preparing my Thanksgiving menu, my daughter saw the pumpkin pie muffins, and proclaimed, “what’s Thanksgiving without pie mom! No pie?!” I calmly replied that I didn’t make pie and it’s her dear aunt who makes the pies. To which she quickly responded that said aunt wouldn’t be joining us and that’s not a good reason to not have a pie. Well, up popped your pie recipe and I couldn’t resist. I made sure I had your pie crust and pie recipe ready to go the day before Thanksgiving. I meticulously studied each recipe then executed each to the T. My father was visiting for the holiday and wondered what I was doing when I was rolling out the crust. I quickly responded I was making pie crust, I couldn’t break my focus.
Fast forward to post-Thanksgiving, around the time when just enough bloat has worn off and you think it’s definitely time for pie. With my dear husband sitting in the next room, unbeknownst to me, we cut into the pie and proceeded to sample. My father slowly chewed and asked the ingredients. A couple more bites then he exclaims, “I’ve never tasted a pie like this, in all 77 years of my life, I’ve never had pie like this one, and IT. IS. GOOD!!!” Then my husband jumps up saying, “ok! You’ve convinced me! Give me some pie!” I quickly served him and he acknowledged my fathers exclamations about winning serious pie contests. I had to remind everyone that I simply followed another one of your recipes, that you’re the mastermind behind such delicious yumminess! We give our hearty thanks for yet again, another superb recipe!
I loved reading this so much, Em! I actually laughed out loud at “couldn’t break my focus” haha. Pie crust is serious business. I am so, so, so happy that this pie met with such rave reviews from your dad and then your husband. Yay!
Wondering if almond flour could replace regular flour for a GF pie? It doesn’t sound like it would make a roux though.
I’m not sure, sorry!
I made this for Thanksgiving and loved it! I am an almond extract HATER, but I threw caution into the wind, trusted you, and crossed my fingers. It turned out delicous! You never steer me wrong. I think next time, I might make it like an apple crumble: no bottom crust, throw the filling in a 9X9, sprinkle crumble topping on, and bake. Serve with vanilla ice cream, yum!
Ok, you had me nervous there for a second. But phew! I’m glad from one almond extract hater to another that you liked it in this pie. It adds something just totally delicious. I don’t know how or why, but it does! And I think you are on to something with the crumble idea. I might copy you!
I’m not really a pie lover, but I made this for Thanksgiving. It was delish! I always like a traditional recipe with a little twist! I laughed when my brother made a contemplating face and said “what’s in this?” Ha! I’m not a fan of almond extract, and I may cut it down a little next time, but overall…lovely pie! Thanks again Mel!
Thanks for the review, Aubri! Can’t tell whether your brother ended up liking it or not. Haha.
This pie was so delicious. I used vanilla instead of almond extract…don’t like it and just couldn’t convince myself to use it. The cranberries were festive and yummy!
Thanks for the review, Jill!
Absolutely delicious! This is by far the best pie I have ever made! 10 Stars!
Thank you so much, Ann!
This was literally the best pie I’ve ever had. It took time, but making the crust from scratch and peeling and slicing the apples was worth it.
I’m glad it was worth it. Thanks, Eve!
I made this and the flavor was amazing and did a crumble topping instead…so good! The only downside is it was so runny. What did I do wrong? 🙁
Hi Jailynn – was the pie still warm when you cut into it?
I let it cool for a couple hours then popped it back in to warm it up so yes it was a little warm. Does that change things?
It will definitely be a bit runnier when warmed up (but as long as it isn’t hot, it shouldn’t run all over the plate)?
I’m also wondering because I used a crumble topping if the steam had no where to escape too so it locked in more moisture…not sure! 🙂 love it anyway!
I just won a friendly pie contest with this delicious pie. Thank you!
Wow! That’s awesome, congrats, LuAnn!
I made this pie for Thanksgiving and we all loved it! Very delicious, unique, and festive. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Kathryn!
Made this for Thanksgiving! So Yummy! My family all loved it!
Thanks, Cori!
I tried making this. What I have after cutting into it is a bowl of soup. What did I do wrong? It is delicious tasting but sooo soupy.
Was it warm when you cut into it?
I used your pie as an inspiration and tweeked a couple of things. I used my pie crust recipe and a crumble topping. Also, I baked it in a paper bag. It was amazing! Love your site and every recipe I’ve made has been delicious! Thank you!
Love those variations, Alicia! Thanks for letting me know!
The best pie I’ve ever made. I used my own crust recipe that works for me and sprinkled turbinado sugar over the egg wash for sparkle and crunch. Delicious!
So happy to hear this. Thank you!
I had a hard time with the butter, flour, sugar and water mixture as well…it all clumped together and never actually turned into a sauce. I powered through however and once baked, it was OUTSTANDING!!! I baked it as a crisp and used a streusel topping and this has easily become one of my favorites..it’s phenomenal!! Thank you, thank you!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!
We had 9 pies for this Thanksgiving and made this pie for the first time. One of the best pies I’ve ever tasted!! So delicious. Thank you for the recipe! We will definitely be making this again.
First of all, I love that there were nine pies at your Thanksgiving dinner. Awesome! And I’m so happy you loved this one!
Hi Mel, I just tried your recipe and I had a hard time with the caramel sauce, I tried it twice and had the same outcome. I melted the butter added the flour and whisked for about a minute and added the water and sugars and whisked but it never turned into a sauce. Just like a crumble topping. Any suggestions on what I did wrong?
Hi Paul – sorry to hear that! Someone else left a message on Instagram saying the same thing. I made it again today and while the sauce was thick, it wasn’t crumbly (although it does clump up when it gets added to the apples/cranberries – like the picture in the post shows). I wonder if we are measuring our flour a bit differently – if even a few more tablespoons of flour are packed in the cup, it’ll make a difference. The good news is that even if it’s crumbly, it can be crumbled into the apple/cranberry mixture and once it bakes, it will liquify and work out. I’m sorry you had issues! Let me know if you have other questions I can help with.
Hi Mel, no worries! I think you’re right, I usually spoon the flour into my measuring cup but I scooped from my canister and leveled off. I have to say the pie still came out fine like you said any everyone really enjoyed it.
Thanks, Paul!
Hi! Perhaps this was already mentioned, but do you need to pre-bake the bottom crust at all? I’m excited to try it for tomorrow!
I ran into trouble with the filling – when I added the water it turned into a loose paste. Then when I added the sugars it went to a thicker paste. I still used it. The pie is in the oven now and I’m really hoping it still turns out. Any ideas what I did wrong?
Hi Carmen, I don’t think you did anything wrong. That’s how it should be! And once it bakes, the filling liquifies and melds with the fruit.
I liked this pie but I would say it has to be eaten warm. My first piece was luke warm and the texture was a little off for me but the second piece was warmer and the sauce was gooie and tasty.
Thanks for the review, Amy!
No, I don’t prebake the crust.
I commented earlier, but for some reason my comment didn’t show up 🙁 I’ve made this a couple times already this week and am going to try it with the crumb topping for Thanksgiving. Do you think you’ll reduce the butter/sugar at all in the filling for the crumb topping?
I’m going to make a crumb topping on this as well for Thursday…I don’t think I’m going to reduce the butter/sugar in the filling.
Hi Mel! I haven’t commented in awhile, but I just wanted to check in and let you know that I made two of these pies on Saturday – one for my little family to eat, and another to take to an extended family early Thanksgiving last Sunday. After my husband, kids and I ate the first one, my husband tried to convince me to whip something else up to take to the family dinner so we could keep the other pie for ourselves. 🙂 It is THE BEST! I didn’t give in (although, I was tempted). My dad, who tried it the next day sent me a text later that night saying he’s “never had a better pie. NEVER. NEVER EVER.” I’m still dreaming about how delicious it was! Thanks for all your recipes! I use them on an almost daily basis and often contemplate what my life would be like without you in it. 🙂 Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful Christmas season!
Oh my goodness, I’m so excited that this pie was so well received by your family! That text from your dad is awesome and I kind of agree with him! Thank you so much for letting me know. Happy Thanksgiving!
I made this last year with the crumb topping from your peach pie recipe (and I currently have one in the oven-my house smells heavenly!) and it’s soooo good! My husband doesn’t love pie crust, but he does love your brown sugar crumb topping, so that’s how we roll. Best pie ever.
I think I’m going to do the crumb topping this week for Thanksgiving. I’m glad it worked so well!
Hi, I was wondering if you can use honey instead of granulated sugars in this recipe, and if so, how much should I use?
I haven’t tried that – I’m not sure how it would affect the texture (might make it a little more soupy)
Oh wow! This looks amazing! I’m going to be in Guatemala over Thanksgiving but I’m going to make a mini Thanksgiving dinner when I get home…and this will be the pie I’m making! Yum!
I made your Favorite Cherry pie Wednesday…oh my!! I’m off to write a review on that right now!
Thanks so much, Terri! Have fun in Guatemala!
Made this tonight to test out before Thanksgiving. Um. No words… My mind is blown and I have always been a self-proclaimed apple pie hater. NO MORE! Hands down the best pie EVER! Also, I browned my butter and I have no regrets. It’s an extra depth of flavor and my husband and I are sitting here just mmmming and oooohing with each bite. You never let me down, Mel!
Hannah! This makes me so, so happy. Seriously. And you are absolutely brilliant for browning the butter. I will be doing that next week when I make this pie! Thank you so much for letting me know you made this and loved it!
Helene, how long do you cook your apples?
Have you tried full fat Greek yogurt in your pie crust instead of sour cream? I always have the yogurt on hand, but seldom have sour cream.
I haven’t but I think others in the comment thread of that post have…I only ever use sour cream
I’ve always found it difficult to tell if a pie is done cooking, until I made a cherry pie from Stella Parks. She tells you to cook the pie until an instant read thermometer reads 213. I’ve used this tip for my apple pies too. and haven’t had any problems since. https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/06/fresh-cherry-pie-filling-recipe.html
Awesome! Thanks, Wendy!
Yum! I love the idea of adding tart cranberries to apple pie! I usually like a little cinnamon in my apple pie. Do you think I could add cinnamon to the filling or would it be too much with the cranberries?
Sure, I think you definitely could, especially if you like that flavor!
This thanksgiving will be my 20th year making cranberry apple crisp. The tradition began with my very first time hosting my own dinner my senior year of university. My friend found the recipe and we made it together. So yep the streusel topping could be great.
I always use only Granny Smith apples and it’s only sweetener is a small amount of brown sugar in the flour/oat/butter/brown sugar/cinnamon topping.
It’s become my favorite Thanksgiving tradition, so I just can’t abandon it (everyone eats a serving at the big meal and I dig into it cold for breakfast for the whole week) but I just might try it in pie version. Because your recipes rock.
Thanks for the insight, Sarah! Sounds like a streusel topping would be fantastic on this pie (I think I’ll try it for thanksgiving) and glad Granny Smith work great! Thanks!
I just asked my husband if he wanted an apple pie or banana cream pie for Thanksgiving and he picked apple. I was going to make the toffee crumble apple but I think I’ll make this one. The cranberries make it look so beautiful and yummy! Thank you!!
The cranberries are the perfect addition…both for looks and yumminess! I hope you like it!
I usually pre cook my apple slices since I don’t like the space between crust & filling after baking. Could I do it with this pie?
Yes, I’m sure you could!
This looks amazing! For some reason I associate cranberry’s (like cranberry orange breakfast cake) with Christmas, so this is going on my Christmas menu. Seriously, like I wrote it down. Can’t wait to try it!
I can’t wait to hear what you think!
Hi, this pie sounds lovely. What are your thoughts on incorporating cinnamon?
Sounds like a great idea! I’d probably nix the almond extract.
Looks incredible! Do you use a 9.5” pie dish? I think I remember reading in other posts that’s the size you use.
I use a regular 9 inch pie plate for this recipe (I use both depending on the recipe but this fits into a 9-incher)
Is it a deep or shallow pan?
I use a regular (not deep) 9-inch pie dish.
Could you do a lattice top on this? Or is the full coverage (minus the vents) essential?
Yes you totally could!
This looks so yummy! I can’t wait to try it!
What! Is! This!? I cannot wait to try it!!