Apple Cranberry Crisp

A cozy, easy dessert, this apple cranberry crisp is lightly sweet with pops of tart cranberry and a buttery brown sugar and oat crumble topping. Fresh or frozen cranberries can be used for this crisp (no thawing needed). This is a classic for a reason!

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Cranberries: use fresh or frozen with no changes to the amounts needed. You don't need to thaw if using frozen cranberries.
• Apples: choose a good baking apple with a bit of sweetness. If you want to avoid peeling, you can choose not to, but be sure to use an apple type with a thin skin (not granny smith).
• Brown sugar: light or dark brown sugar can be used.
• Rolled oats: these provide the best texture in a crisp, but you could try quick-cook in a pinch. Steel cut oats can't be substituted.
• Flour: if preferred, you can sub in whole wheat flour for the all-purpose. Try whole wheat pastry flour for a less noticeable, but still higher fibre, option.
• Make it dairy-free: choose a good vegan butter alternative that comes in stick or block form – not in a tub.

For more easy apple recipes, try this apple blackberry crisp, flaky granny smith apple pie, or traditional German apple cake.

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the printable recipe card with full ingredient measurements and complete instructions.

Method

Step 1: mix the dry ingredients together.

Step 2: add the butter and mix until crumbly.

Step 3: in another bowl, combine the fruit base ingredients.

Step 4: transfer to a baking dish and bake until lightly golden.

Top Tips

• Place a baking sheet underneath: if your baking dish is a little shallow, the fruit juice can bubble up and over the sides. Placing the baking dish on a baking sheet will prevent that juice from burning to the bottom of your oven.
• Bake until bubbly: the filling won't thicken properly unless it boils, so look for bubbling around the edges of the crisp.
• Don't skip the flour: the fruit base of crisps should have flour or some kind of starch added. When the filling boils (see above) this thickens the juices and makes for a nice crisp that isn't too runny.

Recipe Notes

If you want to serve the crisp with ice cream or whipped cream, we recommend keeping them on the side and serving with individual portions. While you'll often see pictures of crisps and crumbles in their baking dishes with ice cream on top, and it looks pretty, you do have to eat the whole dish pretty much right away if you do that. If it's for a big group then go for it and top with ice cream right in the serving dish!

We know it's tempting to reduce the sugar in recipes, but please note that the crisp topping will be dry if you use less sugar. It's best to seek out a recipe that's developed that way rather than trying to change what's written – you might see that a low-sugar crisp adds a splash of milk, for example.

How to Store

Storage: keep any leftovers in a sealed container and keep at room temperature for 1-2 days, or in the fridge for up to 3 days. The topping will soften as it's stored.

Freezing: transfer the fully cooled crisp to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and serve as is or reheat in the oven (about 10 minutes at 300°F) before serving.

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