Pioneer Woman Cranberry Apple Crumb Pie

Sliced apples and a homemade cranberry compote baked under a buttery oat crumb topping make this Pioneer Woman cranberry apple crumb pie the best of both worlds for fall. Seasoned with cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom, it bakes at two temperatures for about 70 minutes total. The recipe serves eight and works for Thanksgiving or any holiday table.

Ree cooks the cranberries down into a thick compote on the stove before they ever go into the pie, which concentrates their flavor and keeps the filling from being too watery. She tosses the raw apples separately with sugar, spices, and flour, then folds the cooled cranberry mixture in so you get distinct pockets of tart berry between the soft apple slices. The two-temperature bake starts hot at 400 to set the crust quickly, then drops to 375 so the filling cooks through without the topping burning.

Ree chills the assembled pie for 20 minutes before it goes in the oven, which firms up the butter in the crumb topping so it holds its shape and bakes into crispy chunks instead of melting flat. She uses a mix of apple varieties instead of just one kind, which gives you a range of textures from firm to tender in every bite. The pie needs to cool completely before slicing or the filling runs everywhere, so plan ahead and give it at least two hours on the rack.

Pioneer Woman Cranberry Apple Crumb Pie

Author: Hamdi Saidani Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:American Courses:Dessert

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesCook time: 50 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time:1 hour 10 minutes Best Season:Summer

Description

A fall pie loaded with spiced apples and cranberry compote under a buttery oat crumb topping, baked golden and bubbling for Thanksgiving or any holiday.

Ingredients

For the Crust and Filling:

• 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
  
• ½ cup water
  
• 3 cups mixed apples, peeled, cored, and sliced ½ inch thick
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
  
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  
• 1 round refrigerated pie dough

For the Topping:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
  
• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  
• ½ cup old-fashioned oats
  
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1 stick cold salted butter, cut into cubes

Instructions

1. Combine the cranberries, ½ cup granulated sugar, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the cranberries burst and thicken, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
   
2. For the topping, combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cut in the cold cubed butter with a pastry cutter or your hands until large clumps form. Refrigerate until needed.
   
3. In a large bowl, toss together the apples, remaining ¾ cup granulated sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, salt, and flour. Add the cooled cranberry mixture and stir to combine.
   
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out the pie dough to about 12 inches in diameter. Ease it into a 9-inch pie plate, fold the overhang under, and crimp as desired.
   
5. Pour the apple cranberry filling into the crust. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top. Refrigerate for 20 minutes until firm.
   
6. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce the temperature to 375 degrees and continue baking for about 50 more minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.
   
7. Transfer to a rack and cool completely before slicing.

FAQs

What should I serve this pie with?

A scoop Of Curd Ripple Ice Cream is the classic move, but a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream feels more seasonal. It pairs well with coffee or hot apple cider after a big holiday meal. If you’re setting up a full dessert table, put it next to the Coconut Cream Pie for a warm and cold contrast.

What apples work best for this pie?

A mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp gives you the best combination of tart, sweet, and firm. Granny Smiths hold their shape in the oven while Honeycrisps soften just enough to melt into the filling. Avoid Red Delicious or Fuji since they turn mushy and don’t add much flavor once baked.

Can I use canned cranberry sauce instead of making the compote?

You can, but the texture and flavor won’t be the same. Canned sauce is much sweeter and smoother, so you’ll lose that chunky, tart bite that makes this pie different from a plain apple pie. If you go that route, use about a cup and cut the sugar in the filling by a quarter cup.

The crumb topping browned too fast and the filling wasn’t done yet. How do I fix that?

Tent the pie loosely with foil once the topping is golden and let it keep baking. The filling needs time to bubble, which is how you know the cornstarch and flour have activated and the juices will set. Checking at the 50-minute mark and adding foil if needed saves it every time.

What other Pioneer Woman holiday pies should I try?

The cranberry crisp uses similar flavors but in a simpler format if you don’t want to deal with pie crust. Her no-bake cranberry pie is a good option when your oven is already packed on Thanksgiving. And the chocolate pie is a completely different direction that rounds out a dessert spread if you’ve already got two fruity options covered.