Cranberry Apple Crisp Brown (Printable Version)
A warm blend of tart cranberries and sweet apples topped with a rich brown sugar and oat crumble.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fruit Filling
01 - 3 large apples (such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and sliced
02 - 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
03 - ⅓ cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
05 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
06 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
→ Crisp Topping
07 - ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
08 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
09 - ½ cup packed light brown sugar
10 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
11 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - ¼ teaspoon salt
13 - ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
# Method:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9-inch baking dish.
02 - In a large bowl, mix sliced apples, cranberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, flour, and cinnamon until well coated.
03 - Spread the fruit mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
04 - In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Incorporate cold butter cubes using fingers or a pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form.
05 - Evenly sprinkle the oat topping over the fruit filling. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling.
06 - Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving warm, optionally accompanied by vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
# Chef's Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you've been baking all day.
- The contrast between tart cranberries and sweet caramelized apples feels indulgent without any fussy technique.
- One dish in the oven means less cleanup and more time with whoever you're cooking for.
02 -
- Cold butter is non-negotiable for texture—let it sit out for maybe two minutes only, and work quickly so it doesn't soften.
- The fruit will release liquid as it bakes, and that's not a mistake; it becomes a delicious sauce at the bottom of the dish.
- Overbaking the topping means it hardens rather than stays crispy, so set a timer and check at 35 minutes.
03 -
- Cut your butter into small pieces and keep it genuinely cold—this is what separates a crispy topping from a dense, cake-like one.
- Taste the apple-cranberry mixture before it goes in the oven; if it seems too tart, add an extra tablespoon of sugar, but resist the urge to make it overly sweet.