- 5 cups peeled and chopped apples (lightly rounded cups are fine; I like a mix of sweet and tart)
- 2 level cups fresh or frozen cranberries (no need to thaw if frozen)
- ¾ cup (144g) sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch)*
- Zest of 1 orange
Cranberry Apple Crisp
Yield: 8 servings
The perfect balance of sweet and tart adds something special to this easy crisp, which can be made dairy- and gluten-free if needed.
For the fruit base:
For the topping:
- 1½ cups (135g) old fashioned (rolled) oats
- ½ cup (64g) all-purpose flour or almond flour (weight of latter varies slightly by brand and grind)*
- ½ cup (96 grams) packed brown sugar
- ½ cup (8 tablespoons) butter, melted**
- ½ cup chopped raw pecans (may use walnuts or omit if preferred)
- ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and cinnamon
Optional for serving:
- Vanilla ice cream, whipped cream
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350℉, and grease or spray an 8×10-inch baking dish. (A 9×12 dish may be used if that’s what you have.)
Add the apples, cranberries, sugar, flour (or starch) and orange zest to a mixing bowl and toss to evenly coat. Spread over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
In a medium to large bowl, mix the topping ingredients until crumbly. Hint: you can do this in the same bowl without cleaning. Prep ahead tip: the topping ingredients, minus the melted butter, may be mixed up to a day or two in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature or in the fridge. (Just don’t forget to add the butter later!) Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apple mixture.
Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the topping is lightly golden and the fruit is tender and a little bubbly around the edges.
Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream, if desired. Cool any leftovers completely, and then cover and refrigerate. The crisp will keep for approximately 5 days and can be gently reheated or enjoyed cold or room temperature.
Notes:
*The recipe will be gluten-free if using almond flour and one of the starches in place of the all-purpose flour. Optionally, you may use a cup-for-cup all-purpose flour substitute in both places if preferred.
**For a dairy-free version, I’ve used Earth Balance butter in place of regular butter. I haven’t used coconut oil in this recipe, but it would likely work well for those who enjoy a hint of that flavor. (If trying, I might start with half butter or butter substitute and half coconut oil the first time around.) A dairy-free alternative to the ice cream and whipped cream could be used as well. (Personal non-dairy ice cream favorites include Larry & Luna’s Coconut Bliss, NadaMoo!, both made from coconut milk, and Oatly ice cream, made from oat milk.)