Cranberry Apple Crumble

There's nothing quite like this Cranberry Apple Crumble when it's right out of the oven! Sweet and tart, this dessert is such a cozy treat!

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This Cranberry Apple Crumble is the perfect blend of tart cranberries, sweet apples, and warm spices topped with a buttery crumble topping! Make this crumble to impress your guests or as a casual treat for yourself. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or anytime you're craving a cozy dessert!

If you enjoy this recipe, check out the posts for my Blackberry and Apple Crumble, Orange Shortbread with Cranberry Glaze, and Apple Shortcake!

The Best Apples for Baking

With so many varieties of apple at the store (and the orchard!), which ones are best for baking? First of all, make sure the apples you're choosing are ripe and firm, with no bruising or damage from pests. The best ones will smell lovely, too!

If pesticides are of concern to you, then buy organic when it comes to apples! Apples are on Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen List, which means that they contain among the highest levels of pesticides of any fruit or veggie, even after being washed.

My personal favorite apple varieties for baking are Cortland, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Jonathan. These varieties never disappoint in my bakes! Keep in mind that some varieties are sweeter than others, so have a taste before baking! My go-to apple combination is the sweet Gala, which will break down somewhat while baking, paired with the tart Granny Smith, which keeps its shape a bit better. The well-rounded flavor is amazing!

How to Choose the Best Cranberries

When buying cranberries, look for berries that are firm to the touch, but give slightly when squeezed. You want the berries to be free from bruising or damage. The skin should be shiny and the most flavorful berries will have a deep, rich red color. And, an odd-but-true fact: if you drop a whole cranberry, it will bounce if it's ripe!

Apple Crisp vs Apple Crumble

So what is the difference between a crisp and a crumble, anyway? Really the only difference is that a crisp usually has oats and/or nuts in the streusel, and a crumble doesn't! Now, you can absolutely add oats or nuts to the streusel if you'd like. Check out the 'Variations' section, below, for ideas for varying the texture and/or flavor of this dessert!

Ingredients

Here is everything you need to make this comforting treat! Measurements for each ingredient are listed in the recipe card, below.

Crumble Topping Ingredients

• Flour - Provides structure for the crunchy topping! I used all-purpose flour.
• Brown Sugar - For sweetness and a slight molasses flavor.
• Granulated Sugar - For sweetness and to help give the topping its crispness.
• Ground Cinnamon, Ginger, and Cloves - For flavor. The spices complement both the cranberries and the apples so nicely!
• Salt - To balance and enhance the flavors of the topping.
• Unsalted Butter - For moisture and richness. You want the butter to be cold for best results! I use unsalted butter so that I can control the amount of salt in the recipe.

Fruit Filling Ingredients

• Apples - For flavor and beautiful texture. I used a mixture of Gala and Granny Smith apples, but you can use whatever variety you prefer! I peeled my apples, but that step is optional if you'd rather leave the peels.
• Lemon Juice - To balance the sweetness from the apples and sugar.
• Granulated Sugar - For sweetness.
• All-Purpose Flour - To help absorb some of the juices from the fruit so that your crumble isn't a watery mess!
• Ground Cinnamon, Ginger, and Cloves - For flavor.
• Vanilla Bean Paste - For flavor. I just love the taste and the gorgeous black flecks left in the filling! If you'd prefer not to use vanilla bean paste, you can substitute with an equal measure of vanilla extract instead.
• Salt - To balance and enhance the flavors of the filling.
• Cranberries - For flavor, but they also lend a gorgeous color, too! You can use either fresh or frozen cranberries. If you're using frozen, no need to thaw them!

Instructions

Here I'll show you how to make this cozy crumble, step by step! It's so easy! More detailed instructions are included in the recipe card, below.

Here is an overview of the recipe steps. For full instructions, see the recipe card, below.

1. Combine all topping ingredients except butter, then cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
2. Combine all fruit filling ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine.
3. Pour fruit mixture into greased baking dish.
4. Top filling with cold crumble topping, then bake! (Full instructions in recipe card, below.)

Hint: If you'd like to prepare the crumble in advance, both the topping and the fruit filling can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Just sprinkle the topping over the fruit filling, then bake as directed in the recipe.

Variations

Here are a few flavor variations to consider for this recipe:

• Add nuts to the topping - If you'd like to add more texture and have a slightly different flavor profile, you can add up to ½ cup chopped nuts to the topping. Pecans or walnuts would all be delicious additions!
• Add oatmeal to the topping - For another option to change the texture of the topping, try adding some oatmeal! Instead of the 1 cup of flour called for in the recipe as written, use ½ cup flour and ½ cup old-fashioned oats. I suggest old-fashioned oats instead of quick-cooking for best texture!
• Change the fruit - While I love the fruit combo used in this recipe, it's easily changed to what's in-season, your preferences, or what's available at your local farmer's market! Pears, stonefruits, and berries are all amazing options. Try combining different fruits to find your favorite duo (or trio)! If you're a fan of blackberries, check out my Blackberry and Apple Crumble!

Equipment

Here are a few things that I used when whipping up this crumble:

• Pastry Blender - I prefer to use a pastry blender to cut the butter in to the other topping ingredients, finding it faster and easier that way. That said, a fork will do the same job.
• Silicone Spatula - There's no necessity for using a certain type of spatula, but I prefer to use a spatula to a spoon to toss the fruit with the other ingredients to help keep them from breaking apart. Alternatively, if you don't mind getting a little messy, you could toss the fruit with your hands.
• Baking Dish - I used a 9-inch square baking dish for this recipe. You want to use a glass or ceramic baking dish, as a metal pan may discolor the fruit and/or lend a metallic taste to your dessert! You can use whatever size baking dish you have, just keep in mind that using this recipe with a smaller dish will make the filling and topping thicker, requiring more oven time to bake through.

Storage

Your Cranberry Apple Crumble will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for up to three days. That said, the crumble topping will only have that delectable crunch on day one, so make sure to enjoy it!

For longer storage, you can freeze your crumble, either before or after baking:

• If unbaked: You can freeze the unbaked crumble, either fully assembled or with the fruit filling and topping frozen separately, in an airtight container(s) for up to four months. Just thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake as directed in the recipe.
• If baked: Cool completely, then wrap well or place the baking dish directly into a larger airtight container and freeze for up to four months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake! Because it was already baked through, it will take less time to bake up this time. Start checking your crumble after about 25 minutes to avoid overbaking.

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