Nothing screams “the holidays” like cranberries. Pucker up because these babies are tangy-bitter when raw (but somehow my kids munch them like they are popcorn).
However, when mellowed out with a hearty dose of apples (and sorry to say it – they also need a good amount of sugar to balance them out), they add just the perfect berry punch to a holiday pie.
Tastes like…
You might not suspect it, but this pie is an absolute must-have with my family for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I don’t know how else to describe the filling; it tastes like candy – sweet and fruity. And paired with a flaky crust…. well, you’ll just have to try it for yourself.
Ingredients
For the crust, use my well-tested, and well-loved basic crust recipe.
For the filling, you’ll need
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 apples (crisp, sweet apples like golden delicious or fuji – or a combo)
- 2 cups fresh cranberries, washed
Instructions
- I start by mixing all the dry ingredients in a small bowl.
- Then peel and core the apples. I just use a very sharp paring knife to carefully slice off the skin, cut the apple in quarters, and slice out the core.
- Slice the apples into very thin slices; I also leave a few more hearty wedges to create varying textures within the pie- some bits will be very soft like applesauce, and other bits will be more al dente. Leave the apples in a large bowl.
- Toss your cranberries in with your apples, and mix the dry ingredients together. Leave them in a separate bowl until your crust is all ready (If you leave the sugar and the apples together for too long you start to get a lot of juices – which makes the bottom crust soggy!)
- Roll out your bottom crust, place it in the pie dish, and put it in the fridge while you roll out your top crust. You are now ready to assemble your pie.
- NOW, you may add your dry ingredients to the apples and cranberries and toss to coat. If it feels like you have too much of the dry mixture, don’t be alarmed. Just add it all to the pie.
- Put your pie filling into the pie pan over the bottom crust. Add the top crust and press down the edges. Don’t forget your egg wash!
- Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce to 375 degrees for another 30-45 minutes. Make sure that the filling is bubbling and the crust is a golden brown. Check it periodically – if the crust looks like its getting burned, cover the edges with foil or a crust protector.
- Allow to cool for at least 1 hour so the filling sets a bit.
- Enjoy! (Had to add another step since 10 seems more finished).