Cranberry Apple Pie

Ingredients

• 1 package (2 crusts) refrigerated pie dough (store-bought or homemade), or a double batch of homemade dough
• 5 cups peeled, sliced apples, 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 1/8 cups granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• 1 tbsp coarse sugar, for sprinkling

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Fit one crust into a 9-inch pie dish.
2. In a large bowl, gently toss the peeled, sliced apples and fresh cranberries, mixed with the sugar, thickener, spice, lemon juice, and salt until evenly coated.
3. Pour the filling into the crust and dot with the butter pieces.
4. Top with the second crust, forming a lattice top, or cut several vents in a full top crust. Crimp the edges to seal, then brush the top with the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
5. Bake for 45–55 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the filling is bubbling through the vents.
6. Cool on a wire rack at least 2 hours before slicing so the filling has time to set.

The Tale of Cranberry Apple Pie

Story updated September 19, 2026

Cranberries are among the few fruits native to North America, and Indigenous peoples of the Northeast harvested them for centuries before European settlers arrived. Apples came later, brought by English, Dutch, and Swedish colonists beginning in the 17th century. Cranberries ripen in October, right alongside the fall apple harvest, and the tart berries balance the sweeter fruit, so the two became a natural seasonal pairing for autumn and Thanksgiving pies. Here apple is the main flavor and cranberry the sharp accent. No single inventor or first recipe for the combination is documented.