Fine, so I did actually make this for Thanksgiving. But it’s so good I’ll be making it every chance I get, all year long. All I need is somebody to help me eat it, since my ridiculous husband doesn’t like cooked fruit (FREAK) and Harry can only fit so much pie in his eight-year-old body. Which leaves me most of a pie to stuff down my own pie hole, which… no.
Anyway.
There’s nothing wrong with a classic apple pie, but this here beauty ups the ante in some key ways: The bottom of the crust gets a nice layer of crushed gingersnaps, which adds a hint of spice and keep the juicy filling from sogging up the works. The apple filling itself, when made with thinly sliced apples, becomes meltingly soft—a nice contrast to the nut-free, oat-based crumble topping. With a homemade 100% whole wheat pie crust (which I make with Daisy Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, using Casey’s amazing tutorial), it’s hearty and sweet but not too sweet, with lovely little pops of tartness from the whole cranberries. And frankly, if you struggle with handling piecrust the way I do, the fact that there’s no top crust is a godsend.
This is the perfect pie to bake right now, in between holidays. Or heck, whenever you want a big little slice of happiness.
Cranberry-Apple Oatmeal Crumb Pie
1 prepared pie crust (I like whole wheat for this, but ready-made is fine too)
1 egg white, beaten
5 medium-size tart apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes
Preheat oven to 375°F and position rack in lower third.
- Lightly brush bottom and sides of piecrust with egg white. Refrigerate until egg white is no longer sticky, about 30 minutes.
- While the crust chills, combine the sliced apples, cranberries, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Place the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet, then sprinkle gingersnap crumbs in an even layer on the bottom of the crust. Transfer the apple mixture into the crust, mounding the filling in the center. Press down lightly.
- In another bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, and salt. Use a pastry blender or your hands to mix in the butter until small clumps form. Sprinkle over the filling, covering completely—don’t be afraid to use it all, but if you have a little extra filling and crumble, bake them in a ramekin and consider it a chef’s treat.
- Bake until apples are tender and juices bubble, 60 to 75 minutes. Check the pie after 30 minutes—if the crumb coating is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Transfer pie to a rack and cool for at least 2 hours.