An easy-to-make cranberry apple crisp with a brown sugar and oatmeal topping. Perfect for fall!

overhead photo of a bowl of Homemade Cranberry Apple Crisp

[cmtoc_table_of_contents]

And now it really is fall! This morning Feynman and I headed out for a walk and the air was crisp, cool and so fall-like I wanted to go buy school supplies. I know I’ve been writing about it going on three weeks now, but today – today! – the season feels real. The weather has finally caught up with my autumn-loving heart.

The timing is perfect because today it’s all about a cranberry apple crisp. We’re knocking on the door of apple season right now and in the fall line-up of must-make recipes, apples top the list of ingredients. The scent of baked apples is hard to resist this time of year.

This crisp recipe has a tart apple-cranberry filling and a buttery oatmeal topping. It’s the dessert of choice for people who hate making pies. You get all the feel-good aroma and flavor of an apple pie, but there’s no fussy pie crust involved and the whole thing comes together with hardly any effort. Plus, you can make it ahead and pop it in the oven while dinner is served.

Cranberry Apple Filling

Granny Smith apples
Frozen cranberries
Lemon juice
Honey
Cinnamon

The filling is so, so easy. Just combine the chopped apples, cranberries, lemon, honey and cinnamon and pour it into a baking dish.

Oatmeal Topping

Old Fashioned Oats
All-Purpose Flour
Brown sugar
Cinnamon
Cold, unsalted butter

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Cut the butter into the mixture until it’s evenly distributed. Spread the topping in an even layer over the filling.

Bake the crisp for 40 to 45 minutes at 350°F or until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling hot.

What apples are best for apple crisp?

I like to use Granny Smith apples for this apple crisp because they are tart and hold their shape well. If you prefer sweeter apples you can try using Honeycrisp or do a combination of both. Golden Delicious apples will also work well in this apple crisp.

Can I use fresh cranberries?

Yes, you can substitute fresh cranberries in place of frozen ones for this cranberry apple crisp recipe. I like to use frozen cranberries because I also use them to make cranberry smoothies.

Enjoy this cranberry apple crisp as is or top each serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or dollop of whipped cream.

Happy fall baking 🍏

P.S. Want more recipes? 📩 Sign up for the Girl Gone Gourmet Newsletter!

overhead photo of three bowls of Cranberry Apple Crisp

More Dessert Recipes