Deck the Halls: Cranberry Apple Pie

I always try to change up what part of the meal I bring to each of my family gatherings. Most of the time, I try to keep it simple, but add an unconventional twist. Today's Deck the Halls post is a delicious recipe for cranberry-apple pie!

This year for Thanksgiving, I was asked to make a dessert, but wanted to go beyond the customary dishes. I checked out the local market and found a crate of delicious, vibrant red, organic cranberries. Those beauties inspired me to toss them into an apple pie recipe I had sitting around and the end result was absolutely delicious! Each family member raved over how perfectly sweet and tart the pie tasted; a perfect match to the savory main course dishes!

Ingredients:

• pack of Pillsbury pie crusts (Crusts and I don't always get along... they fail nearly every time. If you have the talent, feel free to use your own pie crust recipe!)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 big apples (Gala or Granny Smith) peeled, cored, and sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries (you can supplement dried cranberries if needed)
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small triangles 
• 1 sheet of aluminum foil (about 12 x12)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees. 

2. Button the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Place the bottom pie crust to fit in the pie plate.

3. In a large bowl, mix the sugars, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add sliced apples, cranberries, and orange juice. Mix well so the apples and cranberries are covered by sugar mixture.

4. Spoon fruit mixture into pie plate on the crust. Be sure to adjust apples and cranberries so they fit into the plate snug. Once you have the fruit in the plate, place the triangles of butter throughout the dish. 

5. Lay your second crust over the top of your pie and pinch the edges to the original crust. Be sure to pinch the crust all the way around.

6. Place piece of aluminum foil on the oven rack, and then place pie plate on top. This will catch any juice drippings.

7. Bake pie for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.

8. Reduce heat to 375 and bake for another 35 minutes. 

9. Remove from oven once the juices begin to bubble on the edge of the crust and the crust is a delicious golden brown.

Let cool for about 2 hours before you serve the pie. This will allow all the juices to finish cooking.

We loved pairing this with a rich vanilla bean icecream, but I'm sure it would be delicious just by itself!

xo,

Liz