Apple Cranberry Currant Crumble Pie

Apple crumble pie with sliced apples, dried cranberries and currants, in a buttery crust with a brown sugar streusel topping.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated June 24, 2022
Elise Bauer
Apple Cranberry Currant Crumble Pie
Elise Bauer

They say that as you get older you develop more of a sweet tooth. If my parents are any test of this theory, I would have to say, yes this does indeed seem to be true.

When my siblings and I were kids (in the 60s) we had dessert once a month (not counting the coffee cake dad made on Sundays). These days nary a pie recipe gets published that my father doesn't want to try, especially when I'm around to make the crust.

He made this delicious crumble pie (with a few minor changes from one in Sunset Magazine) a few days ago and it was half gone by noon. There are three of us. The pie serves 12. Did I say it was half gone by noon? You get the picture.

For more information on which apple varieties are best for baking, check out our Guide to Apples.

Apple Cranberry Currant Crumble Pie
Elise Bauer

Love Apple Pie? Check Out These Apple Pie Recipes!

Apple Cranberry Currant Crumble Pie

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 60 mins
Coolin 2 hrs
Total Time 3 hrs 20 mins
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

Topping:

  • 3/4 cup flour

  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)

  • 6 tablespoons butter

Filling:

  • 6 cups (about 2 1/4 pounds) Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced

  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

  • 1/4 cup brandy

  • 1/4 cup dried currants

  • 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, rinsed and drained

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon orange zest, finely grated

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 (9-inch) frozen pie shell (I recommend our super easy, super flaky sour cream pastry crust.)

Method

  1. Peel and slice the apples:

    Peel and slice the apples. Put the slices into a bowl and sprinkle them with lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar) as you work to make them a little more tart (it will intensify their flavor) and keep them from discoloring as you work. Add the cranberries to the bowl.

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    Elise Bauer
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    Elise Bauer
  2. Soak the currants in brandy:

    Place the brandy and the currants in a small bowl. Let sit for at least an hour, until currants are plump. While the currants are soaking in the brandy, peel and slice the apples.

  3. Make streusel topping:

    Mix together 3/4 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of brown sugar in a bowl. Add the butter, cutting it in either with your fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture forms small lumps.

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    Elise Bauer
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  4. Preheat oven to 375°F
  5. Toss apple slices with sugar, flour, zest, spices, brandy, currants:

    In a separate large bowl mix 3/4 cup white sugar with 4 Tbsp flour, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

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    Elise Bauer
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    Elise Bauer

    Add the apples and cranberries to the sugar mixture and toss to coat. Add the currants and brandy to the mixture.

  6. Put apple filling into pie shell, top with streusel topping:

    Heap filling into unbaked pie pastry. Sprinkle topping over the filling. Set pie on a baking sheet to catch the juices.

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  7. Bake:

    Bake on bottom rack until juices bubble, 55 to 65 minutes. If pie browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.

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    Elise Bauer
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    Elise Bauer

    Set pie on rack, uncovered, to cool for 2 to 3 hours.

Recipe slightly adapted from Sunset Magazine.

Apple Cranberry Currant Crumble Pie
Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
525 Calories
20g Fat
80g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 525
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Cholesterol 23mg 8%
Sodium 320mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 80g 29%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 43g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 3mg 15%
Calcium 35mg 3%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 231mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.