Quebec apple cranberry crisp
In October, Quebec apples and cranberries arrive at the market at the same time. Together, under a crunchy oat topping with a drizzle of maple syrup, they make a crisp that is both sweet and tart, pink with juice. Here is the recipe, with tips so it is neither too sweet nor too runny.
Apple crisp is the ultimate fall dessert in Quebec. Add a cup of fresh cranberries and it changes character: the juice turns pink, the flavour gets brighter, and the tartness of the little red berries balances the sweetness of the apples and the topping. We sweetened it partly with maple syrup, to stay with local flavours.
Our version is inspired by two published recipes, Foodland Ontario's apple cranberry crisp and Chatelaine's individual apple-cranberry crisps. To learn everything about this little fruit, see our guide to cooking with fresh cranberries.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Season
- Fall and winter
- Rating
- Not rated yet
Ingredients
For the fruit
- 6 Cortland apples, or a mix of Cortland and McIntosh, peeled and sliced
- 250 ml (1 cup) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 60 ml (¼ cup) maple syrup
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) cornstarch
- 5 ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
For the topping
- 250 ml (1 cup) quick-cooking or large-flake rolled oats
- 125 ml (½ cup) all-purpose flour
- 125 ml (½ cup) brown sugar
- 1 ml (¼ tsp) salt
- 90 g (6 tbsp) cold butter, diced
Directions
- Preheat. Place the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 180°C (350°F). Butter a 20 cm (8 in) square dish or a 2 L baking dish.
- Mix the fruit. In the dish, combine the apples, cranberries, maple syrup, cornstarch and cinnamon. Spread evenly.
- Make the topping. In a bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar and salt. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture forms clumps.
- Cover. Scatter the topping over the fruit without packing it down.
- Bake. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is golden, the juice bubbles at the edges and the apples are tender. If the top browns too fast, cover it loosely with foil.
- Rest. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving, so the juice thickens.
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Apples and cranberries, in proportion
Both recipes start with 8 apples. Foodland Ontario adds 250 ml (1 cup) of cranberries, Chatelaine about 375 ml (1 ½ cups). We chose 6 apples and 250 ml of cranberries for a 20 cm (8 in) square dish: enough cranberries to taste them in every bite, not so many that the crisp turns too sour.
For the apples, pick a variety that holds up when baked, like Cortland, or mix it with McIntosh, which gets softer. Chatelaine suggests McIntosh or Granny Smith. Our guide to Quebec apples in October tells you which one to choose for what.
Less sugar, more maple
Chatelaine sweetens the fruit filling with 250 ml (1 cup) of brown sugar, on top of the brown sugar in the topping. We replaced that sugar with 60 ml (¼ cup) of maple syrup in the fruit, and kept 125 ml (½ cup) of brown sugar in the topping, like Foodland Ontario. That is our choice: the crisp stays tangy, and the apples bring their own sugar. If you like it sweeter, add 30 ml (2 tbsp) of syrup.
Finally, cornstarch helps the cranberry juice thicken. It replaces the 30 ml (2 tbsp) of flour Chatelaine adds to the fruit.
Baking and resting
Both recipes bake at 180°C (350°F): 45 to 50 minutes for Chatelaine's small individual crisps, about an hour for Foodland Ontario's large dish, which advises checking after 45 minutes and covering the crisp loosely with foil if the top browns too fast. Our smaller dish is ready in 45 to 55 minutes, when the juice bubbles at the edges and the apples are tender at the tip of a knife.
Then let the crisp rest for 15 minutes: the juice thickens as it cools. Serve it warm, plain, with Greek yogurt or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Variations and zero waste
- Frozen cranberries: add them without thawing.
- Dried cranberries: if you have no fresh ones, 125 ml (½ cup) is enough. They are already sweetened, so cut the syrup in half.
- Spices: Foodland Ontario adds cardamom and minced candied ginger; a pinch of nutmeg or the zest of an orange also goes very well with cranberries.
- Crunch: Chatelaine puts almonds in its topping; chopped pecans or pumpkin seeds do the same.
- Peels: do not throw away the apple peels and cores, they make an excellent homemade cider vinegar.
Cranberries left over? Make a homemade cranberry sauce, or freeze them as they are, in their bag.
Sources
- Apple Cranberry Crisp, Foodland Ontario, Government of Ontario.
- Apple-cranberry crisps, Chatelaine.
- Preserving cranberries, Nellie Oehler and Jared Hibbard-Swanson, Oregon State University Extension, 2024.
Frequently asked questions
Can you make the crisp with frozen cranberries?
Yes, without thawing them. The Foodland Ontario and Chatelaine recipes both accept fresh or frozen cranberries. Add them straight to the apples: they will release their juice as they bake.
Which apples are best for a crisp?
Apples that hold their shape a little, like Cortland, or a mix of Cortland and McIntosh, which turns softer. Chatelaine suggests McIntosh or Granny Smith. Our advice by variety is in our guide to Quebec apples in October.
Why is my crisp too runny?
Cranberries and apples release a lot of juice. The cornstarch helps thicken it, and so does the 15-minute rest after baking: the juice keeps thickening as it cools.
How long does the crisp keep?
About 3 days in the refrigerator, well covered. Reheat it in a 180°C (350°F) oven for about ten minutes so the topping crisps up again.
