cranberry apple slab pie with maple glaze

Cranberry Apple Slab Pie is the perfect dessert to make when you need to feed a crowd. A flaky, buttery crust is filled with tender, spiced apples and juicy, tart cranberries. Drizzle on a simple maple glaze and add sparkly sugared cranberries for a show-stopping holiday dessert.

this recipe

Why you’ll love this Cranberry Apple Slab Pie:

• Sweet Apples and Tart Cranberries – Tart cranberries pair beautifully with sweet apples and fall spices.
• Maple Glaze – The 3-ingredient glaze is easy to make and tastes amazing with the autumn/winter flavors of cranberries and apples.
• Easier Than Pie – A slab pie is a freeform work of art, so there’s no fussing with a traditional pie dish. Plus, you can rock the rustic look this way!
• Feeds a Crowd – This pie yields more slices than a traditional 9-inch pie!

Ingredient Overview:

As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).

• Homemade Pie Crust – Follow my full step-by-step guide for making pie dough from scratch. You can also find the basic recipe in the information card below!
• Apples – I use gala and honeycrisp apples. I find this combination sweet enough to balance the tart flavor of the cranberries.
• Cranberries – You can use fresh cranberries or frozen. If using frozen, do not thaw them.
• Flour – There is a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour in the pie crust. I also use a bit of all-purpose flour to thicken the cranberry apple pie filling.
• Spices – Cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg beautifully enhance the flavors of these fruits.
• Butter – I always use salted butter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer.
• Coarse Sugar – This is optional, but I highly recommend sprinkling on a bit before baking to give the cranberry apple pie a lovely ‘lil sparkle and crunch.
• Maple Syrup – Be sure to use real maple syrup.

Recipe Substitutions & Variations:

• Gluten-free – I have not tried making this slab pie with gluten-free ingredients.
• Dairy-free – I have not tried making this recipe without dairy. In theory you should be able to swap the few dairy ingredients with your preferred plant-based alternative. Let me know in the comments if you give it a try!
• Pie Crust – I always suggest making my easy pie dough from scratch. However, if you are short on time store bought pie dough will work in a pinch.
• Apples – I love gala and honeycrisp apples as mentioned above. But feel free to use another variety of apples! Fuji, pink lady, golden delicious, and even tart granny smith apples are all great options.
• Yield – Feel free to cut this recipe in half if you want a smaller yield.

How to Make Cranberry Apple Pie:

Step 1: Make the Crust. Whisk together the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut cold butter into the flour with a pastry cutter until you have a crumbly mixture, with some smaller pieces and some larger pieces.

Add the cold water, a little at a time, stirring with a fork between additions, until the dough starts to come together. 

Gently work the dough into a ball – if it’s really sticky, add a bit of flour. Cut the ball of dough in half – gently flatten each half into a 1-inch thick disc and tightly wrap in plastic wrap.

Chill at least 2 hours. Check out my full How to Make the Perfect Pie Crust post for detailed steps and my foolproof top tips!

Step 2: Make the Filling. While the dough chills, prepare the filling. In a large bowl, gently stir together the peeled, cored, and sliced apples (slices should be about 1/2 inch thick), the cranberries, and remaining filling ingredients.  Set aside. 

Step 3: Assemble the Fruit Pie. Preheat the oven and cut a piece of parchment paper that fits the baking sheet you’ll use. 

Remove one disc of pie dough from the freezer, and gently roll it out on lightly floured parchment paper. Evenly spread the filling onto the dough, leaving a 1-inch border all the way around. Dot the filling with the butter.

Next, roll out the second dough disc on another piece of parchment. Use rolling pin to help transfer this piece over the pie filling. Seal the top and bottom crusts together using your fingers.

Flute the edges or crimp with a fork. Cut slits into the top of the pie, whisk together the egg wash, and brush a thin coat over the top crust. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Transfer the whole thing to the fridge and let chill for several minutes.

Step 4: Bake. Bake per the recipe card below, until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling. About halfway through the bake time you’ll want to cover the edges of the crust with foil to prevent them from getting burnt.

Step 5: Cool. Allow pie to cool for at least 45 minutes in the pan set on a cooling rack before drizzling on the glaze over the buttery crust, cutting and serving with plates + forks. If serving as hand-held bars, allow to cool completely in the pan set on a cooling rack.

Step 6: Make the Glaze and Sugared Cranberries. Make the sugared cranberries by adding them to a simple syrup, then coat them in granulated sugar. To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and heavy cream until a drizzly consistency is reached.

Serving + Storing:

Drizzle on the glaze and add the sugared cranberries after the pie has cooled for at least 45 mins.

For an extra extra special sweet treat for the holiday season, consider serving slices of warm pie with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or dollop of whipped cream!

The baked, cooled pie can be covered tightly with foil and refrigerated for 1-2 days before serving. Reheat for in a 375 degree oven until warm if desired.

This pie would be perfect on your Thanksgiving table, along with my Chocolate Pecan Pie and my Perfect Pumpkin Pie.

Expert Baking Tips:

• Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
• Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
• Make Ahead – Pie crust dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

But, my best tip is to make this cranberry apple pie, and share it with people you love!

FAQs:

Special Tools:

• Baking Sheet – A full-size 18 x 26 inches baking sheet is a must-have in any home baker’s kitchen!
• Pastry Cutter – I highly recommend investing in a pastry cutterit makes life SO much easier when it comes to pie and it’s an inexpensive, game-changing tool!

More Thanksgiving Recipes to Love:

• Salted Maple Pecan Pie Bars
• Cherry Pie Bars
• Salted Caramel Apple Galette
• Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cookies
• Pumpkin Pasties with Maple Glaze

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