Cranberry Apple Slab Pie is an ideal dessert for feeding a crowd. A flaky, buttery crust surrounds tender, spiced apples and bright, tart cranberries. A simple maple glaze and sugared cranberries finish this show-stopping holiday treat.
Why you’ll love this Cranberry Apple Slab Pie:
- Sweet apples and tart cranberries: The contrast of sweet apples with tart cranberries and warm spices is classic and satisfying.
- Easy maple glaze: A three-ingredient glaze complements the fall flavors and is quick to prepare.
- Simpler than a traditional pie: Slab pies are freeform, so you don’t need a pie dish or intricate crust work—embrace the rustic look.
- Feeds a crowd: This slab yields more servings than a 9-inch pie, perfect for gatherings.
Ingredient Overview:
The complete recipe with exact measurements and directions is in the recipe card below.
- Pie crust: A homemade crust made with a mix of white whole wheat and all-purpose flour yields great texture. You can use store-bought dough if needed.
- Apples: I use Gala and Honeycrisp for a sweet balance to the cranberries, but other baking apples like Fuji, Pink Lady, or Golden Delicious also work.
- Cranberries: Fresh or frozen cranberries are fine; keep frozen cranberries frozen until you add them to the filling.
- Thickener: A bit of flour helps thicken the filling so it sets nicely as the pie cools.
- Spices: Cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg enhance the fruit flavors.
- Butter: Salted butter gives the best flavor; use unsalted if preferred.
- Coarse sugar: Optional, but sprinkling coarse sugar on the crust before baking adds sparkle and crunch.
- Maple syrup: Use real maple syrup for the glaze.
Substitutions & Variations:
- Gluten-free: I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flours.
- Dairy-free: Swap butter and cream with plant-based alternatives if desired; results may vary.
- Pie crust: Homemade is recommended, but store-bought dough works in a pinch.
- Apples: Any firm baking apple will work—mix varieties for the best texture and flavor.
- Yield: This recipe can be halved for a smaller slab.
How to Make Cranberry Apple Pie:
Step 1: Make the crust. Whisk the flours and salt together. Cut cold, cubed butter into the flour with a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly with small and slightly larger pea-sized pieces. Add ice-cold water one tablespoon at a time, stirring until the dough just begins to come together. Form into a ball, divide in half, flatten into 1-inch discs, wrap tightly, and chill at least 2 hours (or overnight).
Step 2: Make the filling. While the dough chills, peel, core, and slice the apples about 1/2-inch thick. In a large bowl, gently toss the apple slices with cranberries, sugar, flour, spices, and lemon zest. Set aside.
Step 3: Assemble the pie. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Roll one dough disc on lightly floured parchment to roughly 11 x 16 inches, transfer it to the baking sheet, and spread the filling evenly, leaving a 1-inch border. Dot with butter. Roll the second disc to the same size, transfer it over the filling, and press the edges to seal. Flute or crimp the edges, cut slits in the top, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Chill the assembled pie for about 15 minutes.
Step 4: Bake. Bake for about 35 minutes, then tent the edges with foil and bake 10–20 minutes more until the crust is golden and the filling bubbles.
Step 5: Cool. Let the pie cool in the pan on a rack at least 45 minutes before drizzling the glaze and slicing. If you plan to serve bars to hold in hand, cool completely.
Step 6: Make the glaze and sugared cranberries. For sugared cranberries, briefly simmer cranberries in a simple syrup, then roll in granulated sugar. For the maple glaze, whisk powdered sugar, maple syrup, and heavy cream (or milk) until drizzly; adjust thickness as needed. Drizzle over the cooled pie and top with sugared cranberries.
Serving & Storing:
Drizzle the glaze and add sugared cranberries after the pie has cooled at least 45 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for an extra-special holiday treat.
Cover leftover baked, cooled pie tightly with foil and refrigerate 1–2 days. Reheat in a 375°F oven until warmed through if desired.
Expert Baking Tips:
- Oven thermometer: An oven thermometer ensures accurate temperature, which matters for even baking.
- Kitchen scale: Weighing flour gives more consistent results than volume measuring.
- Make ahead: Pie dough keeps in the refrigerator up to 5 days or frozen up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
FAQs
Slab pies are easier to assemble than traditional round pies, require less fuss with shaping or lattice tops, and produce more servings—great for parties.
No. This recipe is assembled with cold dough and baked directly—no pre-baking required.
Special Tools:
- Full-size baking sheet: A standard full-size sheet works best for a slab pie.
- Pastry cutter: A pastry cutter or two forks make cutting cold butter into flour quick and easy.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment and rating!
Cranberry Apple Slab Pie with Maple Glaze
Ingredients
For the Pie Crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour (or 2 cups all-purpose)
- 1 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 3/4 cups cold salted butter, cubed
- 3/4 cup ice cold water
For the Filling:
- 7 cups peeled, cored, and sliced apples (1/2-inch thick), about 750 g
- 1 1/4 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen; do not thaw if frozen)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp lemon zest
To Finish:
- 2 tbsp butter, cut into chunks
- 1 large egg (for egg wash)
- 1 tbsp milk (for egg wash)
- Coarse sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Maple Glaze:
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3–5 tbsp heavy cream or milk
Instructions
- Make the crust: Combine flours and salt. Cut cold butter into the flour until crumbly. Add ice-cold water a little at a time until dough just comes together. Form into a ball, divide into two discs, wrap, and chill at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Make the filling: Toss apples, cranberries, sugar, flour, spices, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Assemble: Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll the first dough disc to about 11 x 16 inches, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and spread filling leaving a 1-inch border. Dot with butter. Roll the second disc to the same size, transfer over the filling, and seal the edges. Cut slits on top and chill 15 minutes.
- Bake: Brush with egg wash, sprinkle coarse sugar, and bake 35 minutes. Tent edges with foil and bake 10–20 minutes more until golden and bubbling.
- Cool: Cool in the pan on a rack at least 45 minutes before glazing and slicing. For handheld bars, cool completely.
- Glaze and sugared cranberries: For sugared cranberries, simmer briefly in simple syrup then roll in granulated sugar. Whisk powdered sugar, maple syrup, and cream until pourable and drizzle over cooled pie.
Notes
- Pie crust dough can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 5 days or frozen up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Store baked, cooled pie covered in the fridge for 1–2 days. Reheat in a 375°F oven until warm if desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice • Calories: 424 kcal • Carbs: 47 g • Protein: 5 g • Fat: 25 g • Fiber: 4 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
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