During middle school and high school, my brother and I established the same after school routine. As soon as we arrived home and dropped our backpacks at the kitchen table (aka homework central!), we grabbed a snack out of the pantry before pulling out our textbooks.
Although we normally opted for water alongside our food, Mom brought home a jug of cranberry juice from the grocery store one autumn on a whim for us to drink. Although we loved dried cranberries, we still felt a little hesitant as we poured small glasses and took our first sip.
We looked at each other, completely surprised after we swallowed. We actually enjoyed its slightly tart taste—but the juice company definitely added a lot of sugar to mask the majority of it!
Once we finished that carton, we decided to try other flavors by that juice company, like cranberry-grape and cranberry-mango, yet we discovered that we actually preferred mixing together our own fun flavor combinations at home. My favorite was a combination of half cranberry juice and half berry-flavored sparkling water!
When I spotted bottles of that cranberry juice at the store last week alongside a flavor I hadn’t tasted before, cranberry-apple, it inspired me to bake this Healthy Cranberry Apple Pie! This pie has a buttery crust with lots of cozy spices in the filling, and the sweet apples paired with the tart cranberries make for a perfect fall flavor combination.
Moreover… This healthy pie contains no eggs, refined flour or sugar, and it’s just 125 calories, including the crust!
Let’s go over how to make this healthy cranberry apple pie! I learned a lot about the science of baking pie while perfecting this recipe (along with this one and this one too!), so I want to share those insights with you so your pie turns out perfectly as well!
Nerd Alert #1: Flour
We’re starting with the crust of this healthy cranberry apple pie! Although I grew up making pie crusts with all-purpose flour, you’re actually using whole wheat pastry flour for this healthy pie crust.
Whole wheat pastry flour is made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat. It has the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour (like extra fiber!), but because it’s ground so finely, it has a lighter taste and texture that’s closer to all-purpose flour. And that lets the rich flaky texture of this pie crust truly shine!
Nerd Alert #2: Cold Butter
Most of the homemade pies from my childhood called for shortening in the crust, but I prefer using butter. It has a much richer flavor, and it’s not overly processed like shortening!
It’s really important that your butter is cold and straight from the refrigerator. (Freezing isn’t necessary for this recipe!) The cold texture of the butter creates a more flaky crust, so you don’t want it to soften or melt ahead of time!
Hint: I use a pastry cutter like this to work the butter into the flour. It’s so much easier than using two knives or the back of a fork!
Nerd Alert #3: Vanilla Extract
I know, I know… Vanilla extract isn’t usually an ingredient in pie crust, but it’s a key ingredient in this one! There are actually two reasons for this. This first is that the alcohol in the vanilla extract helps prevent the gluten from forming really long strands (aka a tough texture!) when you’re mixing together and rolling out the pie crust. The second reason is that vanilla actually enhances butter’s rich flavor, so adding just a little bit makes this pie crust taste even more rich and buttery.
Nerd Alert #4: Preparing the Crust
Now that you’ve mixed together the ingredients for your healthy pie crust, there are two key steps that come before you’re ready to slip it into your pie plate. The first is that you must chill the pie crust dough! Since the butter often warms up just a bit while mixing together the dough, chilling re-solidifies it so that you get that nice flaky texture after baking.
Shape the dough into a circle about 1” thick, and place it between two really large sheets of plastic wrap. The larger the better! This is because…
When it’s time to roll it out, you’ll actually leave it between those two sheets of plastic wrap! With this little trick, you don’t need to flour your work surface, which makes clean-up a breeze. (You can see a visual of the plastic wrap and rolling out the pie crust dough in this recipe blog post of mine!)
Tip: I absolutely love my silicone rolling pin for this! It has a more even surface than most wooden rolling pins (and its virtually non-stick surface is great for rolling out cinnamon roll dough too!).
Nerd Alert #5: The Fruit + Spices
While the pie crust dough chills, it’s time to prepare the filling for your healthy cranberry apple pie! And obviously… You’ll need two types of fruit!
For the first, I used red Fuji apples. I absolutely love their naturally sweet flavor, and that sweetness really helps a lot in this healthy cranberry apple pie! It means you don’t need to mix in too much additional sweetener (more on that in a minute!) They also have a fairly firm texture, so Fuji apples still hold together after baking, instead of disintegrating like some other varieties.
To prepare the apples, you’ll cut them into ⅛”-thick slices, and cut each slice in half. Do not cut them any large than ⅛” thick! If you do, they’ll be too thick to properly soften while baking. I promise it’s worth the extra effort!
And of course, any type of apple baked good always needs spices, in my humble opinion… So you’ll add cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. I love the way the taste and smell!
Next, you’ll need fresh cranberries. They’re much easier to prepare than the apples… You just dump them into your mixing bowl after washing! Super simple.
However, one quick note… My family and I love their tart flavor, so I used a full 2 cups. If you aren’t as big of a fan of that tart taste, you have two options: replace half of the cranberries with more sliced apples, or add more sweetener. (See below!)
Nerd Alert #6: The Sweetener
To keep this pie clean eating friendly, you’ll skip the refined granulated sugar and sweeten your filling with pure maple syrup instead! It should be the kind that comes directly from maple trees, and the only ingredient on the bottle should be “pure maple syrup.” It generally comes in this glass bottles or squat plastic jugs, like this!
Nerd Alert #7: Water
Again, this isn’t a typical ingredient in most pie fillings… But it’s a critical ingredient in this healthy cranberry apple pie filling! That’s because you’re using so little sweetener compared to traditional recipes.
In traditional recipes, with a lot of added granulated sugar, the sugar helps soften the fruit and pull out the fruit juices. Yet because you’re using just 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, you’ll add some water to the filling to help it soften (sort of like steaming the fruit, in a sense!) and to prevent the filling from turning out dry.
Nerd Alert #8: Cornstarch
Then to help the filling of your healthy cranberry apple pie thicken, you’ll toss the fruit with cornstarch! Cornstarch absorbs moisture from the filling (aka the water + maple syrup + any juice the fruits release), and it thickens as it cools. This is why I highly recommend against serving this pie warm! You need to let it fully cool to room temperature to let the cornstarch work its thickening + softening magic.
But I promise it’s worth the wait!
Nerd Alert #9: Assembling
Now it’s time to assemble your healthy cranberry apple pie. Before sliding the rolled out pie crust into your pie plate, coat your pie plate with cooking spray. This (a) prevents it from sticking and (b) helps it turn a little firmer and flakier!
Then transfer your filling into the crust. It should extend upward in a medium-sized mound—and that’s a good thing! Gently but firmly press it down with your hands as much as you can. Then the fruit will shrink a bit while baking and cooling, so by the time your healthy cranberry apple pie is at room temperature, the filling should be totally even on top and flush with the top of your pie plate.
Nerd Alert #10: Baking
We’re so close to the end! Before baking your healthy cranberry apple pie, you’ll need to preheat the oven to 425°F and place a dark metal baking sheet on the middle baking rack. The hot dark metal helps cook the bottom pie crust so it doesn’t turn out soggy!
Then once you’ve assembled your healthy cranberry apple pie, cover the entire top with foil. This prevents the crust around the rim from burning, but it also prevents the fruit on the top of the pie from drying out.
You’ll bake your healthy cranberry apple pie at 425°F for 15 minutes. Then, without opening the oven door, you’ll reduce the temperature to 350°F. For the last 15 minutes or so, you’ll remove the foil and let the pie continue to bake so the crust turns a beautiful golden brown.
And then, once your healthy cranberry apple pie has fully cooled to room temperature…
It’s time to eat a slice! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy cranberry apple pie!
| Healthy Cranberry Apple Pie | | Print |
- for the crust
- 1 cup (120g) whole wheat pastry flour (measured like this)
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp (56g) unsalted butter (very cold and cubed)
- 2 tsp nonfat milk (cold)
- 1 tsp pure maple syrup (cold)
- ¾ tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp (15-30mL) ice cold water
- for the filling
- generous 5 cups (610g) ⅛”-thick slices Fuji apple, cut in half (about 4 medium)
- 2 cups (220g) fresh cranberries
- 2 tbsp (16g) cornstarch
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 3 tbsp (45mL) water
- 1 tbsp (15mL) pure maple syrup
- To prepare the crust, whisk together the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter, the back of a fork, or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl, stir together the milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon of water. Sprinkle the liquid mixture over the flour mixture, and stir until fully incorporated. Continue to add ice water, ¼ teaspoon at a time, until the mixture comes together to form a dough. (I often use a total of 1 tablespoon of water.)
- Place a large sheet of plastic wrap on the counter. Using your hands, form the dough into a 1”-thick circle. Place the dough in the center of the plastic wrap, and lay another large sheet of plastic wrap on top. Fold up the excess plastic wrap, and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. (If chilled longer than 1 hour, let the dough “thaw” on the counter for 5-15 minutes, depending on how much longer it was chilled, before rolling it out.)
- While the dough chills, prepare the filling. (NOTE: I typically wait to slice the apples until now to save time!) Toss together the apple slices, cranberries, cornstarch, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg until the spices are evenly distributed on the apples. Drizzle in the maple syrup and water, and toss the fruit again until it’s evenly coated.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F, and place a dark metal baking sheet into the oven on the middle rack. Lightly coat a regular 9” pie plate (not deep dish!) with cooking spray.
- Leaving the dough between the sheets of plastic wrap, roll it out until it’s 1” to 2” wider than the top of the pie plate. Peel off the top layer of plastic wrap, and gently invert the pie dough into the prepared pie plate. Peel off the second layer of plastic wrap, and gently press the pie dough into place. Trim the overhang.
- Transfer the filling on top of the pie dough, and gently but firmly press down to eliminate as much space between the apples and cranberries as possible. (I use my hands to do this!) Cover the top of the entire pie plate with foil, trying to “bump up” the center so it’s not touching the apple slices.
- Place the foil-covered pie plate on the dark metal baking sheet in the oven. Bake the pie at 425°F for 15 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F, and continue to bake for an additional 40 minutes. Carefully remove the foil from the top of the pie plate, and continue to bake at 350° for another 15-20 minutes (for a total of 70-75 minutes) or until the outer crust is golden in color. Let the pie cool completely to room temperature before slicing and serving.
White whole wheat flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the whole wheat pastry flour. I haven’t tried any gluten-free flour blends with this pie crust, so I’m not sure how that would turn out.
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
I use red Fuji apples because they have a strong natural sweetness, and their firm texture holds up while baking (so they don’t disintegrate!). I haven’t tried any other varieties of apples, so I’m not sure how the pie will turn out if you substitute another variety. (But I do not recommend using green Granny smith apples because the filling will be completely tart!)
If you’re not a big fan of fresh tart cranberries, then reduce them to 1 cup (110g), and substitute an additional 1 cup (122g) of ⅛”-thick Fuji apple slices that you’ve cut in half.
I don’t recommend substitute dried cranberries for the fresh.
As written, the filling is on the not-so-sweet side, and the tart cranberry flavor truly shines. For a sweeter filling, substitute additional maple syrup for an equal amount of water (i.e. 1 tablespoon of maple syrup for 1 tablespoon of water). Alternatively, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of this liquid stevia to the filling. (Or serve with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream for added sweetness!)
There should appear to be more apples and cranberries than will fit in the pie dish—that’s good! You want there to be a small mound of fruit extending up past the rim of the pie plate. The fruit shrinks as it bakes, so you should end up with a flat top once your pie has finished cooling.
You must let the pie cool to room temperature before serving! This allows the cornstarch to thicken the fruit juices, and the filling also turns moisture and softer while it cools. (It tastes a bit dry if you eat it hot out of the oven, but I promise it tastes much moister if you wait!) If you prefer to serve your pie warm, then reheat individual slices one it has fully cooled to room temperature for the best taste and texture.
The set of pie crust cookie cutters that I used for the leaves in the photos above is no longer sold in stores, but these are somewhat similar!
For more information regarding the ingredients and instructions, please see the Nerd Alerts (#1-10) in my blog post above.
{clean eating, egg-free, low fat}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Apple Pie
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Pumpkin Pie
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Apple Crumble
♡ Healthy Cranberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies
♡ Healthy Apple Pie Thumbprint Cookies
♡ Healthy Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars
Also, would you recommend putting a crumb topping or crust on top?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Dorothea! I haven’t tried making a gluten free crust for this particular pie, so I’m not personally sure and don’t want to lead you astray. However, I’ve had really good luck using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour in many of my other recipes, so it might be worth considering something like that here. (I like to use GF blends that include xanthan gum because it imitates gluten’s structural properties and texture!) I haven’t tried a top crust, but I love your idea of using a crumb topping. I think that could work quite nicely!
I’d love to hear what you think of this pie if you end up making it!
I think I’ll try the topping, and the gluten free crust is a must for me. I love Bob’s 1 to 1 so I’ll definitely use that. Thanks!
My pleasure, Dorothea! I’m always happy to try to help. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear how your pie turns out!