Delicious Leftover Cranberry Apple Crisp: Your Ultimate Post-Thanksgiving Dessert
Thanksgiving is a cherished time for feasting, family gatherings, and reflecting on gratitude. But once the last slice of savory turkey is devoured and the bountiful dinner table has been cleared, a familiar question often arises: what to do with all those delicious holiday leftovers? While the classic turkey sandwich and reheated mashed potatoes are always welcome, we’re thrilled to present a truly inspired culinary solution that transforms a festive side dish into an unforgettable dessert: the **Leftover Cranberry Sauce and Apple Crisp**. This recipe offers a brilliant and effortless way to repurpose your holiday extras, turning them into a warm, inviting, and utterly delightful treat that will have everyone asking for a second helping. For the ultimate indulgence, don’t forget a generous scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream to complement its perfect balance of sweet and tart perfection.
Table of Contents
- Why This Cranberry Apple Crisp Is Amazing
- Essential Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Leftover Cranberry Sauce and Apple Crisp
- Expert Recipe Tips for the Best Crisp
- Frequently Asked Questions About Apple Crisp
- More Creative Holiday Leftovers Recipes
- Leftover Cranberry Sauce and Apple Crisp Recipe Card
The spirit of the Thanksgiving Leftovers Extravaganza truly shines with this creative recipe. We’ve already delved into successfully reimagining mashed potatoes into savory Cheesy Leftover Mashed Potato Muffins and Cheesy Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes. We’ve also breathed new life into traditional stuffing with our popular Leftover Stuffing Waffles. Now, it’s finally time for your leftover cranberry sauce to take center stage in a surprisingly sweet role. This isn’t just another way to use up extras; it’s a brilliant culinary creation that elevates simple ingredients into something truly special and unexpected. Get ready to impress your family and friends and extend the festive flavors of your holiday spread with this delightful and comforting dessert.
Who would have thought that a tart, vibrant side dish could be the secret ingredient to your next favorite dessert? This incredibly quick and easy recipe effortlessly combines thinly sliced green apples with your flavorful leftover cranberry sauce, all crowned with a perfectly crumbly, buttery crisp topping. Imagine the warm, bubbly fruit filling bursting with sweet and tangy flavors, beautifully contrasted by the crunchy, golden-brown oats and aromatic spices. The aroma alone will fill your kitchen with cozy, autumnal cheer. Serve it fresh from the oven, still warm and inviting, with a generous dollop of homemade vanilla ice cream or a cloud of whipped cream, and this Leftover Cranberry Sauce and Apple Crisp will instantly graduate from a humble Day 2 leftover to a show-stopping dessert that could easily grace your main Thanksgiving table. It’s a truly ingenious and satisfying way to extend the joy of the holiday season, making every last bit of your delicious bounty count and proving that leftovers can be just as exciting as the main event.
Why This Cranberry Apple Crisp Is Amazing
- Quick and Easy Holiday Dessert. Holiday cooking, while rewarding, can often be exhaustive. This Leftover Cranberry Apple Crisp recipe is designed for minimal effort and maximum flavor, making it a perfect post-holiday project. With your cranberry sauce already prepared, and just a few simple pantry staples needed for the crisp topping, you can whip up this comforting dessert in remarkably little time. It’s ideal for satisfying those sweet cravings without spending additional hours in the kitchen, allowing you more precious time to relax, recharge, and enjoy the extended holiday spirit with loved ones.
- Perfect Balance Between Sweet and Tart. The inherent tartness of crisp Granny Smith apples and the bright acidity of cranberry sauce are beautifully mellowed and expertly enhanced by the warm sweetness of light brown sugar and a comforting hint of ground cinnamon in the crisp topping. This thoughtful combination creates a harmonious flavor profile that is neither excessively sugary nor overly sharp, making it incredibly appealing to a wide range of palates. Each spoonful offers a delightful interplay of fruity tang and comforting sweetness, delivering a true taste of autumn and the festive season.
- The Best Crispy, Buttery Topping. The true hallmark of any outstanding fruit crisp is, without a doubt, its topping, and this recipe delivers a spectacular one! Crafted from a blend of all-purpose flour, both granulated and brown sugars, warm cinnamon, and hearty old-fashioned oats, it’s combined with cold, unsalted butter to create a rich, perfectly crumbly, and irresistibly buttery texture. When baked to golden perfection, it provides a satisfying crunch that contrasts wonderfully with the soft, tender, and bubbly fruit filling below. It’s the kind of topping that’s so good, you’ll be tempted to sneak spoonfuls before it even hits the oven!
- A Delicious and Creative Way to Repurpose Holiday Leftovers. Instead of letting your extra cranberry sauce linger forgotten in the back of the refrigerator, transform it into something entirely new and exciting. This recipe embodies the spirit of resourceful and creative holiday cooking, turning what might otherwise go to waste into a luxurious and highly anticipated treat. It’s a testament to how simple, humble ingredients, when combined thoughtfully and imaginatively, can create extraordinary culinary results, extending the festive flavors and enjoyment long after the main holiday meal has concluded.
- Comforting and Versatile for Any Occasion. There’s nothing quite like a warm fruit crisp to provide ultimate comfort on a chilly evening or a cozy afternoon. This dessert is perfect for intimate family gatherings, a quiet evening in, or even as a delightful offering for holiday guests. Its inherent versatility also means you can easily customize it with different spices (like a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom), nuts (chopped pecans or walnuts), or even a mix of other fruits if you have them on hand. However, the classic cranberry apple combination is truly divine and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Essential Ingredients You’ll Need for This Delightful Crisp
- Granny Smith Apples: Just like in my popular recipe for Caramel Apple Monkey Bread, I consistently find the robust tartness and firm, crisp texture of Granny Smith apples to be ideally suited for baking applications like this crisp. These apples hold their shape beautifully even after prolonged baking, preventing a mushy filling, and provide a refreshing, bright contrast to the inherent sweetness of the cranberry sauce and the rich crisp topping. If Granny Smiths aren’t your absolute favorite, feel free to experiment with other firm, tart-sweet apples such as Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or even a mix of varieties for a more complex and nuanced flavor profile in your crisp.
- Leftover Cranberry Sauce: This is the ingenious star ingredient that truly transforms this into a “leftover” masterpiece! It adds a wonderfully tangy, fruity, and slightly acidic component that marries exquisitely with the apples, creating a deeper and more interesting flavor than apples alone. For the absolute best results, it is highly recommended to opt for a whole-berry cranberry sauce, whether it’s a homemade batch or a high-quality store-bought version. The natural texture and superior depth of flavor from whole berries are far superior to the smooth, jellied, canned variety, ensuring a richer, more authentic and texturally appealing taste in your finished crisp.
- All-Purpose Flour: A fundamental and indispensable ingredient for the crisp topping, all-purpose flour serves to bind the other dry ingredients together. When properly combined with cold butter, it creates that signature crumbly, streusel-like texture that browns beautifully and crisps up in the oven, forming a satisfyingly crunchy and golden layer over the warm fruit. Its presence is essential for achieving the perfect topping consistency and structure.
- Granulated Sugar: A precisely measured amount of white granulated sugar is added to the crisp topping. Its primary role is to enhance the natural sweetness of the apples and to perfectly balance the tartness inherent in the cranberry sauce. Additionally, granulated sugar contributes to the desired golden hue and delicate caramelization that occurs on the topping during the baking process.
- Light Brown Sugar: This ingredient is crucial for providing a deeper, more complex sweetness with delightful notes of molasses, lending a rich, almost caramel-like flavor to the crisp topping. The natural moisture content in light brown sugar also plays a significant role in creating a wonderfully chewy yet crisp texture, elevating the overall indulgence and mouthfeel of the dessert.
- Ground Cinnamon: This classic and beloved spice is absolutely indispensable in any apple crisp. Ground cinnamon generously infuses the topping with a warm, inviting, and highly aromatic flavor that beautifully complements and harmonizes with both the sweet apples and the tart cranberries. It instantly evokes cozy autumnal feelings and adds a comforting depth and complexity to every single bite.
- Old-Fashioned Oats: Crucial for achieving the characteristic texture of a perfect crisp, old-fashioned (also known as rolled) oats add a delightful heartiness and a pleasant, satisfying chew to the topping. They toast up beautifully in the oven, contributing significantly to the golden-brown appearance and providing a rustic, wholesome, and comforting feel to the dessert. It’s important to avoid instant or quick oats, as they tend to become mushy and lose their distinct texture when baked.
- Cold Unsalted Butter: Using cold, precisely cubed unsalted butter is the absolute key to achieving that perfectly crumbly, rich, and buttery crisp topping. When the cold butter is cut into the dry ingredients, it creates tiny pockets of steam during baking. These steam pockets are what ultimately result in a lighter, flakier, and more tender texture in the topping. Ensure your butter is very cold and firm for the best results. You’ll also need a little extra unsalted butter for thoroughly greasing your baking dish.
- Ice Cream or Whipped Cream: While technically optional, these creamy and cool toppings are highly recommended for serving, as they truly complete the dessert experience. A scoop of cold vanilla ice cream slowly melting over the warm, bubbly crisp, or a generous dollop of freshly made homemade whipped cream, adds a luxurious creamy contrast in both temperature and texture that elevates this incredible post-holiday dessert to new heights of deliciousness.
For precise measurements and full nutritional information, please refer to the detailed recipe card at the very end of this article.
How to Make Leftover Cranberry Sauce and Apple Crisp: Step-by-Step Guide
- Preheat Your Oven and Prepare Your Baking Dish. Before you begin assembling the components of your delightful crisp, ensure your oven is properly ready for baking. Preheat it accurately to 350ºF (175ºC). Next, prepare an 8×8-inch baking dish by lightly but thoroughly greasing it with unsalted butter. This crucial initial step serves multiple purposes: it prevents the fruit filling from sticking to the dish during baking, ensures easy and clean serving of your perfectly baked crisp, and adds a subtle hint of rich, buttery flavor to the delicious crust that forms around the edges.
- Prepare the Apples. Begin by washing your Granny Smith apples thoroughly under cold water. Core each apple carefully, then proceed to slice them into uniform 1/4-inch thick slices. Achieving consistency in thickness is important for even cooking, ensuring that all apple slices become tender at approximately the same rate without some remaining firm while others turn to mush. You have the option to leave the skins on for added fiber, a rustic visual appeal, and a slight textural bite, or peel them if you prefer a smoother, more refined fruit filling.
- Combine Fruit and Cranberry Sauce. In a large mixing bowl, gently toss the prepared and sliced apple pieces with your leftover whole-berry cranberry sauce. Take your time to ensure that all the apple slices are well-coated with the vibrant cranberry sauce, allowing the bright, tangy cranberry flavor to meld beautifully with every piece of apple. Once combined, carefully pour this colorful and aromatic fruit mixture into your previously greased 8×8-inch baking dish. Spread it out evenly across the bottom of the dish, creating a uniform and level layer for the crisp topping.
- Craft the Perfect Crisp Topping. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, combine all the dry ingredients for your delightful crisp topping: the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, packed light brown sugar, fragrant ground cinnamon, and the old-fashioned oats. Whisk them thoroughly and diligently until they are well combined and evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Now, take your very cold, precisely cubed unsalted butter and add it directly to this dry oat mixture. Using your fingertips or a specialized pastry blender, work the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, with some small, pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. This technique is vital for achieving a truly crumbly, golden-brown, and ultimately crispy topping. Finally, sprinkle this delightful oat mixture evenly over the entire fruit layer in the baking dish, ensuring it covers the fruit completely from edge to edge.
- Bake to Golden Perfection. To prevent any potential overflow messes or bubbling juices from dripping onto the bottom of your oven, it’s a good practice to place the assembled baking dish onto a larger, rimmed baking sheet. Carefully transfer both to your preheated oven. Bake the crisp for approximately 32 to 35 minutes, or until the crisp topping achieves a beautiful, inviting golden-brown color and the fruit filling beneath is visibly bubbling around the edges of the dish. This enthusiastic bubbling indicates that the apples are tender and the flavors have properly melded and intensified. Once baked to perfection, carefully remove the crisp from the oven and allow it to cool and rest for about 5 minutes. This short but crucial resting period is essential, as it allows the fruit juices to thicken slightly, preventing a watery consistency when served and ensuring a perfectly set, luscious filling.
- Serve and Enjoy. Once slightly cooled, serve your warm Leftover Cranberry Apple Crisp generously. It’s absolutely divine and satisfying on its own, but for an truly elevated and unforgettable dessert experience, pair it with a luxurious scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream that slowly melts into the warm, spiced fruit, or a generous dollop of freshly made whipped cream. The delightful contrast in temperatures and textures will make this simple yet elegant dessert truly unforgettable for you and your guests.
Expert Recipe Tips for the Best Cranberry Apple Crisp
- Choose Whole-Berry Cranberry Sauce: For a truly exceptional and flavorful crisp, it’s absolutely vital to use a high-quality fresh or frozen whole-berry cranberry sauce. Avoid the jellied, canned variety at all costs, as its smoother consistency and often less robust flavor profile will not yield the same dynamic, tangy, and texturally rich results. Homemade cranberry sauce, with its vibrant whole berries and naturally richer taste, is always the preferred choice if available.
- Uniform Apple Slices for Even Cooking: To ensure that all your apple slices cook through evenly and reach that perfect tender-but-not-mushy consistency at the same time, aim for uniform 1/4-inch thickness. A mandoline slicer can achieve this quickly and precisely, delivering consistent results, but a sharp chef’s knife and a steady hand will also do the trick. Even cooking is key to preventing some pieces from being unpleasantly firm while others become overly soft.
- Don’t Overmix the Topping: When preparing the crisp topping, a light and gentle touch is crucial. Resist the urge to overmix the ingredients, especially once the cold butter has been added. The goal is to achieve a crumbly, textured mixture with visible, small pieces of butter, not a smooth, homogenous dough. Overmixing can lead to a tough or dense topping, whereas a slightly lumpy, rustic mixture will result in a beautifully light, flaky, and crunchy crust that’s truly irresistible.
- Make It Your Own with Added Spices or Nuts: This Leftover Cranberry Apple Crisp recipe provides a fantastic and versatile base, but don’t hesitate to unleash your creativity and customize it to your personal preference! Experiment with additional warming spices like a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, a dash of allspice, or a hint of ground ginger for a deeper, more complex flavor profile that speaks to the autumn season. For an extra layer of delightful texture and richness, consider folding in a handful of finely chopped pecans, walnuts, or slivered almonds into the crisp topping mixture. These thoughtful additions can elevate the crisp to new aromatic and textural heights.
- Topping Protection for Perfect Browning: Keep a close eye on your crisp during the baking process. If you notice the crisp topping beginning to brown too rapidly, particularly during the last 10-15 minutes of baking, there’s an easy fix! Simply cover the baking dish loosely with a piece of aluminum foil. This clever technique will effectively prevent the topping from burning or over-browning while allowing the fruit underneath to continue cooking gently and bubbling to tender perfection.
- Serve Warm for the Best Experience: While certainly delicious at any temperature, Leftover Cranberry Apple Crisp truly shines and offers the most comforting experience when served warm. The warmth intensifies the aromatic spices, makes the fruit filling wonderfully gooey and luscious, and releases all the delightful fragrances. It’s also the ideal temperature for pairing with cold creamy vanilla ice cream or a light, airy dollop of whipped cream, creating a delightful contrast that enhances every bite.
- Storage and Reheating Made Easy: If, by some miracle, you happen to have any leftovers of this delectable crisp (which is highly unlikely!), ensure you store it properly. Once completely cooled to room temperature, cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil. It can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, you can simply place individual servings in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until warmed through. Alternatively, warm the entire dish in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 15-20 minutes until heated thoroughly and the topping regains some of its crispness.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cranberry Apple Crisp
For apple crisps, you generally want apples that are both tart and firm, as these characteristics ensure they hold their shape well during baking and offer a delightful contrast to the sweet topping. Excellent choices include Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Fuji, or even a blend of these for a more complex and nuanced flavor profile. Granny Smith is particularly popular and highly recommended for its consistently balanced tartness and firm texture.
Peeling the apples for this Leftover Cranberry Apple Crisp recipe is entirely a matter of personal preference and can be done or skipped based on your desired outcome. Leaving the peel on adds a bit of extra texture, beneficial fiber, and a lovely rustic visual appeal to the crisp, which many people thoroughly enjoy. If you prefer a smoother, more uniform fruit filling without any textural interruption from the skins, then by all means, go ahead and peel them. Both methods will undoubtedly result in a delicious and satisfying dessert.
You’ll know your cranberry apple crisp is perfectly baked and ready when the topping achieves a beautiful, irresistible golden-brown color and the fruit filling underneath is visibly bubbling enthusiastically around the edges of the dish. This bubbling is a clear indicator that the fruit is hot, tender, and the flavors have properly melded. To further confirm the apples are tender, you can carefully insert a thin knife or a toothpick into a few of the apple slices; it should go in with minimal resistance. If you notice the topping is browning too quickly before the fruit feels tender, simply cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.
Yes, this cranberry apple crisp is a fantastic make-ahead dessert! You can prepare it a few hours in advance, or even the night before, by assembling the fruit filling and the crisp topping separately. Store the fruit mixture, covered tightly, in the refrigerator. Prepare the crisp topping ingredients and keep them in a separate airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake, simply sprinkle the topping over the fruit mixture and bake as directed. This method helps prevent the topping from becoming soggy before baking. Alternatively, you can bake the entire crisp completely, let it cool thoroughly, and then gently reheat it in the oven or microwave just before serving.
Absolutely! Baked apple crisp freezes remarkably well, making it a great option for meal prepping or saving for a future treat. Once your crisp has completely cooled to room temperature, cover the baking dish tightly with a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. It can be safely frozen for up to 3 months without significant loss of quality. To reheat, first thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Then, bake it in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) until it is thoroughly warmed through and the topping becomes crisp again (this usually takes about 20-30 minutes). You might want to loosely cover it with foil during reheating if the topping starts to brown too much.
More Creative Holiday Leftovers Recipes
If you’re still looking for imaginative and delicious ways to tackle your post-holiday bounty, fear not, we’ve got you covered! Here are more fantastic and proven recipes that cleverly transform classic Thanksgiving ingredients into exciting new dishes, ensuring no delicious morsel goes to waste and extending your culinary creativity:
- Leftover Mashed Potato Balls: Delightfully crispy on the outside and wonderfully fluffy on the inside – these make for a fantastic appetizer or an inventive side dish that kids and adults alike will adore.
- Leftover Stuffing Waffles: An incredibly innovative and surprisingly tasty way to enjoy your Thanksgiving stuffing for breakfast, brunch, or even a unique savory dinner.
- The Best Leftover Turkey Salad: A light, refreshing, and incredibly flavorful option perfect for quick sandwiches, wraps, or a healthy lunch, a welcome change from heavy holiday meals.
- 30-Minute Leftover Turkey Chili: A hearty, deeply flavorful, and incredibly quick meal to warm you up on a chilly evening, packed with wholesome goodness.
- Quick Leftover Turkey Soup: The ultimate comfort in a bowl, perfect for a cozy and nourishing meal after the hustle and bustle of the holiday celebrations.
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Leftover Cranberry Sauce and Apple Crisp
Ingredients
- 3 Granny Smith apples
- 1 1/4 cups leftover whole-berry cranberry sauce (See Expert Tips & Kelly’s Notes)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup uncooked Old Fashioned oats
- 4 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, plus more for greasing dish
- Ice cream or whipped cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with unsalted butter to prevent sticking and ensure easy serving.
- Core and thinly slice the Granny Smith apples into uniform 1/4-inch thick slices. In a large bowl, gently toss the sliced apples with the leftover whole-berry cranberry sauce until the apples are well coated. Pour this vibrant fruit mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, packed light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and old-fashioned oats until well combined. Cube the cold unsalted butter, then add it to the dry oat mixture. Use your fingertips or a pastry blender to work the butter into the mixture until it forms coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Sprinkle this delicious crisp topping evenly over the fruit layer in the baking dish.
- Place the baking dish on a larger baking sheet (to catch any potential spills) and bake in the preheated oven for 32 to 35 minutes, or until the oat topping is beautifully golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling merrily around the edges. Carefully remove the crisp from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes. This brief resting period is important as it allows the fruit juices to thicken slightly, resulting in a perfectly set filling.
- Serve your warm Leftover Cranberry Apple Crisp immediately, topped with a luxurious scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream or a generous dollop of freshly made whipped cream for an unforgettable post-holiday treat. Enjoy!
Kelly’s Notes
- This recipe truly works best with fresh, whole-berry cranberry sauce (not the jellied, canned variety). The natural texture and more authentic, vibrant flavor of whole berries are absolutely key to achieving a truly delicious and satisfying crisp.
- I personally prefer the distinct tartness of Granny Smith apples for their firm texture and how incredibly well they stand up to the baking process, maintaining their integrity. I also appreciate the rustic look and the added fiber benefit of leaving the apple skins on. However, you can certainly use whatever apple variety you prefer and absolutely opt for peeling the apples if that suits your taste and texture preference better.
- When combining the crisp topping ingredients, remember that a light touch is always best. Avoid the temptation to overmix; it’s perfectly fine, and even desirable, for the mixture to be slightly lumpy with visible, small pieces of butter throughout. This ensures you’ll achieve that wonderfully crumbly and irresistibly crisp topping texture when baked.
- If you happen to notice the topping browning too quickly during the baking process, especially towards the end of the specified bake time, there’s no need to worry! Simply cover the baking dish loosely with a piece of aluminum foil for the remaining bake time. This smart little trick will effectively prevent the topping from burning or becoming excessively dark while allowing the tender fruit underneath to continue cooking to tender perfection.
- ★ Did you make this delicious Leftover Cranberry Apple Crisp recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below and share your wonderful experience and thoughts in the comments section! Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
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