Apple Cranberry Crisp
It’s February in Nebraska—which means we’re deep in Comfort Food Season. Around here, potlucks and family dinners are still going strong, and I love any excuse to bring something easy but delicious to the table.
If you’re looking for a no-fuss dessert that tastes like it took hours, this Crock Pot Apple Cranberry Crisp is a must-make. Sweet, tart, and just the right amount of messy, this crisp practically serves itself. But don’t expect it to clean up after you. Bonus points if you time dessert so the ice cream melts juuust enough to make it look like you planned something fancy.
I used cranberries for the punch of tartness, but if you’ve got strawberries, blackberries, or a mystery bag of freezer-burned berries you’re pretending not to notice, go wild. Could you make it with just apples? Sure. Will it be as good? Probably. But this version rules.
Oh, and the secret weapon? Crushed graham crackers. None of that plain oatmeal topping that tastes like health food in disguise. This is dessert. Lean in.
Apple Cranberry Crisp
Ingredients
For the fruit layer
- 4-6 apples, peeled and sliced Mix different types of apples for varying degrees of sweetness or tartness.
- 2 ish cups fresh cranberries I used whatever I had leftover from Christmas recipes.
- 1/4 cup sweetener or sugar or more if your apples are very tart or you throw in extra cranberries.
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon or I love Penzey's Cake Spice which is like apple pie spice mix.
For the topping layer
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- 8-12 graham crackers, crushed We had some leftover from s'mores in the pantry. Use however much you want. I like lots of topping!
- 1-2 cups brown sugar I use the Splenda Brown Sugar and you need less of that than regular brown sugar.
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2-2 sticks butter Depends how much topping you have. You measure butter with your heart!
- 2 tsp cinnamon Or you can add another tablespoon of the Penzey's Cake Spice instead of each individual spice
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cloves
Instructions
- In the bottom of a large crock pot, add apples, cranberries, sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Stir well until combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix the dry topping ingredients together: oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, and spices. Melt the butter in the microwave.
- Layer the topping mix over the fruit in the crock pot. Pour the melted butter over everything as evenly as possible.
- THIS STEP IS KEY: Place a clean kitchen towel over the crock pot before setting the lid on top to prevent condensation dripping on your crisp.
- Cook on Low for 4 hours or on High for 2 hours. I like Low better because there's less chance to burn the edges.
Notes
Kelly Brakenhoff is the author of 15 books and a seasoned ASL interpreter. She splits her writing energy between two series: cozy mysteries set on a college campus and children’s books featuring Duke the Deaf Dog.
In 2025, two of her children’s books were selected for the CBC Favorites Award Lists, honored by teachers and librarians nationwide for excellence in children’s literature. Parents, kids, and educators love the Duke the Deaf Dog books and activity guides because they introduce ASL and the Deaf community through engaging stories.
And if you enjoy a smart female sleuth, want to learn more about Deaf culture, or have lived in a place where livestock outnumber people, the Cassandra Sato Mystery series will have you connecting the dots faster than a group project thrown together the night before it’s due.
A proud mom to four adults, head of the dog-snuggling department, and grandma to a growing brood of perfectly behaved grandkids, Kelly and her husband call Nebraska home.