Cranberry-Apple Pie with Pecan Shortbread Crust
Tahquamenon Falls State Park in the upper peninsula of Michigan
Recently we took a color tour in northern Michigan. The colors were beautiful, the air was crisp, and it gave me the annual urge to start baking. So when we returned home, I chose a new recipe from a new book I recently acquired.
One day, a few weeks ago, I was in line at the cashier at Lowes (of all places), and noticed this magazine/book called Southern Living, Special Collector’s Edition, Best Fall Baking. It included 132 recipes of cookies, pies, cakes and more. I looked through it and every page made me drool. I saw this Cranberry-Apple Pie with Pecan Shortbread Crust recipe and decided this would be the first thing I would try from the 132 recipes.
When you see the ingredients, you will understand why I say this is the richest apple pie I’ve ever had. It is delicious, and it’s perfect for the upcoming holidays when you want to make something special. Calorie friendly it is not, but who counts during the holidays?
Cranberry-Apple Pie with Pecan Shortbread Crust
Ingredients: Crust
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 ½ cups butter, softened
- ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Ingredients: Filling
- 3 lb. Gala apples
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ¾ sweetened dried cranberries (you could probably substitute dried cherries)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Garnishes:
- Toasted pecan halves
- Powdered sugar
Steps: Takes about 45 minutes hands on; 3 hours and 55 minutes until serving. Serves 12
Cranberry-Apple Pie with Pecan Shortbread Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool completely (about 20 minutes). Reserve some of the pecans for garnish. Finely grind the rest to make one cup.
- Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer 1 minute, or until creamy; add powdered sugar beating well.
- Gradually add flour, beating at low speed until the mixture is no longer crumbly and starts to come together into a ball.
- Stir in pecans.
- Shape one-third of the dough into a flat, round circle; cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to use.
- Press remaining dough on the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Cover and chill the crust.
- To prepare the filling, peel the apples and cut into ¼ wedges.
- Toss apples together with the brown sugar, dried cranberries, flour and cinnamon.
- Spoon apple mixture into the prepared crust; drizzle with the melted butter.
- Roll reserved dough to ¼ thick in a 9″ or so circle. Cut strips about ½ to ¾ wide and arrange them in a lattice design over the filling, pressing them into the dough at the edges.
- Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes (shield with foil the last 30 minutes to prevent excessive browning), or until the juices are thick and bubbly, the crust is golden, and the apples are tender when pierced with a long wooden toothpick. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Remove sides of pan.
- Place reserved pecans between the lattice strips; sprinkle with powered sugar and it’s ready to serve.
Enjoy!
Mmmmmm!
Dugan's Kitchen 
You are torturing me. When can I swing by to pick up my pie?
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