Pioneer Woman Cranberry Crisp

Pioneer Woman cranberry crisp is an easy holiday dessert made with fresh cranberries, orange zest and a buttery oat topping, ready in about an hour. That makes it a perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert for anyone who wants something simpler than pie, since the whole thing bakes in one dish.

The topping is where this crisp wins or loses, so you cut cold butter into the flour and oats until it clumps like cookie dough. Those chunky pieces hold their shape in the oven, which gives you a crunchy golden crust instead of a sandy layer that melts away.

Most cranberry crisps use sugar alone to tame the tartness, but this version stirs orange zest, juice and ground ginger into the filling. White chocolate chips go on top in the last few minutes, and they add a creamy sweetness you will not find in a standard recipe.

Pioneer Woman Cranberry Crisp

Recipe by Bilel

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Calories

437

kcal

A fruit crisp with a spiced cranberry filling under a thick, crunchy oat and pecan topping, finished with melted white chocolate chips.

Ingredients

• For the Topping:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold salted butter, cut into pieces

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

• For the Filling:

• 24 ounces fresh cranberries

• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

• Zest of 1 orange

• Juice of 1 orange

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• For Serving:

• Vanilla ice cream

Directions

• Make the topping:Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, ginger and pecans in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture clumps together and looks like cookie dough. Set aside.
• Make the filling and bake:Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Toss the cranberries with the brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, cornstarch, vanilla and ginger in a baking dish. Crumble the topping evenly over the cranberries. Bake for 45 minutes, until the cranberries are bubbling and the topping is golden.
• Add white chocolate and finish: Scatter the white chocolate chips over the hot topping and return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until the chips are soft and slightly melted. Let the crisp rest for 10 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 9x13 glass baking dish, Microplane zester grater, Zulay metal lemon squeezer, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Does this crisp work with a different baking dish size?

A 9x13 inch baking dish works if you want thinner, crunchier portions for a larger group. Spread the topping evenly and reduce the first bake by about 5 minutes, since the shallower layer cooks faster.

Can I swap the pecans for a different nut?

You can swap pecans for walnuts, almonds or even pepitas if you need a nut-free option. The topping texture stays the same because the oats and butter do most of the structural work, while the nuts just add crunch.

Why does the filling need cornstarch?

Cranberries release a lot of juice as they bake, so the cornstarch in the filling is what keeps the bottom from turning soupy. Use the full amount called for, since skipping it or cutting it in half gives you a watery crisp that soaks through the topping.

How do I reheat leftovers without losing the crunch?

Warm this crisp for about 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven before serving, since reheating restores the topping's crunch. Microwaving works in a pinch, but the topping softens and loses its texture.

How long should I let it cool before serving?

Let the crisp cool for a full 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven, because the filling needs that time to thicken. Cutting into it too early means the juices run everywhere and the slices fall apart.