Looking for a showstopper Thanksgiving dessert to serve guests that don’t want pie? Apple Cranberry Caramel Crumble is scrumptious, and contains the obligatory Thanksgiving ingredients: apples and cranberries. But this is not your everyday, basic crumble; a quick and easy caramel sauce is poured over the filling before covering with a crunchy oatmeal topping. The result is a fruity, gooey, crunchy, and definitely divine dessert that begs for a scoop of highest quality vanilla ice cream or real sweetened whipped cream. Guests will swoon.

The idea for this luscious fall dessert comes from Bill Collin’s excellent cookbook Making & Using Caramel: Techniques & Recipes for Candies & Other Sweet Goodies.. This isn’t his actual recipe, but some of the components have been adapted. It will be difficult for your guests to pass up seconds, even after a full Thanksgiving feast, but rest assured, leftovers at room temperature are almost as good as warm from the oven, and in the unlikely event that there are some, they will be devoured as soon as it’s possible to eat again. After testing several variations on the recipe in the book, here is the adaptation that sent the Official Hancock tasters into dessert paradise:

12 Servings

8 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced, about 6 medium
1 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed and well drained

1 tablespoon Minute Tapioca
1 dash salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground mixed spice, or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Caramel:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:
1/3 cup oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Spray a 9" x 13" shallow baking dish with non-stick spray and place the apples and cranberries in the dish,
3. In a small bowl, mix the tapioca, salt, sugar, and mixed spice; toss with the apple/cranberry mixture.
4. Make the Caramel: Melt the butter in a small saucepan; stir in the brown sugar, cream, coarse salt, and vanilla.
5. Cover the pan and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
6. Uncover the pan, stir the mixture, and let boil for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. After 5 minutes, stir, scrape the sides, and pour the mixture over the apple/cranberry mixture in the baking dish.
8. Make the Topping: Place the oats, brown sugar, and flour in the bowl of a food processor; process until the oats are ground.
9. Bake 45-50 minutes or until the apples are tender and the topping is golden. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature with a scoop of premium vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

Amount Per Serving:
Calories 272 Calories from Fat 118
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 44% Protein 2% Carb. 54%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 13 g
Saturated Fat 8 g
Cholesterol 38 mg
Sodium 220 mg
Total Carbohydrate 37 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 1 g

Vitamin A 11% Vitamin C 9% Calcium 0% Iron 4%