Spiced Cranberry Pomegranate Crisp

I hope we can all agree that cranberry sauce is the best part of any holiday meal. No?

Well, if you’re looking for more than just sauce to use up those bags of cranberries I know you stashed in your freezer, try this cranberry pomegranate crisp. Lightly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and just a hint of ground cardamom, the crisp comes together in all of 20 minutes. And for those of you who are afraid of pie crusts, worry not – there is not a crust in sight. Instead, the whole ruby mess is topped with a brown sugar and oat crumble that crisps up perfectly in the oven. Leftovers keep well for a few days, if you have any.

A note about the cinnamon - I used Korintje cinnamon, but Ceylon would be nice too. I’d stay away from Saigon in this case – you don’t want your cranberries to be screaming CINNAMON. To read more about the differences between our cinnamons, check out this post.

Topped with a few Almond Pearls from Bazaar Spices, the crisp is holiday-ready.

Note: recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen’s Cranberry Pie

FOR THE FILLING:

One 12-ounce bag cranberries, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (from about 1/2 a pomegranate – save the other half for the kale salad!)

1 apple, any type, peeled, cored, and chopped

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

A few pieces of crystallized ginger, finely chopped

FOR THE TOPPING:

1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground Korintje or Ceylon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in cubes

2/3 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Put all of the filling ingredients in a large pot and bring to a simmer over medium  heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the cranberries have begun to pop and the mixture is lightly simmering.

While the filling is cooking, make the topping. Stir together the flours, sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Then, using your fingers, a pastry blender, or a fork, blend in the butter until it all clumps together and forms small pebble-like clumps. Stir in the oats and walnuts.

Pour the slightly cooked filling into an 8- by 8-inch baking dish, then scatter the topping over all. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the crisp is golden brown and the filling bubbling.

Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream or ice cream on the side. Leftovers keep for a few days and make excellent breakfast.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

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Kara Elder grew up playing in the kitchen cupboards and reading cookbooks for fun while watching her mom cook tasty Mexican meals. After graduating with a degree in Russian, she found herself increasingly interested in reading food blogs and planning menus. Kara is a Bazaar Spices Team Member and works for Joan Nathan, a DC-based cookbook author and food writer. She also writes for the Jewish Food Experience.