If you’ve ever found yourself trying to win over a picky eater at the Thanksgiving table, you’re not alone. Barbara, one of our residents here at Still Hopes, faced that exact challenge years ago when her grandkids, then just six and four, came up to the family home in the mountains for their first Thanksgiving. Like any good grandmother, she knew the secret weapon: fruit, sugar, and a little bit of nostalgia.

She remembered a dish from her church in Cullowhee, North Carolina. The youth group there used to serve a warm, fruit-filled casserole at brunch fundraisers after Sunday services. She called another mom from that group to track it down. The original recipe was long gone, but luckily, the friend had another version to share. Barbara gave it a try.

That was the first Thanksgiving she made cranberry apple casserole. Her grandson Quinn was six then. Now he’s a sophomore at Clemson, and every year since, this dish has had a place on the Thanksgiving table. Even during COVID, when the family had to hand dinner over the porch railing of his apartment, the casserole still made the trip.

This week, I had the absolute pleasure of joining Barbara in her apartment as her Sous Chef...though I really only peeled and cored a few apples. I was locked in as an observer of the magic at work!

After hoodwinking her into making her specialty a few weeks earlier than normal, I assured her the deliciousness would not go to waste. Armed with her casserole and the cutest carrying basket you've ever seen, I began to parade the staff halls offering scoops of still-warm fruity goodness. I didn’t even make it five minutes before the dish was scraped clean and people were asking for the recipe.

So, in the spirit of sharing, here’s Barbara’s cranberry apple casserole. It’s one of those dishes that feels like it’s always been part of the holiday, even the first time you make it.

Barbara’s Cranberry Apple Casserole

Ingredients

Fruit base:

12 oz fresh cranberries
1 to 1½ cups sugar (Barbara uses 1 cup, and I felt it was PERFECTLY balanced)
6–8 Granny Smith apples, cored and thick-sliced
5 tablespoons cornstarch
A splash of bourbon (optional, but highly recommended if no one at the table is under ten)

Topping:

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
¼ cup flour
1 stick butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13x9 glass baking dish with non-stick spray.
Spread cranberries evenly in the dish.
In a bowl, mix the cornstarch and sugar. Pour over the cranberries and stir gently to coat.
Arrange apple slices on top of the cranberries. You can line them up neatly or go a little rustic. Either way works.
Pour the bourbon over the apples as evenly as possible.
In another bowl, mix all the topping ingredients until everything is well combined and the butter coats the dry ingredients.
Spoon the topping evenly over the apples.
Bake uncovered for 1 hour and 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
Let it cool a little before serving. Or just grab a spoon and go in. Your call.

Make-Ahead Tip: You can prep the whole thing a day ahead. Just cover it, refrigerate, and bake it the next day when you’re ready.

A family favorite, year after year.