Cranberry Pie
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If you’re looking for an easy cranberry dessert this holiday season, my version of Cranberry Pie is a great place to start. It’s a mix between a traditional cranberry pie and a Nantucket-style cranberry pie, which tends to be more like a cake. Basically, you get the best of both worlds! Sweet, tart cranberries baked under a soft, buttery batter that holds together like a pie but has a light, cakey top.
Sheila’s Recipe Snapshot for Cranberry Pie Recipe
This cranberry pie is an easy, reliable holiday dessert that everyone loves!
I don’t want to brag, but my whole family goes crazy for this pie, even the grandkids! For me, cranberries are an absolute essential ingredient in the winter, and I’m always looking for easy recipes to use them in.
So I created this cranberry pie with that in mind. All you have to do is toss the cranberries with sugar, pour a simple cake batter over the top, and bake. That’s it!
And honestly, with a store bought crust and an easy-to-make batter, it’s become one of my go-to holiday desserts. It’s simple, reliable, and delicious. What more could you ask for?
Ingredient Notes for Cranberry Pie
- Store-Bought Pie Dough | This is a total time-saver! Use homemade if you have it, but store-bought works perfectly, in my opinion.
- Fresh Cranberries | No need to chop, just toss them in whole.
- Light Brown Sugar | Adds just the right amount of sweetness that balances the tart cranberries.
- Eggs | Give the batter structure and help it bake into that soft, cakey top.
- Granulated Sugar | A little bit of sugar just sweetens up the cake-like filling.
- All-Purpose Flour | You need this to create the cake layer!
- Unsalted Butter | Makes the batter rich and helps it bake up golden and crisp.
- Almond Extract | This is the secret ingredient that gives the pie that classic Nantucket flavor.
Variations and Substitutions
- Extracts: Swap almond extract with vanilla if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Add-ins: Add ½ cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) directly over the cranberries for added crunch. You can also add in some orange zest which always complements cranberries well!
- Frozen fruit: Feel free to use frozen cranberries straight from the freezer. No thawing needed.
- Gluten Free: You will need a gluten-free pie crust and a gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour.
How to Make Easy Cranberry Pie
This cranberry pie recipe is about as easy as it gets! Just mix, pour, and bake.
SHAPE THE PIE CRUST. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Unroll the pie dough and gently fit it into a 10-inch pie plate, crimping the edges.
PREP THE CRANBERRIES. In a large bowl, toss the cranberries with the brown sugar until evenly coated. Spread the mixture evenly over the pie crust.
MAKE THE CAKE FILLING. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs on medium speed for 30 to 60 seconds. Add the sugar and continue mixing until smooth and well combined. Gradually add the flour and melted butter, alternating between the two, and mix until a thick batter forms. Blend in the almond extract and spread the batter evenly over the cranberries in the pie dish.
BAKE WITH EDGES COVERED. Cover the crust edges with a pie shield or strips of aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F.
LOWER TEMP & BAKE AGAIN. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Loosely cover the entire pie with aluminum foil and continue baking for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes to allow the top to turn golden brown. The pie is done when the batter is set and the top is lightly crisp.
More Recipe Success Tips
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Store: Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: If you want the pie warm, you can heat slices in the microwave for 15–20 seconds or in a 300°F oven for 8–10 minutes.
- Freeze: Freeze slices tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nantucket cranberry pie is a classic New England dessert that blends tart cranberries with a sweet, buttery batter. Unlike traditional cranberry pies, which usually have a full fruit filling and pie crust, Nantucket cranberry pie has more of a cake-like topping that bakes over the cranberries.
You can freeze this pie either baked or unbaked. If baked, let it cool completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw overnight in the fridge and warm slightly in the oven if desired. If freezing unbaked, assemble it as usual, wrap well, and bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
No, you don’t need to par-bake the crust for this recipe. The cranberry mixture and batter bake together, so the crust cooks fully in the oven along with the filling. Just make sure to cover the edges with foil or a pie shield to prevent over-browning while the center bakes!
Looking for More Holiday Dessert Recipes?
This easy Christmas rum cake or my cranberry Christmas cake are both family favorites. I have a yummy cranberry orange bread recipe, too!
What to Serve With Nantucket Cranberry Pie
This cranberry pie recipe is delicious on its own, but it’s even with a dollop of whipped cream or scoop of vanilla ice cream. For a pretty garnish, try my candied cranberries on top!
I also love serving this pie with a cup of warm spiced apple cider or my cranberry punch!
Beyond the Recipe
This cranberry pie is inspired by a classic Nantucket dessert that blends tart cranberries with a sweet, simple batter that bakes into a soft cake. Traditionally, the pie didn’t even use a bottom crust, but over the years home bakers have adapted it with crusts, toppings, nuts, and flavor twists!
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Nantucket Cranberry Pie
Ingredients
- ½ pkg. refrigerated pie dough or homemade pie dough
- 3 cups cranberries fresh
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Unroll the pie dough and gently fit it into a 10-inch pie pan, crimping the edges.
- In a large bowl, toss the cranberries with the brown sugar until evenly coated. Spread the mixture evenly over the pie crust.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs on medium speed for 30 to 60 seconds. Add the sugar and continue mixing until smooth and well combined.
- Gradually add the flour and melted butter, alternating between the two, and mix until a thick batter forms. Blend in the almond extract and spread the batter evenly over the cranberries in the pie dish.
- Cover the crust edges with a pie shield or strips of aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F.
- Lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Loosely cover the entire pie with aluminum foil and continue baking for 45 to 50 minutes.
- Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes to allow the top to turn golden brown. The pie is done when the batter is set and the top is lightly crisp.
Notes
- Cover the crust edges early. This prevents over-browning, which is especially important when baking at two temperatures. We want the cake filling to be cooked through without burning the pie crust edges!
- Spread the batter gently. It’s thick, so use a spatula and take your time to cover the cranberries evenly for even baking.
- Don’t skip the aluminum foil tent.After you turn the oven temperature down, loosely cover the whole pie with foil. It keeps the top from browning too quickly while the center cooks through.
- Check for doneness. The top should be lightly crisp, and the center should feel set, not jiggly. You can use a toothpick to make sure the batter is cooked through in the middle.
- Let it cool before slicing. This helps the juices settle and keeps each slice neat!
- Store: Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: If you want the pie warm, you can heat slices in the microwave for 15–20 seconds or in a 300°F oven for 8–10 minutes.
- Freeze: Freeze slices tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm before serving.
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
