Cranberry Pie
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This simple cranberry pie recipe will make an excellent addition to your Thanksgiving table! This recipe calls for fresh cranberries but frozen can also be used.
Cranberry pie is something you don’t hear too much about. When searching for ideas for Thanksgiving dessert, I noticed that there were only a few recipes for a pie with cranberry filling.
When you think of fall and Thanksgiving, apple cranberry pie, pumpkin pie, and sweet potato pie come to mind. But no one really thinks to make a pie with just cranberries.
Maybe it’s because they are so tart? Maybe that’s why there’s only a handful online?
This inspired me to try and make one that you’d actually enjoy eating. One that wasn’t insanely tart. One that’s enjoyable.
How to make cranberry pie filling?
The fresh cranberry pie filling is pretty easy to make and it’s made completely from scratch. There are a few steps and some wait time but the steps are not hard.
My recipe used fresh cranberries but if you can’t get your hands on fresh ones, you can use frozen and thawed cranberries. You’ll have to make sure you drain them well after they’ve thawed.
I like to pulse my cranberries in the food processor to give them a rough chop. Then I toss them with sugar and let them sit for an hour. The sugar will soften the cranberries which is needed to help them cook down.
After the cranberries have had their hour sugar soak, stir in orange juice, cornstarch, flour, ginger, salt, orange zest, and vanilla. I really like using both flour and cornstarch to make the filling extra thick.
The filling needs to be cooked on the stovetop for just a few minutes until it is thickened before it goes in the crust. This is to ensure that it will set up and congeal into a thick, jammy filling.
Once the fresh cranberry filling has thickened on the stovetop, pour it right into an unbaked pie shell. I’m using a variation of my homemade pie crust recipe. It’s super flaky and develops such a lovely golden color.
Anytime I’m baking a pie with a crust that hasn’t been prebaked, I’ll move the rack to the lower-third position. This is just beneath the center position. This way it’s closer to the bottom element and the crust will cook through and become crisp.
However, I suggest you experiment with your oven to make sure this is an adequate position for baking a pie in an unbaked shell. You may find that you need to lower the rack another position in order to get the crust cooked.
How to know when cranberry pie is done?
This pie bakes at 450°F for 10 minutes and then at 350°F for an additional 20 minutes. You’ll know it’s finished baking when the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown.
If the crust is browning too fast, you can cover the edges with a pie shield or aluminum foil.
The pie needs to cool completely before serving. This will take about 4 hours. I like to refrigerate mine overnight once it has cooled but this is totally optional.
Pie crust variations
I doubled my pie crust and used the second pastry for pie crust cutouts. I’ll leave instructions on how to do that in the recipe notes.
You can also choose to top the pie with the second pastry or use it to make a lattice crust. Refer to my apple cranberry pie linked above in the third paragraph for instructions on how to make a lattice crust.
Tips for classic cranberry pie
- Save yourself some time by making the pie a day in advance! It refrigerates well. I actually prefer it best if refrigerated overnight.
- The pie dough and filling can each be made a day in advance. Store them in the refrigerator then assemble and bake the pie the next day.
More cranberry recipes you’ll love
Cranberry Pie
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 ½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons (34 g) vegetable shortening, cold and cut into pieces
- 5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
- 5 tablespoon ice water
For the filling
- 6 cups (600 g) fresh cranberries
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh orange juice
- ¼ cup (32 g) cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the crust
- Add the flour, sugar, salt, shortening, and butter to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Slowly drizzle in the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough begins to hold together. You may not need all of the ice water.
- Shape the dough into a ball and flatten it into a disc. Wrap the disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the disc of dough into a 12-inch circle. Press it into a 9-inch pie pan without stretching it. Trim the edge so there’s a 1-inch overhang. Fold the excess dough under so it sits upon the rim of the pan and flute as desired. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
Make the filling
- Add the cranberries to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- Combine the chopped cranberries and sugar in a large bowl. Let sit for 1 hour.
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and heat to 450°F.
- Add the orange juice, cornstarch, flour, ginger, salt, orange zest, and vanilla to the cranberries. Stir until well combined.
- Transfer mixture to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 3 minutes.
- Pour the filling into the cold crust and place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350° and bake for 20 minutes, until the filling is bubbling. Cover the edges with a pie shield or aluminum foil if they become too brown during baking.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool at least 4 hours before slicing.
Notes
- Frozen and thawed cranberries can be used if you don’t have access to fresh cranberries.
- Double the pie crust and use the second disc to make pie crust cutouts for decoration. Roll the dough into a 10-inch circle and use a 1-inch leaf & pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter to cut shapes from the pie crust. Place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the cutouts lightly with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake at 375°F for 10-15 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Cool completely and place them over the filling.
- The baked and cooled pie will keep for up to 5 days stored in the refrigerator.
- The pie crust dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- The baked pie freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- The prepared filling can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.
Adapted from Bon Appétit
The pie is in the oven but I have to say it wasn’t until I was stirring the pie filling when I noticed it didn’t actually say what I thought it said about the three minutes. I thought, like gravy you bring it to a boil/simmer and then three minutes but then again you only do that for a minute with gravy. On the other hand, just putting it on the burner for three minutes over medium wouldn’t have much effect at all and would be wilding inconsistent between stovetops. I ended splitting the baby and brought it to a simmer (which took well over three minutes and then put it the pie crust without cooking for three minutes)
At the end of the proscribed cooking time, it is not yet boiling so I must have not cooked it enough?
Hi Jack, you cook the filling over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 3 minutes. The “about 3 minutes” is a guestimated time and will indeed vary between stovetops. That is why a visual cue is given (e.g, until thickened). You will cook until thickened even it takes longer than 3 minutes.
This is my second year making this beautiful pie! I used a deep dish 9in pie so I actually increased the filling by a third! We love the bright flavor of the filling! I was hesitant to use the ginger but it really just adds a warm note that melts in your mouth! It’s amazing with whipped cream, ice cream or I prefer it on its own! It’s rich and jammy, sweet and tart at the same time! Thank you for putting this recipe out there! I’ve shared it with several friends this year! One made the sweetest little cranberry tarts with it! It is going to be a traditional pie for us, I’ll make it every year at least once!
I’m happy to hear the pie was a success for the second year in a row! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!
11/24/21This pie technically turned out perfect. But it tasted like cranberry salad still, even with 2cups sugar. This is not a pleasing recipe I do not recommend it AT ALL !!
Also it called for way too many cranberries – 3 or 4 cups is plenty enough for a 9 inch pie.
I’m sorry to hear you were not satisfied with the recipe. I do understand it’s not for everyone. Cranberries can be overwhelming. The 6 cups of cranberries should be chopped down and in turn, they will take up less volume in the pie shell. So you really do need around 6 cups (600 grams) of fresh cranberries.
I used some of the cranberries that I made today for thanksgiving and added cornstarch, flour, ginger, cranberry juice and chopped walnuts. Still baking in the oven and looks amazing! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, Jackie!
Does the pie filling need to be cooked?? Wanted to kind of use it as an option for a chocolate cake topper kind of like you would do with cherry pie filling.
I would definitely cook the filling. You could use it as a cake topper by cooking it on the stove top until the cranberries are soft and the juices have thickened. Allow it to cool completely before using.
sweet cranberry pie
I wonder could I use lime juice and zest as I have that on hand. Also I have brown sugar no white…sigh I’m no chemist but I really want to try this.
I’m not too sure how well lime pairs with cranberry but using lime zest will change the flavor of the pie. Brown sugar will also change the flavor since it’s made with molasses.
Jen, the recipe looks really interesting, but is it possible to cut the sugar down a bit without sacrificing flavor or making it too tart? I was thinking maybe 1 1/2 cups vs 2 or something.
I really don’t recommend reducing the sugar. That will most definitely leave the pie with a lip puckering taste.
Hey love, I believe it calls for 2 cups because when you make cranberry sauce it’s 1 cup of sugar per 3 cups of cranberry and this recipe calls for 6 cups of cranberries 🙂
I love cranberry pie! This will certainly be on the menu for Thanksgiving!
I love cranberry pie! This will certainly be on the menu for Thanksgiving!