Cranberry Pie
intro
Tangy-sweet fresh cranberry pie with a buttery flaky crust, a bright, festive balance to rich holiday meals, approachable for new bakers.
Ingredients
Steps
Prepare flaky pie crust
In a large mixing bowl, combine 315 grams (2.5 cups) all-purpose flour, 3.75 grams (3/4 teaspoon) fine sea salt, and 25 grams (2 tablespoons) granulated sugar. Add cold cubed unsalted butter, and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to cut butter into the flour until the mixture forms coarse, pea-sized crumbs. Drizzle in 75ml ice cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough just comes together (do not overmix, as this creates tough crust). Split the dough into two equal ~320g discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before use.
Mix cranberry filling
In a separate large bowl, toss rinsed, stemmed 340g fresh cranberries with 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar, 16 grams (2 tablespoons) cornstarch, remaining 15 grams (2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 30ml fresh orange juice, 5ml vanilla extract, and remaining 1.25 grams (1/4 teaspoon) fine sea salt. Stir gently until all cranberries are evenly coated in the sugar-starch mixture, then set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature to let the cranberries release their natural juices.
Roll out bottom crust
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Remove one chilled dough disc from the fridge, and roll it out on a lightly floured work surface to a 30cm (12-inch) circle, about 3mm (1/8-inch) thick. Carefully lift the rolled dough and drape it over a standard 23cm (9-inch) metal or ceramic pie dish, pressing it gently into the bottom and up the sides of the dish. Trim any excess dough hanging over the rim to a 2.5cm (1-inch) overhang.
Assemble the pie
Pour the rested cranberry filling and all its accumulated juices evenly into the dough-lined pie dish, spreading it into a flat, even layer. Roll out the second chilled dough disc to a 28cm (11-inch) circle of the same 3mm thickness, and drape it over the top of the filling. Pinch the top and bottom crust edges together tightly to seal in juices, then crimp the edge decoratively with your fingers or a fork. Cut 4 evenly spaced 2cm slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.
Bake the cranberry pie
Brush the entire top crust and crimped edge of the pie with the beaten 50g large egg, and sprinkle with the remaining 12 grams (1 tablespoon) granulated sugar for a crisp, shiny top. Place the pie on the middle oven rack, with a rimmed baking sheet on the rack directly below to catch any bubbling, sticky juices. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F) and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling vigorously through the steam slits.
Cool and set pie
Once baked, remove the pie from the oven and transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely at room temperature for a full 2 hours, to allow the starchy filling to set fully. Do not slice the pie while warm, as the filling will be runny and will not hold its shape. Serve at room temperature or slightly warmed, paired with freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.
Tips
2.If using frozen cranberries instead of fresh, do not thaw them before mixing into the filling: adding frozen cranberries prevents excess juice release and mushy fruit, leading to a perfectly set filling.
3.Resist the urge to slice the pie early: the filling needs the full 2 hours of cooling time to thicken and set; slicing warm pie will result in runny, loose slices that do not hold their shape.
OMG this cranberry pie was such a hit at our Friendsgiving potluck! I was worried it would be too tart for my kids, but the balance of sweet and tangy is absolutely perfect. Even my pickiest 7-year-old asked for a second slice! It was so easy to throw together too, I didn’t even need to make a special run to the grocery store for fancy ingredients. 10/10 will be making this every holiday season from now on.
This was SO good! I made it for our Sunday family dinner and everyone at the table raved about it. My only tiny tweak was adding a little extra orange zest to the filling because I’m obsessed with that cranberry-orange flavor combo, and it was chef’s kiss. The cook time was totally spot on too—my crust came out perfectly golden and flaky, no soggy bottom in sight. Total game changer for holiday desserts!
Super easy recipe, even for a guy who burns toast half the time! I made this for my office potluck last week and lost count of how many people came up to ask for the recipe. The only mishap was forgetting to cut slits in the top crust at first, oops, but I caught it right before sliding it in the oven. Tasted amazing regardless, will definitely be making this again soon.
I’m so excited to test this recipe for our annual extended family Christmas dinner! Quick question for the group—has anyone tried making this with a gluten free crust? My daughter has celiac and I’m on the hunt for a fun holiday dessert she can enjoy right alongside the rest of us. The filling sounds incredible, I just don’t want the crust to fall apart or have that weird gritty texture some GF crusts get.
Meal prepped this pie on Sunday to have as a little sweet treat after dinners all week, and it held up amazingly! I was worried the cranberries would get mushy after a couple days in the fridge, but it was just as good on day 3 as it was right out of the oven. I warm a slice up for 20 seconds in the microwave and top it with a dollop of whipped cream, and wow—perfection. So straightforward to make, even for a total beginner baker like me, no fussy steps or fancy equipment needed.