This Cranberry Pie brings the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors to your dessert table. It starts with a flaky homemade pie crust, filled with juicy cranberries and finished with a buttery walnut streusel topping. It’s festive, vibrant, and just right for the holidays!
If you’re a fan of sweet-tart desserts, you’ll also love my French Apple Cranberry Pie — another seasonal favorite.
A Festive Cranberry Dessert
Cranberries are a holiday classic — their bright red color and tangy flavor make them perfect for festive desserts. While cranberry sauce often gets all the attention, this pie takes those same flavors and turns them into a cozy, comforting treat.
The crisp crust, juicy cranberry filling, and crumbly nut topping come together beautifully, creating a dessert that’s as gorgeous as it is delicious.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This pie has three simple parts — the crust, the cranberry filling, and the streusel topping.
Pie Crust
Use a homemade pie crust for the best flavor and texture. My go-to no-fail crust turns out perfectly every time. (It makes two crusts, so you can save one for another pie like Chocolate Pecan Pie.)
You can also use a store-bought crust if you’re short on time.
Cranberry Filling
- Cranberries – Fresh cranberries work best, but you can use frozen ones if they’re thawed first.
- Sugar – Adds sweetness to balance the tart berries.
- Flour – Helps thicken the filling as it bakes.
Streusel Topping
- Walnuts – Add a lovely crunch and nutty flavor (pecans work, too!).
- Brown Sugar – Brings rich caramel notes to the topping.
- Flour – Helps bind the topping together.
- Shortening – Creates that perfect crumbly texture.
How to Make Cranberry Pie
1. Prepare the Crust
Roll out your pie dough and fit it into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Trim the edges, fold under any excess, and crimp decoratively (or just press with a fork for a simple finish).
Chill the crust in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling — no need to blind bake!
2. Make the Cranberry Filling
In a food processor or blender, combine the cranberries, sugar, and flour. Pulse a few times until the berries are slightly crushed but not puréed.
Spoon the mixture evenly into your chilled pie crust.
3. Prepare the Streusel Topping
In a small bowl, mix together walnuts, brown sugar, flour, and shortening using a fork or pastry blender until crumbly. Sprinkle this mixture generously over the cranberry filling.
4. Bake the Pie
Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 55–60 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.
If the edges start to brown too quickly, cover them with foil.
5. Cool and Serve
Let the pie cool before slicing. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for the perfect finishing touch.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can prepare parts of this pie ahead to make your holiday baking easier:
- Crust: Make the dough up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Filling: Mix the cranberry filling a day ahead and refrigerate.
- Baked Pie: Cool completely, then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Storage
Store leftover pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It tastes wonderful cold or gently warmed in the oven.
Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Pie
- Beautiful balance of sweet and tart flavors
- Buttery, flaky crust and crunchy nut topping
- Perfect make-ahead dessert for holidays
- Freezes well and looks stunning on any dessert table
Cranberry Pie Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 239
Ingredients:
- 1 (9-inch) pie crust, homemade or store-bought
- 1 lb (454g) fresh cranberries
- 1¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (31g) all-purpose flour
For the Streusel:
- ½ cup (58g) walnuts, chopped
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (31g) all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp shortening
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare pie crust in a 9-inch deep-dish pan and chill.
- In a food processor, pulse cranberries, sugar, and flour until slightly crushed.
- Spoon filling into pie crust.
- In a bowl, combine walnuts, brown sugar, flour, and shortening until crumbly.
- Sprinkle streusel evenly over the cranberry filling.
- Bake for 55–60 minutes, until golden and bubbling.
- Cool before slicing and serving.
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