This homemade Cranberry Pie recipe is made from scratch, and it’s filled with all the coziness you need for a holiday dessert! A perfectly-sweet cranberry and orange filling is baked into a simple pie crust, and topped with adorable fall-themed pie crust pieces.
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What’s in this Cranberry Pie Recipe?
Tart, juicy cranberries are tempered with orange juice and plenty of sugar to create a balanced and fruity pie that makes a great contrast to a heavy Thanksgiving meal!
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the pie crust, giving it structure.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the pie crust and the cranberry filling.
- Kosher Salt: Enhances the natural flavor of the crust and filling.
- Unsalted Butter: Helps create delicate, flaky layers in the crust.
- Vegetable Shortening: Has a higher melting point than butter, allowing the crust to bake more evenly.
- Ice Water: Adds moisture to the crust while keeping it cold so that the butter doesn’t melt.
- Cranberries: You can use fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe.
- Orange Juice: Balances the intense tartness of the cranberries. I prefer to use freshly squeezed orange juice from real oranges for a more prominent citrus flavor.
- Cornstarch: Helps thicken the filling so it doesn’t ooze out of the crust when cut.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the sweetness of the pie.
- Egg: Helps the crust bake up shiny in the oven.
Pro Tip: Sprinkle the egg-washed crust with coarse sugar for a bit of sparkle and crunch!
Variations on Cranberry Orange Pie
I love this tart and tasty pie! But if you’re worried about it being too tart for your liking, try mixing it with some sliced apples, pears, blueberries, or raspberries to temper the flavor. You can also mix in chopped pecans or walnuts for a delightful crunch!
Cranberries are notorious for their tart flavor, but this pie balances that out with orange juice and plenty of sugar!
The secret to keeping the dough from sticking is the flour. Dust the surface, dust the rolling pin, dust your hands, and dust the dough with flour as you proceed through the steps. Flour keeps the dough from sticking, but make sure not to overdo it, or it’ll get too dry.
In truth, both fresh and frozen cranberries work equally well for this pie, so use whatever you can find!
I prefer to use a food processor to break up these cranberries so that they release more of their juices and thicken up more easily once cooked into a filling.
How to Store
Store leftover cranberry pie in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How to Freeze
Freeze cranberry pie whole or cut into individual slices tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 4 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions
Decorate this juicy cranberry orange pie with sugared cranberries and dried orange slices, and serve it with pumpkin ice cream! This recipe is definitely one to add to your Thanksgiving pie options.
Cranberry Pie Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour 300 grams
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 8 grams
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
- ½ cup unsalted butter 114 grams, COLD and cut into small cubes (½ stick)
- ½ cup vegetable shortening 92 grams, COLD (¼ stick)
- ½ cup ice water 114 grams
For the Filling
- 20 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries 567 grams (about 6 cups)
- 2 cups granulated sugar 400 grams
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice 76 grams (from 2 oranges)
- 7 tablespoons cornstarch 49 grams (¼ cup + 3 tablespoons)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 12 grams
For Topping
- 1 large egg 50 grams, beaten
- Coarse sugar optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together.2½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add in the butter and shortening. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to combine the ingredients until the butter and shortening are pea-sized pieces or smaller.½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup vegetable shortening
- Add in 2 tablespoons of the water and stir until combined. Add the remaining tablespoons, one at a time, until the dough is crumbly, but begins to come together.½ cup ice water
- Use your hands to gently knead the dough a few times until it comes together.
- Divide the dough in half, form each half into a disc, and tightly wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- On a floured work surface, roll one half of the chilled pie crust into a 12-inch circle. Transfer it to the pie plate and trim off any excess. Fold the edge of the crust under and use your finger and thumb to shape the crust. Place in the refrigerator.
- Roll and cut the second pie crust into shapes using cookie cutters. (Or you can choose to do a lattice pattern or a full top pie crust.) Transfer cutout shapes to a baking sheet and refrigerate while you make the filling.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Add the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, cornstarch and salt to your food processor. Pulse until the cranberries are chopped and the ingredients are evenly distributed, scraping down the sides as needed.20 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries, 2 cups granulated sugar, ⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice, 7 tablespoons cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pour the filling into a pot and cook until the sauce simmers and thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Pour into your prepared pie crust top with cutout pie crust pieces. Egg wash the crust and sprinkle on some coarse sugar. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is browned.1 large egg, Coarse sugar
- Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
Video
Becky’s Tips
- If you want to make pie crust decorations, double the crust recipe.
- If you are using frozen cranberries, there is no need to thaw.
- You can use two store-bought pie crusts in place of the homemade crusts.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
