From the crunch of the sugar crust on the bottom to the juicy cranberries to the flaky cake layer on top; Nantucket Christmas Cranberry Pie is cranberry dessert heaven.
This recipe was sent to me by a reader, Maureen. She saw our Cranberry Christmas Cake on Facebook and it reminded her of this pie. She thought we might like it and she was right.
Cranberry Pie
The sweetly tart combination proved to be irresistible! My whole family LOVED this pie and I even ate it again for breakfast. That’s how much I enjoyed it.
If you can’t decide whether to make cake or pie, this recipe is your answer!
Crunchy pecans are added to a mixture of tart juicy cranberries and sugar, then topped with a buttery batter to make ta dessert that’s a little bit cake and a little bit pie.
Is it a pie-like cake? Is it a cake-like pie? I don’t know but I do know that it tastes phenomenal!
Christmas Cranberry Pie
Have you ever made cranberry pie before? I admit that it’s not the first thing I think of when I think of pie but it makes total sense.
We eat a lot of cranberries around the holidays and even more pie so why not put the two together?
This Cranberry Pie recipe is also far less fussy than your typical Christmas Pie. Instead of rolling a delicate pie crust, you simply pour the cranberry filling into a pie pan and top with a batter made from butter, eggs, sugar and flour.
Nantucket Pie
The resulting pie is begging to be served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream. Of course, it’s also perfectly delicious all on its own!
When you’re surrounded by decadent, sickeningly-sweet desserts during the holidays, Nantucket Cranberry Pie is a nice change of pace. It’s still plenty sweet and pleasantly rich without being cloying or heavy.
It works as a dessert and as a fun breakfast or brunch dish. I’m not too big on sweets and this pie was just right for me!
Fresh Cranberry Recipes
This pie is a fabulous way to cook fresh cranberries but frozen cranberries work just as well!
Many of us snack on dried cranberries all year long but don’t do much with the fresh berries until it’s time to make Cranberry Sauce around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I love our traditional Homemade Cranberry Sauce and all the new versions I’ve experimented with over the years like this Hot Pepper Cranberry Sauce.
Fresh cranberries are great for so much more than just sauce! I’ve enjoyed exploring different ways to use these tart berries.
Slightly chewy with a sweetly tart combination, cranberry oatmeal bars are full of cranberries and apples topped with brown sugar and oatmeal crumbs.
This Cranberry Spice Cake is an absolutely perfect cake that takes very little effort to make. There’s no icing, no topping, nothing else is required. This is one of the easiest cakes you will ever make!
Cranberry Christmas Cookies are filled with an abundance of fresh tart cranberries balanced by a buttery sweet cookie. This is not a classically crisp or chewy cookie. I created this cookie specifically to mimic the ever-popular Cranberry Christmas Cake.
Some more of our favorites include Overnight Baked Oatmeal with Fresh Cranberries and the Cranberry Pepper Jam that has become a staple for every cheeseboard we make.
Fresh cranberries are also fantastic in many savory dishes like One Pan Cranberry Chicken and Cranberry Sausage Stuffing.
I’ve made this pie with all-purpose flour and a blend of gluten-free flours. It turned out great both ways.
I’ve listed the gluten-free flours I used in the recipe below but if you’re not after a gluten free recipe, feel free to just substitute each of those ingredients with all-purpose flour.
For more pie recipes you might love, check out my Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie, Lemon Angel Pie, and German Apple Pie.
Apple Pie Bars with Bourbon Caramel Sauce are another fun and tasty take on traditional pie. For a simple yet beautiful pie bursting with seasonal berry flavor, try this Deep Dish Berry Pie.
Check out all of the Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes on this website!
Cranberry Pie Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the filling ingredients and stir to combine. Pour into a generously buttered 10″ pie plate.
- Combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and almond extract and beat again until fluffy. Add the flour and beat once more.
- Spread the thick batter over the cranberry mixture in the pan. I used a small cookie scoop to quickly dollop spoonfuls across the top of the pie. It doesn’t need to look perfect.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, test doneness with a toothpick, just to make sure the topping is cooked through. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Nantucket Christmas Cranberry Pie
Ingredients
Filling Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Topping Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour*
*Gluten-Free Alternative
- ⅔ cup brown rice flour
- ⅓ cup tapioca starch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the filling ingredients and stir to combine. Pour into a generously buttered 10" pie plate.
- Combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and almond extract and beat again until fluffy. Add the flour and beat once more.
- Spread the thick batter over the cranberry mixture in the pan. I used a small cookie scoop to quickly dollop spoonfuls across the top of the pie. It doesn't need to look perfect.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, test doneness with a toothpick, just to make sure the topping is cooked through. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 12/12/13 – recipe notes and photos updated 11/15/22}
Melanie says
This is a keeper! It’s absolutely delicious and so incredibly easy.
Mary Younkin says
I agree, Melanie. Thank you!
Larysa Theriault says
Made Cranberry Pie found it to be very sickey sweet. Could not eat it without icecream to kill some of the sweetness. Ended up pitching it.
Mary Younkin says
Sorry to hear that Larysa.
Diane gossman says
Can you substitute vanilla if you don’t like almond extract
Mary Younkin says
Yes you can, Diane.
Rob says
This was delicious. I used Stevia instead of sugar and used a little less. I baked it for 43 minutes. It really isn’t a pie as it doesn’t slice well. I would call it a cobbler. I added a little cinnamon to the filling.
Mary Younkin says
I am glad you enjoyed it, Rob.