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}
Dan Sablad says
Can I used the canned whole jellied cranberry?
Mary Younkin says
Unfortunately, that will not work the same way, Dan.
Jodi says
Do you think this could be made a day a head and baked the next day?
Mary Younkin says
I imagine it would work fine, Jodi. However, I’ve never tried that myself.
Lena Webster says
I’m going to try this. I make a cranberry pie with the cranberries boiled in orange juice, grated orange and raisins in a crust but I will try the same combination like this instead of crust!
Mary Younkin says
That sounds delicious too, Lena. Let me know what you think of this one too!
Gisele says
Could this be made without the pecans? Allergy problem.
Mary Younkin says
Yes, this will work fine without the nuts, Gisele.
Carolyn says
How do you store this pie? Should it be covered or will the crunchy crust get soft?
Mary Younkin says
I do not cover this pie, Carolyn.
Krista says
I was thinking about making this the day before a party. Would the pie still be the same texture the next day, and how, should I store it? Thanks!
Mary Younkin says
This will be fine a day later, Krista. I would store it at room temp, very loosely covered. (If you store it airtight, the crust will soften.)
Michelle says
Could you use vanilla instead of almond extract? Not a huge fan!
Mary Younkin says
Absolutely, yes, you can swap vanilla for the almond extract, Michelle.
Kathy says
Is there a substitute for the better? I’m dairy free.
Mary Younkin says
I haven’t tried this with a butter substitute, Kathy.
Jeanne Ketterer says
After you dollop the batter over the cranberries, is it hard to spread? I don’t bake at all but would like to try this recipe.
Mary Younkin says
There will be plenty of batter to spread nicely. This doesn’t need to look perfect, Jeanne.
Janice says
My aunt made this cranberry pie for us in St. Louis, MO, back in the 1950’s. Love it! Tastes great and easy to make.
Mary Younkin says
I am thrilled that you’ve found the recipe and you love it, Janice!
Linda says
Is the cranberry pie freezable? If so, baked or I baked? Thanks.
Mary Younkin says
The baked pie should freeze fine, Linda. You’ll probably lose that crispy crust topping though, when it thaws.
Diane says
Cannot find recipe for Christmas cranberry pie.
Mary Younkin says
Hi Diane! You just scrolled past the recipe card to leave this comment. If you scroll back up, you’ll see it there in a printable format. Enjoy!
Dona Watts says
Would a low carb flour substitute work?
Mary Younkin says
I’ve never tried that myself, so I have no idea how that might work, Dona.
Heather Dawn says
I’ve made this with all almond flour and it was delicious! Didn’t hold together as well but we didn’t care. Add more whipped cream if slightly messy serving bothers you.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you enjoyed the pie, Heather!
Charlene says
Do you need to include the pecans?
Mary Younkin says
You can skip them, Charlene. It will work fine that way. (We really enjoy the nuts for the added crunch though!)
Joni Fontana says
Fantastic pie! So easy and full of flavor. I added orange zest in with my cranberries for an extra burst. It will be a go to through the holidays.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the pie, Joni!
Paula says
We loved the Christmas Cranberry Pie. I put 1 1/2 batch of the filling in with the zest of a large orange. My family wants me to make it for Thanksgiving and I’m going to add a 1/2 tsp of cinnamon to the topping. I added some cinnamon sugar to the top of the first one I baked and it smelled so delicious while it was baking😃.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy that you are enjoying the pie, Paula!
Alison D says
Thanks for sharing this! It looks fantastic and I’ll be making it for Thanksgiving this year!
Mary Younkin says
I hope that you love it, Alison.
Julie says
HI,
How far in advance can you make this cranberry pie?
It looks amazing! Thank you for the video, great job!
J
Mary Younkin says
It will keep nicely for a few days, Julie. I recommend keeping it very loosely covered, so the crisp top crust doesn’t soften. (Humidity will affect it as well.)
Michele says
I’m allergic to pecans and walnuts, do you have any suggestions for a substitute?
Mary Younkin says
You can try an alternate nut. Sliced almonds might work well, but you can also skip them.
Cindy says
Do you think this could be doubled and baked in a 9 x 12 pan, or should I just make two of them?
Mary Younkin says
I think it could probably work that way, but honestly, I’d just do two pans to be sure it cooks properly, Cindy.
Lynn Wehnert says
Can I use vanilla extract instead of almond extract?
Mary Younkin says
You sure can, Lynn. Happy baking!