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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 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.
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 12/12/13 – recipe notes and photos updated 11/15/22}
This was amazing and so easy I have not stopped talking about it.
I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying the pie, Juliann!
Too sweet for me, otherwise close to perfect. Easy and quick to put together, the taste is lovely. Will experiment with less sugar, and maybe almond flour in the cake part.
I’m glad you liked it, Beth.
Have you tried it with almond flour?
I made this with Splenda/sugar blend and I still cut back about half of what was called for in the filling and crust. I also used walnuts instead because that’s what I needed to use up. It was INCREDIBLE! I will make this again over the holidays! Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that it was a success, Cathy!
Hi Mary,
Do you have a recipe for a Christmas Stollen?
Cindy
I do not have a stollen recipe, Cindy.
Hi Mary,
Can you please send me a link to your Christmas Stollen. I would like to make a Gluten Free Stolen too if you have a recipe for that?
Thank you,
Cindy
I do not have a stollen recipe, Cindy.
This was a hit at thanksgiving! So much so that I am making little pies as Xmas gifts. It’s absolutely delicious!
I’m thrilled that you like it so much, Molly!
This is amazingly good, simple and beautiful. We loved it for both a dessert and also for breakfast. I subbed vanilla extract for the almond extract. Sooooo good.
I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying it, Jennifer!
I loved this in GF last year, but have had to cut out grains. Have you experimented with almond or cassava flour?
I have not tried converting this to grain free, Kendra.
This pie is amazing and so simple to make! I have even gotten in the habit of buying fresh cranberries and then freezing them so I can make this pie after the holidays. This recipe will not disappoint 👍
YAY! I’m all about having cranberries stashed in the freezer all year long, Shirley. I’m thrilled that you like the pie.
I’m planning to make this today- but don’t have a pie plate that isn’t already in use– what size cake pan could I use instead? 9×9? 9×13?
I’d probably use a 9×13 and know that it will be a little thinner and may cook faster. Alternatively, the 9″ square will work or a round cake pan, just add a few minutes more and check for doneness.
I received this pie as a gift this morning from a good friend. It’s nothing short of amazing and so good I absolutely had to find the recipe ASAP!
My freezer usually has at least 6 bags of fresh frozen cranberries in it but I can see that will no longer be enough.
Thank you Mary, for this and the cranberry cake recipe – I’ll do both and am sure will please my neighbors immensely.
Linda
I’m so glad that you love it, Linda!
This is now one of our holiday favorites! The whole family loved it! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I’m so glad you like it, Beth!
With no holiday parties or big family holiday dinners, I didn’t bake as much as I normally would. Finally got around to making the Nantucket Christmas Cranberry Pie this weekend.
It was super easy and came out delicious. I used fresh cranberries for the filling. In the cake I subbed half the sugar with Swerve granular and used whole wheat flour. Will definitely make it again.
I’m so happy to hear that you like it, Janet!
I love this pie and have made it several times. I have a lot of people to serve today and wanted to double the recipe, however, I only have 3 cups of cranberries in my freezer. Do you think I could add 1 cup of frozen blueberries with it? Would these two taste ok together? Thanks for the recipe!
I think it would work with a mix of both, Kim.
Hi Mary,
Will the GF version last for a few days? Would you only loosely cover it too? I’m hoping to make this for a family in my church and can’t count on having enough time that morning. (I have small kids, etc.). I haven’t made many GF baked goods, so I’m struggling with knowing what’s good to make ahead & how. Also, isthis too tart for little kids?
I loved your cranberry cake so much that I have bags of cranberries in my freezer! 🙂 The cranberries in that are tart the first day and sweeter on the next.
This is a little more tart than the cake, but my kids love it. It will keep nicely very loosely covered for a couple days without any issues.
My husband loves this pie, so delicious
I’m glad you are enjoying the recipe, Helen!
Thanks for this recipe! I made it for our church Thanksgiving dinner & it was a hit! I made the gluten free option using barley flour. My round dish is quite large so I made a recipe & a half. It was perfect and pretty. Look forward to using other recipes from this site.
I’m so glad it was a hit, Kristy!
Its wheat ,rye and barley one has to avoid….
I made homemade cranberry sauce, but it said to strain the cranberries. I don’t waste anything, so I was thrilled to see your recipe! So good!
I’m so glad you liked the pie!
This is one of my all time favorite desserts! I serve it with a butter sauce and a bit of whipped cream! Decadence!!
Butter Sauce
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c butter
1/4/ c whipping cream
1/4/ t vanilla
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and whipping cream. Bring to a boil; simmer over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and, stir in vanilla extract. Serve over warm cake.
I’m thrilled that you like the pie so much!
Closest thing I could find to my original recipe. Mine used a tart pan. I made it every Thanksgiving for years…always demolished.
I’m so glad you like it too!
Hi, this is in the oven now and has been for about an hour, but I’m still getting liquid when I put a toothpick in. The batter also didn’t sink around the cranberries so all I see is a brown top and still liquid underneath. I did your gf version, but followed the recipe. Is this a lost cause?
It’s really hard to guess without being in the kitchen with you, Tanica. Hopefully it baked through for you!