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}
Marsha Burton says
Hello! I made this pie for the first time this Nov, and I have thoughts/questions. 1. When I mixed up the filling ingredients, there seemed to be a lot of loose sugar. Could I just use less sugar, or am I supposed to pour all that loose sugar in with the cranberries at the start? 2. The cranberries didn’t rise and the cake- like batter didn’t sink. At all. It was a bottom layer of berries (that you couldn’t see) with cake sitting on top. What happened? Thanks!
Mary Younkin says
I add any loose sugar over the top, Marsha. The cranberries should’ve mixed a bit into the batter as it baked. Without being in your kitchen with you, it’s hard to guess what might have gone wrong. It sounds like there might’ve been a bit too much flour in the batter, making it stiffer than usual.
Nancy says
Can you bake this in a glass 9×13?
Mary Younkin says
Hi, Nancy. I’m sure you could, but I don’t know exactly how the baking times/scale of the recipe would change. If you decide to try making the pie in a 9×13, let me know how it turns out! Happy baking.
Lorin says
I made this for the first time last year and EVERYONE loved it, even the ones who aren’t big cranberry fans. I’m making quite a few as gifts! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Mary Younkin says
You’re welcome! I hope everyone loves the pie.
Yax says
Did you like this?
Pam Cicerello says
Hi Mary, My pie is in the oven as I write this & there aren’t any cranberries peaking through the batter with 5 minutes to go. Followed your instructions religiously. I measured the flour by spooning flour into measuring cup and clearing off the excess flour which supposedly the proper way. Batter was nice & fluffy. I’m using a 9” pie plate, generously buttered & I can tell by looking through the glass oven door it will need more time as you suggested. Perhaps 5 minutes. Why are no cranberries poking through? Thank you.
Mary Younkin says
This does happen occasionally, but it isn’t the norm. Were the cranberries wet by any chance? I’ve found that rinsing them can cause them to sink. I typically toss them directly into the cake batter either from the fridge or the freezer, as there is no need to wash them.
Erin King says
Making this for Christmas Monday! Any reason I can’t semi-combined the cranberries to ensure they rise and somewhat mix in? Read reviews about fruit and nuts remaining on bottom and it not being easy to serve. Thanks!
Mary Younkin says
That isn’t something I’ve seen happen, but if you’re concerned, you can toss the berries in a bit of flour before adding them into the batter.
Karen Jones says
Should this pie be refrigerated?
Mary Younkin says
I keep it at room temperature, Karen.
Alizon says
I’ve made this recipe twice now, and I think I’ll be making it a couple times a year for a long time! I choose to use very slightly less sugar, and love it with some vanilla icecream. Thanks for this simple and delicous recipe!
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled you are enjoying the recipe, Alizon!
Janet says
Made this today – amazing! Everyone liked it. But only used 1/2 cup sugar in the batter
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad to hear the pie was a hit, Janet. (And that the sugar can be adjusted without issue!)
Michael Papa says
Took a grand total of 5 minutes to prepare and pop in the oven. For that short amount of time, it is CHEATING how good this thing is. Mouthwatering delicious!!! I’m just sad because all the cranberries sank to the bottom and the pie filling is mostly only the top half. It isn’t spread around like in the pictures. What did I do wrong? Maybe put too many cranberries? 🤔
Mary Younkin says
It’s a surprisingly easy recipe to prep, Michael, but sometimes problems come up. There might have been too many cranberries; the issue might also have been how you mixed the ingredients. Did you stir them together with the sugar and pecans and then top with the topping, or mix everything together? In any case, I’m glad you’re still enjoying the pie. Happy baking!
Megan Westerberg says
So delicious and easy to make. This gem has been added to my holiday must make list.
Mary Younkin says
I’m always glad to hear that one of my recipes has become someone’s favorite, Megan. Enjoy the pie!
Emme says
First time I made the pie the cranberries did not rise and if I hadn’t topped it with cranberries in addition it would have been a sad sight! This seems to be an ongoing problem with other people in the comments so here’s what I did differently the second time around:
* Add a layer of cranberries to the top batter. Use a spatula to spread the batter and have this layer of cranberries only just covered below the batter surface.
Other additions I made for using less sugar and butter with virtually no taste difference:
* Halved the sugar, 1/2 for the topping and 1/4 sugar for the filling. Still came out perfectly sweet and tart. I also did half white sugar and half brown sugar and I felt it gave it a little something!
* Substituted almond extract for vanilla
* used 1 stick of butter instead of 3/4. I did 3/4 the first time and didn’t noticed a difference using just a stick the second time around
*used a premade 9 inch pecan pie crust (adds 10-15 minutes to the oven time) and pecan flour in the filling instead of using chopped pecans
Thanks for sharing this recipe! The pie is amazing and even my friend who is notoriously indifferent about most things said multiple times that it was delicious and took home leftovers! A definite winner, and so easy it feels like cheating! Will definitely be trying the gluten free version.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you were able to adjust the recipe to fit your tastes. I hope you love the GF version just as much; enjoy, and happy baking!