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Tart Cranberry Pie Recipe
Tart Cranberry Pie
Difficulty: Medium | Total Time: | Active Time: | Makes: 1 (9-1/2-inch) pie

The tart cranberry might seem like an unlikely candidate to star in a pie, especially after Thanksgiving has passed. But pair it with some sweet pears, wintry spices, and orange zest, and voilà—this holiday staple has earned a spot on the table all winter.

Game plan: Baking your pie on a baking stone ensures a crisp, fully cooked bottom crust.

CHOW’s Basic Pie Dough can be made a day in advance; let it sit on the counter a few minutes before rolling out. For tips on how to make a pie crust, watch our video.

This recipe from Chef Alexandra Guarnaschelli of Butter restaurant in New York was featured as part of our Modern Potluck menu.

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 (12-ounce) bags frozen cranberries
  • 3 medium ripe Anjou or Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and cut into small dice
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped, seeds reserved
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk
  • 2 recipes Basic Pie Dough, refrigerated
  • Sanding sugar, for sprinkling
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Heat the oven to 425°F, arrange a rack in the middle, and place a baking sheet (large enough to hold the pie) or baking stone on the rack.
  2. Combine cranberries, pears, and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pears are just tender and sugar is dissolved, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain fruit through a fine mesh strainer, reserving juices in a heatproof bowl.
  3. Transfer fruit to a medium bowl and add vanilla bean and seeds, cloves, corn syrup, orange zest, and enough reserved juices to just moisten the fruit, about 1/3 cup. (The juices should not be pooling in the bottom of the bowl.) Stir to combine; set aside to cool, at least 10 minutes. Place egg yolk and milk in a small bowl and whisk until evenly combined; set aside.
  4. Once the dough has rested and the filling is cool, roll one pie dough disk on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Line a 9-1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate with the dough and trim the excess, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang.
  5. Roll out the second disk of dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness and, using a pastry cutter or knife, cut a 1-inch round opening in the center.
  6. Pour the cranberry filling into the pie plate, and place the second dough round over top to enclose. Pinch the border to seal the two crusts and to create a decorative, fluted edge. Brush egg mixture over top of pie and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
  7. Place pie on the baking stone or sheet in the center of the oven and bake, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F. Cook for an additional 45 to 50 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling and thick. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing.

Beverage pairing: Dashe Dry Creek Late Harvest Zinfandel, California. This late-harvest Zinfandel has all the spice and dark fruit to hold up to the cranberry, and it is on the drier side of dessert wines, making it a perfect noncloying match to this tart dessert.

    Write a review | 5 Reviews
  • Tart Cranberry Pie Recipe
    2

    I'm a 22 year old male, who made this for Thanksgiving in his first attempt at baking. I want to qualify my review, by noting that I switched cranberry bags at the last second, and ended up accidentally using 2 16 oz. bags instead of the 2 12 oz. bags that are called for (8 oz. extra cranberries). However, as "Durke" said - I believe that the extra cranberries just took it from *very bitter* to *inedible bitter*. The pie actually turned out beautifully - and even my mother (who has been making fantastic pies for decades) - took note of some of the elements of this recipe (the egg yolk/milk wash gave the pie a nice sheen). I would say that unless you love (mainly) un-sugared cranberries - doctor this recipe up by adding another cup or so of sugar. The title "TART Cranberry Pie" - doesn't go quite far enough, otherwise. In my humble opinion.

  • I can tell just by looking at this recipe that unless you are a cranberry NUT! this has wayyyyy to many cranberries in it. Too many cranberries means too much of that sour and slightly bitter cranberry taste. A amall tablespoon is great with turkey dinner, but an entire pie! Too much. This recipe would be fantastic as a cranberry compote for a Turkey dinner side dish. You could reduce the juices after straining out the fruit step. And make them all thick and carmel-ly, but still red and sweet tart. Mix the reduced and thickened juices back into the fruit. Serve as cranberry sauce with Thanksgiving dinner.
    If you want a delicious pie with cranberries in it. Look for an Apple-Cranberry pie recipe. Where cranberry is a minor ingredient and apple (or pear) would be the major ingredient.
    If you just can't get enough of cranberries....go for it! Eat this pie baby!

  • I have to ask - what do you with the extra syrup that you strain out of the cranberry-pear-sugar mix? DO NOT throw it away - it is yummy! I haven't figured out yet what to do with it (over ice cream, pancakes/waffles, even as a ham glaze (?) - but it is just too tasty to toss). I think I will try to reduce it and thicken it some more, and put it on some toast in the morning for a little sweet treat.

  • I made this - unfortunately, it was kind of nasty. It made a great cranberry sauce, but the whole thing did not work as a dessert.

  • this sounds like a must try for christmas. yummy!

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