Introduction

This cranberry custard pie combines the tart burst of fresh cranberries with a smooth, creamy filling for a delightful dessert. Encased in a fragrant ginger pastry, it’s a perfect balance of spicy and sweet that’s sure to impress your family and guests.

A slice of pie with three visible layers sits on a stack of two white plates on a white marbled texture. The bottom layer is a light beige crust that looks flaky and firm. The middle layer is thick and pink with a creamy texture, while the top layer is a shiny, smooth, darker pink filling. On top, there are three large dollops of white whipped cream that have soft, curved peaks. Next to the slice is a gold fork resting on the plate. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1-½ cup (180 grams) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (30 grams) powdered sugar
¼ cup (50 grams) crystallized ginger
1 tablespoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (113 grams) cold butter, cut into ¼” pieces
⅓ cup milk or water
3-½ cups (16 ounces) whole cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup (227 grams) pure cranberry juice (not a juice blend)
¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
Pinch kosher salt
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3 large eggs

Instructions

Step 1: In a food processor, combine the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, crystallized ginger, ground ginger, and salt. Process for 1 minute until the crystallized ginger breaks into tiny pieces.
Step 2: Add the cold butter and pulse 5 times. With the motor running, pour in the milk and continue processing until the dough forms a cohesive ball around the blade.
Step 3: Scrape the dough onto plastic wrap, form it into a disk, and wrap tightly. Roll the dough out within the plastic wrap to create a tight seal, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
Step 4: Roll out the chilled dough to an 11-inch circle and line a 9-inch pie plate, crimping the edges as desired. Place in the freezer for 10-20 minutes to firm up while preheating the oven.
Step 5: Preheat oven to 375ºF and position two racks: one in the second lowest spot and one in the middle.
Step 6: Line the pie dough with a parchment round and fill with pie weights (dry rice, beans, or lentils). Bake on the lower rack for 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights, then bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the crust is fully baked.
Step 7: Lower the oven temperature to 350ºF.
Step 8: In a medium pot, combine cranberries, cranberry juice, granulated sugar, and kosher salt. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until cranberries burst. Remove from heat.
Step 9: Puree the cranberry mixture with an immersion blender or regular blender. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds, pressing with a spatula. Adjust with cranberry juice if less than 2 cups of puree remain.
Step 10: In a separate bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk and eggs.
Step 11: Gradually whisk the cranberry puree into the egg mixture until combined.
Step 12: Pour the cranberry custard filling into the pre-baked pie crust.
Step 13: Bake on the middle rack for 30-35 minutes, until the custard’s edges appear dry or matte and the center is mostly set but slightly wobbly.
Step 14: Remove the pie from the oven and cool on a wire rack to room temperature.
Step 15: Refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours to finish setting.
Step 16: Serve chilled, optionally with sweetened whipped cream.

Tips & Variations

Using crystallized ginger in the crust adds a wonderful spicy note, but if you prefer less heat, reduce the amount or omit the ground ginger.
For a dairy-free crust, substitute the butter with a plant-based alternative and use water instead of milk.
Fresh cranberries are best in season, but frozen work perfectly for this pie; just thaw before cooking.
If you don’t have pie weights, dried beans or lentils work well for blind baking the crust.

Storage

Store cranberry custard pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, let it come to room temperature or enjoy chilled as a cool dessert. Avoid freezing, as the custard texture may separate upon thawing.

How to Serve

A pie with a crimped golden-brown crust that forms the base and edges, holding a smooth, deep pink filling in the center. The filling is surrounded by a ring of evenly spaced white whipped cream dollops with soft peaks, and three small red berries are placed neatly in the very center of the pie. The pie rests on a white plate, and the background is a dark wood texture with some scattered red berries and green pine leaves on the corners, all replaced with a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use cranberry juice cocktail instead of pure cranberry juice?

It’s best to use pure cranberry juice for the right tartness and flavor. Juice blends or cocktails that contain added sugars and other fruit juices can alter the taste and consistency of the filling.

How do I know when the custard filling is fully baked?

The custard is done when the edges look dry or matte and mostly set, while the center still has a slight wobble. It will continue to firm as it cools and chills in the refrigerator.