Introduction

This Cranberry Gingersnap Pie is a delightful blend of tart cranberries and spicy gingersnap crust, perfect for festive occasions or a cozy dessert. The smooth cranberry curd filling offers a bright, zesty flavor balanced by the buttery, nutty crust.

The image shows a bright red dessert slice on a white plate with a gold geometric pattern, placed on another plain white plate. The dessert has two layers: a thick, smooth, deep red filling on top and a crumbly, brown crust at the bottom. On top of the red filling, there are three sugared cranberries coated in white sugar crystals, placed close to the pointed edge of the slice. More sugared cranberries are scattered on the plate beside the dessert. A fork rests beside the slice on the plate. The background is softly blurred with two more similar dessert slices visible on white plates, all resting on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

10 ounces gingersnaps
2 cups walnuts
5 tablespoons brown sugar
8 tablespoons butter, melted
24 ounces fresh cranberries
3 cups sugar, divided
6 eggs
4 egg yolks
1 cup fresh lemon juice
Pinch of kosher salt
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), room temperature and cut into pieces
Sugared cranberries, for decoration
Fresh thyme sprigs or mint leaves, for garnish

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Step 2: Place the gingersnap cookies in a food processor and pulse until finely ground, about 2 cups. Add walnuts and brown sugar, pulsing to combine. Add the melted butter and pulse briefly until the mixture is evenly mixed.
Step 3: Press the crust mixture firmly into a deep 9-inch pie plate, extending up the sides. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the crust is firm and slightly darkened. Remove and let cool. You can bake the crust a day ahead and store it wrapped at room temperature.
Step 4: In a large saucepan, combine cranberries, 2 cups sugar, and ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens. Let cool slightly, then puree in a blender until smooth.
Step 5: In the same saucepan, whisk together the cranberry puree, eggs, yolks, salt, lemon juice, and 1 cup sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Stay attentive and stir continually to prevent curdling.
Step 6: Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon to remove any solids.
Step 7: Gradually add the room temperature butter pieces to the curd, stirring continuously until fully incorporated and smooth.
Step 8: Pour the cranberry curd into the cooled pie crust and smooth the surface. Chill the pie in the refrigerator for about 2 hours or until firm.
Step 9: Decorate the chilled pie with sugared cranberries and fresh thyme or mint leaves before serving.

Tips & Variations

For a crunchier crust, lightly toast the walnuts before pulsing with the gingersnaps.
Try substituting pecans for walnuts if you prefer a different nutty flavor.
Sugared cranberries can be made by tossing fresh cranberries in simple syrup and then in sugar, drying them on parchment paper.
If you want a less tart filling, reduce the lemon juice slightly or add a touch more sugar to taste.

Storage

Store the pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The filling may firm up more when chilled. Reheat slices slightly in a microwave if desired, but it’s delicious served cold or at room temperature.

How to Serve

A round tart with a golden brown crust filled with a smooth bright pink filling, topped with a generous cluster of sugared cranberries that look frosty and shiny. The tart is placed on a white cloth on a dark wooden table, with a few sugared cranberries scattered around it. A few small pink flowers are placed near the tart at the top edge of the image. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the crust ahead of time?

Yes, the gingersnap walnut crust can be baked up to one day in advance. Wrap it tightly at room temperature to keep it fresh until you’re ready to fill the pie.

What can I substitute for fresh cranberries?

If fresh cranberries are unavailable, frozen cranberries work well. Thaw and drain them before cooking to reduce excess moisture in the filling.