Description
This simple cranberry pie features a vibrant, sweet-tart cranberry filling with a beautiful crumble topping. It’s an effortless yet special dessert, perfect for busy families, holidays, or any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.25 cups plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 0.25 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 0.5 cup plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- 0.25 to 0.33 cup ice water
- 6 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
- 1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
- 0.25 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 0.5 cup shelled raw pistachios, coarsely chopped (reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare Your Pie Crust: In a large bowl, whisk flour, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and salt. Cut in 0.5 cup very cold butter until pea-sized crumbs form. Gradually add 0.25 to 0.33 cup ice water, mixing until the dough just comes together into a cohesive ball. Form into a disc, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Pre-Bake the Crust: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to a 12-inch (30 cm) circle. Carefully transfer the dough into a 9-inch (23 cm) pie dish, trimming and crimping the edges as desired. Prick the bottom of the crust several times with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes until it looks lightly golden, then remove from oven and reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Make the Cranberry Filling: In a large bowl, gently combine 6 cups cranberries, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest, 1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract, and 0.25 cup cornstarch. Stir until the cranberries are evenly coated and look glossy; this takes only a minute or two.
- Assemble the Cranberry Pie: Pour the vibrant cranberry filling mixture into your pre-baked pie crust. Spread it out evenly.
- Create the Crumble Topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 0.25 cup granulated sugar, 0.25 cup light brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon ground cardamom. Add 5 tablespoons cold butter and rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until coarse, moist crumbs form. Stir in 8 tablespoons of the coarsely chopped pistachios.
- Bake the Pie: Evenly scatter the pistachio-cardamom crumble mixture over the cranberry filling in the pie dish. Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 45-55 minutes at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), or until the crumble topping is a rich golden brown and the cranberry filling is bubbling thickly.
- Cool Completely: Transfer the baked cranberry pie to a wire rack and let it cool completely for at least 3-4 hours before slicing and serving. This crucial step allows the filling to set properly, ensuring clean, beautiful slices.
Notes
Use fresh or frozen cranberries; no need to thaw if frozen. Lemon zest is a good substitution for orange zest. If the crumble browns too quickly, loosely tent the pie with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Cool completely for 3-4 hours to allow the filling to set properly before slicing.
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (from a 9-inch pie)
- Calories: 400 calories
- Sugar: 40 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg