This delicious custardy, cranberry pie recipe has everything. Creamy, sweet custard meets bright, tart cranberry, all wrapped up in a buttery, flaky pie crust! This gorgeous make-ahead pie is perfect for the holidays!
Originally posted October 22, 2015. Here’s a flashback:
I found out today that my eyebrows are two different colors. For real. How I have gone my entire life without realizing this is beyond me.
It was the girl at the MAC counter who told me. I am a decidedly un-girly person in many ways, so just the fact that I was at the Mac counter in the first place requires explanation: tomorrow at 8am I am going to be talking about pie on LIVE television.
Don’t get me wrong. I think I’m okay looking. But when someone tells you you’re going to be on LIVE TV, all the sudden your “bushy eyebrows are cool” and “$6 Target tees are okay by me” mantras get tossed out the window, and you start texting all your friends who know stuff about clothes and makeup to HELP PLEASE, don’t let me go on live television with caveman eyebrows.
And then the Mac lady tells you your eyebrows are 2 different colors. I’m just happy the truth came on a day when I was feeling SO SECURE.
How to make custard pie
Have you guys ever had Rhubarb Custard Pie? It is the stuff of legends. No really, Eric’s family has been making it for years, and when I finally tried it for the first time last year I thought I was actually going to die of happiness. It is absolutely my favorite pie. The sad part is that I can’t have it whenever I want. Rhubarb has a pretty short season in the grocery stores, which is such a joke because it grows like a weed.
I wanted to recreate the pie using cranberries, my other favorite super-tart-short-season fruit. The thing about cranberry pie is that people are always mixing it with other fruit, like apples and stuff. I’m a cranberry purist. But if you just cook cranberries with sugar, then you essentially have cranberry-sauce-pie, which isn’t what I wanted. I wanted creamy, rich custard with bursts of tart cranberry flavor throughout.
If at first you don’t succeed, pie, pie again
It turned out awesome! At least it did by the 4th or 5th trial. I lost count. Anyone want pie? There is a lot of pie at my house. How bout a too-runny pie? Or a too-tart pie?
Hey, all I can say is that a reject pie is STILL PIE. If you want the final version you better come like right now because I am eating this thing for breakfast lunch and dinner over here.
Cranberry Pie Filling with Custard
Here’s how to make it for real. Just look at all that custard!
This is my new favorite pie to make for the holidays! It would be such a fun change from pumpkin and pecan on Thanksgiving, and so pretty and colorful for Christmas.
P.S. If you live in Sacramento and you want to see just how mismatched my eyebrows really are, tune in to Fox 40 KTXL at 8am on October 23rd! (If you’re not local, I’ll post a clip later.) UPDATED: Here is the link to the news clip.
P.P.S. This pie is AMAZING when served with Sugared Cranberries. They are super easy. Check out the recipe here!
NEVER enough pie:
The original, legendary Rhubarb Custard Pie: << the recipe that today’s pie is adapted from
Peach Custard Pie: << I’m telling you, custard pie is where it’s at. This is the only type of peach pie I will eat.
Pecan Pie Recipe with Buttery Streusel Topping << you might think this sounds too sweet but you’re wrong. It’s PERFECTION.
Apple Custard Pie with Cinnamon Streusel << the only way I will eat apple pie. I told you I was obsessed with custard pie right??
Butterscotch Pie with Meringue Topping << This is a classic. Butterscotch and meringue were meant to be!!
Crème Brulée Pumpkin Pie << my favorite way to eat pumpkin pie. No custard, but that’s because pumpkin pie is already basically pumpkin. Torch the top with sugar instead!
More great cranberry recipes
Brown Butter Cranberry Tart <<this is a personal favorite of mine! I just love cranberries.
Cranberry Cake with Warm Vanilla Butter Sauce << This is so divine! A family favorite!
Cranberry Cherry Pie with Almond Glaze << OK, I realize I’m a hypocrite as I just said I’m a cranberry purist but I’ve grown up since I originally posted this, what can I say?
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies << the combination of white chocolate and cranberry is the best, right?
Cranberry Cheesecake Pie from Bake or Break
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Cranberry Custard Pie
Ingredients
For the crust:*
- 1/4 cup water, very cold
- 2 cups flour
- 1 & 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup shortening, butter flavored
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 egg, beaten
For the pie:
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup flour, spooned and leveled
- 3 cups cranberries, raw, if frozen, thaw them first
- 2 tablespoons butter, cold, cut into pieces
- water, for brushing
- coarse sugar, for sprinkling
- Sugared cranberries, for garnish
Instructions
For the crust:
- Measure out 1/4 cup water into a glass measuring cup and stick it in the freezer.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
- Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut in the shortening and 6 tablespoons butter. Cut until it looks like coarse crumbs. Don't overdo it!
- In a small bowl beat one egg. Pour out half (into the sink or into another container, or heck, into a frying pan if you're hungry). You can just eyeball it.
- Add the half beaten egg to the cold water that you put in the freezer. Beat it together, then add it to the butter/flour mixture. Stir until it is just coming together, then use your hands to knead it once or twice (only to make it come together). You can add up to a tablespoon more ice water if it is crumbly, though I've never had to do this. Divide the dough in half.
- Generously sprinkle flour onto a sheet of parchment paper (or just a very well floured workspace). Roll the dough with a rolling pin into a circle, using as much flour as you need so that it doesn't stick. Invert the parchment paper onto a deep** 9-inch pie pan and gently peel off the paper. Arrange the pie crust and trim edges as necessary.
- Repeat with the remaining dough, up until the invert step.
For the pie:
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- In a stand mixer or large bowl, beat eggs on medium speed for about 2 or 3 minutes, until they are a light yellow color.
- Add the sugar and beat on medium for one more minute.
- Add the cornstarch and combine thoroughly, scraping sides.
- Add the salt and flour, and beat well.
- Stir in the cranberries with a rubber spatula.
- Pour into the prepared pie crust. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons cut butter evenly over the mixture.
- Transfer (invert) the top crust over the pie and seal the edges.
- Brush the top crust with water and sprinkle with about a tablespoon of coarse sugar.
- Use a sharp knife to vent the pie.
- Cover the pie completely with foil that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.
- Bake on a cookie sheet (in case it bubbles over) in the preheated oven for 55 minutes.
- Uncover the pie and continue to bake for about another 15-17 minutes, or until the crust is firm and golden in the center.
- Remove from the oven and let stand until room temperature, several hours or preferably overnight. You can speed things up by putting it in the fridge if you want.
- Garnish with sparkling sugared cranberries and vanilla ice cream!
- Store covered on the counter. Warning: this means you will take bites of it every time you pass through your kitchen. Sorry in advance.
I made a 1/2 of this pie without pie crust, don’t like it. I must of did something wrong because my was like a cake, no custard.
Hi Jackie! I don’t think this recipe will work without the pie crust, sorry! It seals in moisture. The recipe is correct, it’s based on this Rhubarb Custard Pie.
I am making mini 3” pies and would love to make this one! Any suggestions on bake time? I’d hate to undercook custard not being able to see under the top crust. Let me know if you have any ideas!
I can’t tell you exactly Jessica because I haven’t tried it but the answer is: longer than you think. Haha. The full pie is baked for almost an hour covered, and then some more uncovered. If I were you I would cover your pies from the beginning and bake until the crust is starting to brown even with the foil. Then take it off and finish browning. Let me know how it goes!
If I make this pie the day before serving, how should it be stored? Looks delicious!
Hi Shelly! Store it on the counter, loosely covered! Enjoy!
I’m so excited to make this pie for the holiday, I think the flavor combination sounds amazing! Question – do you think it would bake the same with a lattice top crust? My fear is it that it would change the way the custard sets. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Hi Julia! That’s a great question and unfortunately I don’t have an answer for you! You will just have to test it and see how it goes. Let me know if it works!
Should I just double each of the ingredients if I wanted to make a double batch to make two pies?
Hi Cake! Yep, make two pie crust recipes, and double all the ingredients for the filling. Good luck! Enjoy!
This pie is in the oven right now for thanksgiving tomorrow! I hope it is good! Do I leave it out or put in the fridge? I am serving it tomorrow
Hi Rachel! I prefer to eat this pie room temperature, but you can chill it if you like! I hope you love it! Happy Thanksgiving!
You made my day with your humor. Thank you
Ha, so happy to hear that Chan! Happy Thanksgiving!
It didn’t set 😞 any suggestions as to why. It was really runny.
The last 2 times I’ve made this it hasn’t cooked! I had made successful ones before and I’m not sure where my hand up is. Anyone else have this issue? I beat the eggs the exact time, cornstarch, flour. I’m trying to recook it in a pot now.
That is crazy Laura! How frustrating. I’m so sorry, I’ve never heard of that happening to anyone else. I guess the next time leave it covered and bake for an extra few minutes, more like 90 minutes total? Cranberries in a hot oven should definitely pop after 75 minutes though, as the recipe states. I wonder what’s going on! Let me know how it goes next time.
damn your eyebrows must be a mess!!
For real Jeanne. ;)
I just made this. It’s the most amazing pie I’ve ever tasted. THANK YOU soooooooo much for sharing! It’s seriously so good!
Hooray! I’m so happy to hear that Camille! I love this pie so much, I’m glad you do too! Thanks for coming back to review :)
I would like to know how do you remove a pie from a pie dish to a box without it coming apart?
Hey J.! I’ve never attempted to remove a pie from a pie dish before, I usually slice and serve directly from the pie dish. If you are taking it somewhere, you could bake the pie in a disposable dish and then you wouldn’t have to worry about leaving your dish somewhere.
I made this pie for Christmas Dinner and I love it. It has the perfect balance of sweet and tart. I only had one problem, the top puffed so high and left a void in the pie. Maybe I over cooked? Like I said it was awesome. Just wanted to know how to fix the void. The next day after it was refrigerated top sank in and was ok. Thank you for such an awesome recipe!
Hey Cella! I had one other commenter (M, above) who said the same thing happened to her pie. I’m not sure what to tell you! I made it again for Thanksgiving and had no issues. I wonder what it is.
Made this recipes e a couple of years ago and won first prize at a bake contest at work. I remember reading a note that said cook the cranberries a little before putting them in the pie. I also added some tapioca at that time because I did not see anything about adding flour. I do not see those comments anymore. Has the recipe been updated?
Hey Nancy! I tested this recipe A LOT when I first made it, and I know I updated at least once in the first few weeks after publishing. That might be what’s going on. Honestly though I don’t remember ever having instructions to cook the cranberries first, because it didn’t work when I tried it (there is a picture of a failed pie up there, where I tried to cook first and it didn’t work.) Maybe that’s what you’re thinking of?
How much of a difference would plain shortening make vs butternut flavored? I just realized I didn’t get the right one!
sorry butter- not butternut!
Not much of a difference at all Kaitlyn! If you haven’t made it yet, do 1 stick of butter (8 tablespoons) and 6 tablespoons of shortening. That way the butter flavor will come through more.
My daughter made your cranberry custard pie and brought it to Thanksgiving dinner I hosted – and oh my mouth-watering yumminess- it was AWESOME! And the best part?
My husband – who absolutley hates every sweet ever made – loved it. So I have printed and intend on making this often. He ate the entire pie. Thank goodness we had cake and several other pies for the other 15 guests. He actually HID the pie so no one could have any, haha – but no one minded, because they all know how awesome it is he liked it.
Thanks soooo much for your post about this! One – one last thing: have you ever tried frozen rhubarb? It’s pretty darned good – since fresh rhubarb’s availability is so short.
Have a wonderful Advent season! : – )
A hidden pie! It’s a Christmas miracle! haha! Or Thanksgiving miracle, I guess. That’s so funny Michele. I’m so happy the pie was such a success! I love this one.
Oh my goodness, Karen! I am so glad I found you and this recipe a year after you originally posted it. I just finished eating a piece of the pie I made this afternoon and it is UNBELIEVABLE. I don’t even like pie (I know, I know…)! I made your exact recipe with two exceptions: I reduced the 1/4 cup of cornstarch by 1 Tbsp. at your suggestion, and I used store-bought crust because I was short on time. Yummy and gorgeous! This pie will be an annual tradition for me, for sure. Thank you, thank you. Can’t wait to look through and try out every single one of your other recipes.
Woohoo! I’m so glad the pie was a success! Hopefully it will permanently change your mind about pie :) Thanks so much for your review! Happy Thanksgiving!
I just made this pie again for the second time and am now wondering what took me so long to remake it! It really is amazing… I used store bought crust again and reduced the cornstarch, just like last time. But one issue I do keep having is that the pie puffs up a lot and then falls/cracks in the center when the custard starts to set/firm up. It creates that sort of “pie gap” and makes it harder to cut slices cleanly. I’m wondering what I’m doing wrong and how I get my pie to come out more like yours. (I honestly don’t care about presentation because it’s so good, but if there is an easy change I can make, I’d love to know!)
Hey M! I’m so glad you love the pie! It’s one of my favorites. Honestly, I’m not sure how to fix the pie gap problem! I think I’m making it again for T day this year. i’ll take notes and let you know if there are any more details I can add to the recipe :)