Cranberry Orange Custard Pie is a unique dessert recipe to add to your holiday menu. A flaky pie crust is filled with sweet custard laced with orange zest and tart cranberries for a special Cranberry Pie you will love!
Cranberry Pie
Cranberry Orange Custard Pie is a the perfect addition to your holiday spread. It is a unique pie that is sure to be a hit with the combination of creamy egg custard paired with tart cranberries and the best pie crust recipe.
There really isn’t any fruit that doesn’t taste amazing with custard. I’ve pretty much tried them all. From Apple Custard Bars to Blueberry Lemon Custard Bars, you really can’t go wrong with custard!
Favorite Holiday Desserts
Let’s talk about holiday desserts for a moment. Is your family all about the traditional pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving and assortment of cookies for Christmas? Our family sure is!
While pumpkin pie isn’t at the top of my favorite holiday desserts, cookies are my jam! My personal favorites have always been these Old Fashion Sour Cream Cutout Cookies with Walnut Thumbprints coming in a close second.
From as early as I can remember, my mother has always made the same cookies for Christmas. She consistently makes my two favorites along with Peanut Butter Blossoms and Coconut Straw Hat Cookies.
Each child has their favorite and therefore we can never abandon one of them. That doesn’t mean we can’t add new favorite desserts like this Cranberry Orange Custard Pie though!
Custard Pie
I was longing after one of my favorite desserts recently, Rhubarb Custard Pie. The sweet silky custard balances out the rhubarb in a perfectly flaky pie crust for the most amazing dessert.
It got me thinking how it is ashamed that rhubarb has such a short season. Sadly we are only able to enjoy that wonderful dessert for about a month out of each year while the rhubarb patch is in season.
I realized cranberries would be the perfect substitute for rhubarb! Cranberry Pie sounded delicious. They are both very tart with a similar hard and dry texture.
How to Make Cranberry Pie
This Cranberry Pie recipe was born from my favorite Rhubarb Custard Pie. It really is one of the easiest pies to make and oh so delicious.
Pies are generally an easy dessert to make apart from the pie crust. That can be bypassed with a frozen or refrigerated crust if you aren’t a fan of rolling out dough. I do suggest making the effort though, because a homemade flakey pie crust is a beautiful thing. In my case, I recruit my mother who has mastered a good crust.
Once you have your pie crust prepared in a pie tin, layer some fresh cranberries in the shell. Top it with the custard made from whisked eggs, cream, sugar, flour, orange zest and vanilla.
Can I use frozen cranberries?
Fresh or frozen cranberries work great in this custard pie. If you decide to use frozen, just let them thaw first and pat them dry. This helps avoid too much moisture being added to the custard.
As far as freezing this pie before or after baking it, that isn’t the best idea. With the eggs and cream custard, the texture isn’t going to hold up to freezing well.
How do I know when the custard is set?
No one wants to end up with a custard that is runny in the center. It’s important to bake the custard through, but at the same time you don’t want to overbake the pie.
After the pie has baked for 50 minutes I start to check the custard by shaking the pie slightly. If there is a small 2-3 inch portion in the center that is still slightly giggly, it is done. That portion will set up as the pie cools. If any more of the pie is jiggly, it isn’t done yet.
Unique Pie Recipe
It all came together absolutely beautifully, both visually and in flavor. It was fall dessert perfection! I used the scraps of pie crust to make some leaves and berries to add to the pie after baking it for a little something extra special.
My family happily dug right in and quickly came back for seconds. This Cranberry Orange Custard Pie is a definite winner and something unique you should really give a try to change things up for your holiday dessert spread this year!
More holiday dessert recipes!
Holidays are all about food, with dessert being the grand finale. From cheesecakes and tarts to pies and bars, there are so many amazing dessert recipes you need to try!
- Glazed Apple Pie Bars
- Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
- Salted Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Tart
- French Silk Pie
- Sour Cream Raisin Meringue Bars
Cranberry Orange Custard Pie
Cranberry Orange Custard Pie is a festive and unique pie to enjoy during the holiday season. A flaky pie crust is filled with silky sweet custard laced with orange zest and tart cranberries for a special dessert.
Ingredients
- 10 " unbaked pie shell
- 12 oz. bag fresh cranberries, if frozen, thaw and pat dry
- 1 1/2 c. sugar
- 3 eggs beaten
- 1 c. heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 c. flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. orange zest
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°,
- Place cranberries in the unbaked pie shell.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together and pour over the cranberries.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 400°.
- Reduce the heat to 350° and cover crust with pie crust shield or tin foil. Bake for an additional 40-45 minutes until the custard is set.
- Let cool completely before serving. Store refrigerated.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 8 ServingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 701Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 496mgCarbohydrates: 104gFiber: 4gSugar: 65gProtein: 8g
Provided nutrition data is only an estimate. If you are tracking these nutrients for medical purposes, please consult an outside, trusted source.
Danielle, this pie looks amazing and so pretty! Love the decorative crust!
Thanks so much Melissa!!!
Danielle, Am making this pie now. two questions Why is there 1/2 tsp and 1/4 tsp salt listed in ingredients and because it is a custard do I need to cool and refrig or do I serve immediately.
Sorry about the typo, it should be 1/2 tsp salt. You will definitely want to cool the pie before serving, but it doesn’t need to be refrigerated before serving. I actually most enjoy it after it’s just cooled to room temperature and the custard is a tiny bit warm yet.
That is the most awesome pie. It has become already our favorite. Thank you for this recipe. I actually sprinkled sugar crystals on top for a snowy frosted effect.
Have a Merry Christmas Holiday Season and I will be making this for gifts for sure and another one for us.
I’m thrilled to hear you loved it! I bet the sugar crystals were beautiful!
forgot to STAR it.
I plan on making this pie for Christmas. When looking at the recipe it lists 1/2 tsp salt but when I print the recipe it lists both 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp salt? Which should I use?
Oops – just saw you already answered this question:)
I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Hi
Could you please put in a “jump to recipe” button at the top?
Just added it!
I made this a few weeks ago for a family birthday an fit was a hit! I’m making it for our family Christmas as well. Thanks so much for sharing! This is my new favorite winter dessert!
I’m thrilled to hear you loved it!
Can this pie be frozen?
I’ve never tried freezing a custard pie. My guess is that when thawing it, the crust would become very soggy though.
Hi do you think this will be okay if I make it a day ahead and keep it in the fridge?
The crust looses some of its flakiness, but it’s still good. Just not as great as the same day.
So my sister and I tried this, but the custard didnt bake right or set… it cooked through about and inch around the out side, but it pretty much looked the same as we put it in as. It still tasted delish, it was just runny. Any suggestions?
I’ve made this custard many times and never had it not set. Did you perhaps swap out or change the amount of any ingredients?
It took about 15 minutes longer baking time in my oven to get it set. Perhaps it just depends on the oven?
Hi. I’m making this for Thanksgiving and so excited! Do you know the quantity when substituting stevia for the sugar? Thanks!
by orange zest do you mean like i need to use an orange peel or like an orange extract? sorry a bit new to the cooking terms!
Orange zest refers to grated orange peel.
This is such a legit question for beginning bakers! I once walked all over a grocery store looking for lemon zest and decided you must have to get it from some fancy specialty store and just gave up and didn’t make that recipe. Quite a bit later I learned what zest is and was like D’oh!
BTW, this recipe looks amazing, I plan to make it soon!
What size pie dish is this supposed to be made in? I guessed and used a normal-depth 8-inch, and had about 1/3rd of the custard left over after filling the crust… I’m probably just missing where it specified what size to use, but I’ve looked several times and can’t find it. Super excited to try it when it’s cooled though!
Sorry, I should have been more specific. I use a large 10″ pie plate. I hope it turned out otherwise and you baked off the extra custard!
How can you make this pie low-glycemic, dairy and gluten free? In other words, what can we substitute for the heavy cream and sugar?
You make a different pie! 😉 Lol Sorry, but this pie is centered around the cream and sugar and wouldn’t be very good with those substitutions.
I’m going to try to substitute coconut sugar and coconut cream. That is what I found when looking for substitutes. Wish me luck!
I’m currently at half an hour past the cooking time and the pie is nowhere near set. I used the exact ingredients listed here, I’ve checked it over and over. Kellie LaBadie, you are not alone!
The altitude may affect bake times. I live a mile above sea level and I notice things take a little longer for me sometimes.
I added a bit of cornstarch to the cream to ensure it thickens. It worked out well for me!
I think there was a step missing. Should you have made the custard on the stove before pouring it on the cranberries?!
Nope, the custard sets in the pie when it bakes.
This pie was AMAZING!!!!!
If I could give it more than 5 stars I would
It’s my new holiday go to pie.
I did add a whisper of nutmeg and the cook time was a bit longer than the recipe said – but I just kept checking it every 5-10 mins until the tester came out cleanish.
Next time I may use a tad less sugar – but honestly it’s pretty perfect just as it is.
Has any one tried this with cashew milk or coconut cream as a dairy substitute for the heavy cream?
Looks delicious but I want my daughter to be able to eat it if I make it.
I made it both with dairy cream and coconut cream–delicious both ways!
Good to know it turned out with a non-dairy option!
Just made this for a holiday dinner and it was DELICIOUS–everyone raved and wanted more. And it’s as pretty as it is tasty–a new favorite. I plan to make it year-round, subbing blueberries and lemon zest, etc.
Yum, blueberries sound like a great option as well. Happy to hear you enjoyed it Tina!
Have you tried it with blueberries and lemon zest? Planned on trying it this week and was curious how it turned out!
I have not gotten around to that yet!
I made this pie. The flavor is great and it’s beautiful. I blind baked the crust for 15 minutes to make sure the crust was not soggy. My crust stuck to the pie dish. The instructions didn’t say to grease the pie dish, I don’t know if this was a result of the pre-baking.
Can I use a 9 or 9 1/2 inch deep dish pie dish?
Yes!
Thank you for the recipe! I made it for Thanksgiving and it compliment the other two desserts in the trio perfectly – apple pie and a chocolate hazelnut cream tart. I am a fan of tart desserts and cranberries. I made the following adjustments and everyone loved it.
8” pie plate, TJ’s pie crust, reduced cranberries to a little more than a layer, 1 1/4C sugar, blind baked the crust. Started 10 minutes at 350F and then lowered to 275F for 30 min. Probably could have been shorter bake.
I had the same problem with the filling being runny even after baking it 30 minutes longer than instructed. I am at 5280 feet so I decided to bump up the temperature to 375, then 400 and finallty after 15-20 minutees the custard set! It looks delicious and cant wait to taste it later today.
This looks amazing!
Do you think using a tart pan would be ok instead of a pie dish?
Unless you have an exceptionally deep tart pan, it probably won’t hold a lot of the custard
Oh. My. Gosh! Now I know that perfection exists. This is such a unique fall dessert recipe. It looks incredible! I love the decorative crust so much. I’m so excited at the idea of giving the pie a try. I’m seriously salivating as I’m writing the comment.
Thank you so much for sharing this treasure and such detailed instructions. The info you provide is remarkable. I’m so happy to have discovered your blog. You put so much love into what you’re doing. I will definitely be back for more of the recipes. Keep it up!
p.s. I love the photos you take!
Best wishes,
Ann
Hello, could you please clarify what does it mean “custard is set”.
It means that it is solidified into a gelatin like state.
Question for you! This is my first time making pie. I found *frozen* pie shells. Should I thaw them completely before pouring everything in and baking or is it okay to do it when the crust is frozen? Thank you!!
Yes, thaw it but be sure to keep it cool. You don’t want pastry to get warm. Refrigerated is best.
This is our absolute favorite pie. Because my babe was born in the middle of cranberry season, when I got around to making it, there were no fresh ones in the stores. So, I subbed blackberries. Yummy but suuuper sweet. I think I will stick with it being a fall dish!
Ya, blackberries are far sweeter, so if you do that again, just reduce the sugar quite a bit. The cranberries need far more sugar to balance their tartness.
So I just made this pie and it poofed up like a cake? Nothing like the picture. There’s so many good responses that I’m sure it was my mistake, but does anyone know what I might have done wrong here?
How many eggs did you add? Sounds like maybe there were too many?
Hi-
Would you make this without the crust and with half and half instead of heavy cream?
I wouldn’t personally.
This is my favorite pie and I make it every year at this time! I’m making my own pie crust this year and everything I know about custard require a blind bake, but your blurb about the crust makes me think it isn’t necessary for this one. Is that true? Or should I blind bake it for a while?
I have never blind baked crust for my cranberry or rhubarb custard pies and they always turn out great.
I made this yesterday for Thanksgiving, and it was absolutely delicious! It was easy to make, and it had a great balance of tart and sweet. It was nice to try something different than the traditional pumpkin or pecan pies!
I made this on a whim because I had an extra pie crust. This pie is amazing! It ended up being everyone’s favorite over the pecan, pumpkin, and chocolate pies I served. This is going on the official thanksgiving menu at our house!
Wow, that is impressive that it beat out the classics! So glad it was well received.
Hi Danielle- I want to make this as tartlets to give to my colleagues at work for Christmas. Any idea how many tartlets I could get out of this recipe? Thanks!!
If you make mini pies like these, it should make around 8. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0053SFQ5I/?tag=krafkoch-20
Size matters! If you don’t want to waste any of this deliciousness, make sure you are using a large enough pan!
Wow! This pie is AMAZING!!!! Although mine didn’t look as beautiful as yours, the flavors were perfect! I grabbed one of my regular pie plates (8 inch) and I couldn’t fit all of the custard filling. (Should have paid more attention to the recipe!) My second time around I tripled the recipe and made four 8.5 inch pies for my son’s school bazaar.
You are incredibly generous and ambitious to make so many pies for a bake sale! So glad you loved the recipe!
Just made this for Thanksgiving, and it’s wonderful! It set up beautifully and the flavor combination is so good; pretty photogenic too, although I think I’ll shield the whole pie instead of just the crust next time. My mom is a master baker and she said it was an every-year keeper after her first bite.
It did take significantly longer to bake for me, too, like almost half an hour more, and I don’t think it was ever firm around the edges and just wiggly in the center 2-3 inches. For folks struggling with what “done” looks like, Chef John on YouTube has a strawberry rhubarb custard pie video and it’s a great reference for how a fruit+custard pie like this one moves when it’s finished cooking.
Hello! This sounds delicious but I was wondering why you did not parbake the crust at all prior to adding the ingredients. Do you think the crust would be crisper if you did? Thanks in advance! 🙂
I grew up with my grandmother and mother who never parbaked the crust for custard pies and they always turned out great, so that’s just my preference.