If you're looking for something different from pumpkin pie for the holidays, this Cranberry Custard Pie deserves a place on your table.
The filling combines tart cranberries with a rich custard made from cream, eggs, and fresh lemon zest. The result is a pie that is bright, creamy, and not overly sweet. Every bite balances the natural tang of the cranberries with the smooth texture of the custard.
What makes this pie truly special, however, is the cream cheese crust. Cream cheese creates a tender pastry that is easy to work with and bakes up beautifully flaky. It has a slight richness that pairs perfectly with the tart fruit filling.
Whether you're serving it for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or simply during cranberry season, this pie offers a refreshing alternative to heavier holiday desserts.
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Why You Should Make This Pie
- A great alternative to traditional pumpkin pie.
- Tart cranberries balance the sweet custard filling.
- The cream cheese crust is tender, buttery, and flavorful.
- Perfect for holiday gatherings and special occasions.
- Easy to prepare in advance.
The Secret to the Best Pie Crust
Many pie recipes rely on an all-butter crust, but this one uses both butter and cream cheese. The cream cheese adds richness while helping create a tender texture that is less prone to becoming tough. The dough is easy to roll out and holds its shape well during baking.
This style of pastry reminds me of many Eastern European baked goods, where cheese-based doughs are often used to create delicate, flavorful pastries.
Ingredients You'll Need
For the Cream Cheese Crust
- All-purpose flour, salt, unsalted butter, cream cheese, white vinegar or lemon juice, ice water, egg
Tip: Short on time? A refrigerated pie crust will work. However, the homemade cream cheese crust is worth the extra effort and gives this pie its distinctive flavor and texture.
For the Filling
- Fresh or frozen cranberries: Either works well in this recipe. If using frozen cranberries, allow them to thaw slightly before chopping.
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon zest: Lemon brightens the filling and complements the cranberries beautifully. Orange zest can be used for a slightly sweeter citrus flavor.
- Eggs
- Heavy cream
- All-purpose flour
How to Make Cranberry Custard Pie
Step 1: Make the Crust
Combine the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the cream cheese and continue pulsing until the dough begins to come together.
Add the vinegar and ice water. Pulse just until the dough becomes moist. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it well, and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
Step 2: Blind Bake the Crust
Roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish. Crimp the edges, brush them with egg wash, and chill the crust for another 30 minutes.
Line the crust with foil and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until lightly golden around the edges. Remove the weights and continue baking until the bottom looks dry. Allow the crust to cool completely.
Step 3: Prepare the Filling
Roughly chop the cranberries and combine them with the sugar and lemon zest. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, and flour until smooth. Pour the custard mixture over the cranberries and stir gently to combine.
Step 4: Bake
Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Bake until the custard is set and the center no longer jiggles excessively when gently shaken. Cool completely before slicing.
Chef Tips
- Keep the butter and cream cheese cold when making the crust.
- Chill the dough whenever it becomes soft or difficult to handle.
- Do not skip blind baking. It helps prevent a soggy bottom crust.
- Roughly chop the cranberries so they distribute evenly throughout the filling.
- Every oven bakes differently, so begin checking for doneness around the 50-minute mark.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the pie slightly warm or at room temperature. A dusting of powdered sugar is all it needs, but a spoonful of lightly whipped cream is also delicious.
Pair it with coffee, tea, or after-dinner drinks during the holiday season.
How to Store Cranberry Custard Pie
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, wrap the cooled pie tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Frozen cranberries work just as well as fresh cranberries in this recipe.
Yes. The pie can be baked one day in advance and refrigerated until ready to serve.
Absolutely. A traditional butter pie crust will work, although the cream cheese crust adds extra flavor and tenderness.
Yes. Because the filling contains eggs and cream, the pie should be stored in the refrigerator after it has cooled.
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📖 Recipe
Cranberry Custard Pie With Cream Cheese Crust
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour plus more for dusting
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cut into small cubes
- 6 ounces cream cheese cold, cut into small cubes
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon ice water
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
Filling:
- 12 ounces bag of cranberries, slightly thawed if frozen
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 lemon (use the zest)
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Prepare the crust:
- Place flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Add butter and pulse a few times until the mixture resembles pea-size pieces.
- Add the cream cheese and pulse a few more times until the dough comes together.
- Add the vinegar(or the lemon juice), and ice water. Pulse a few more times until the dough is moist.
- Shape the dough into a disk, wrap and refrigerate until firm for at least one hour or overnight.
- Roll out the dough into a 12-inch round. Ease into a 9-inch pie dish. Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp with a fork or just your fingers.
- Brush the edge of the dough with egg and refrigerate again until firm, for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line the crust with aluminum foil and place on top pie weights or dried beans.
- Bake until golden around the edge, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights and continue baking until the bottom of the crust is dry, 5 more minutes.
- Cool completely before adding the filling.
Make the filling:
- Chop the cranberries and combine them with sugar and lemon zest.
- Whisk the eggs with heavy cream and flour in a bowl until smooth. Pour over the cranberries.
- Add the filling mixture to the crust and bake until the filling is set, 50 minutes to an hour approximately.
- Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.
Carol says
I have a nice big bag of cranberries in freezer that I want to use this holiday season.This pie seems like a really lovely way to use them, I just have a bit of concern about this crust. I know that normally a filled pie would require that I blind bake the crust so it is not completely done and then fill and bake. Your pie seems to have the crust fully baked before filling and baked close to another hour. Will crust not overbake before filling has cooked and set a bit?
Gabriela says
The crust is not fully baked.The method is called par-baking. The par-bake helps set the crust without overcooking, and the cranberry custard protects it during the final bake. The method is used for fruit pies in general. Plus, if you're still nervous, feel free to use a pie shield or cover the edges with foil during the last half of baking. I’ve tested this recipe many times, and the crust comes out beautifully every single time! Happy baking!
Carol says
I did not notice the temp for blind baking pie crust was at 350 degrees. Usual temp for baking pie shell is 400 degrees and this will fully bake pie shell in this method in about 15 minutes. That is where I was confused. Whether you call it blind baking, par baking or prebaking, these terms all mean same thing when baking pie crust.
I am also very experienced pie maker but never have tried either this crust or cranberry pie, so I do look forward to trying it!