Tart cherries and cranberries make a ruby-red filling that’s sweet, tangy, and perfectly jammy, tucked under a flaky golden crust. Bake it for Thanksgiving or Christmas, and the fruit can go in fresh or frozen with no thawing.
My cranberry cherry pie is a double-crust dessert with a bright, tangy red filling, and cranberries are practically the mascot of the holidays. They show up as cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving and stick around right through Christmas, so a pie built around them feels right at home. I wanted a sweet-tart pie filling that was a winter version of my spring and summer favorite, strawberry rhubarb pie.
I tested this recipe 8 times before getting the balance of flavors and the set on the filling just right. The cherries and cranberries play off each other nicely, while sugar sweetens the filling and just a hint of cinnamon keeps the flavor warm and festive. It’s perfectly thickened so the slices hold their shape while still being juicy and not gummy from too much cornstarch.
This is an easy pie to make, too, provided you are comfortable with a lattice crust (and I’ve given you a work around for that in the notes too!). Nothing needs thawing, so you can bake it whenever the craving hits, not just when cranberries are in season and in the stores.
For more cherry and cranberry desserts, give my Best Homemade Cherry Pie, Cherry Pie Bars, Cranberry Apple Pie, Cranberry Cheesecake, and Cranberry Orange Bread a go.
Why we love this pie recipe!
- The cherries and cranberries are both sharp and fruity, so the filling tastes bold, with cinnamon and vanilla rounding it out.
- Frozen fruit goes straight from the freezer into the pan or the pie, so you can bake it any time of year.
- It’s a holiday showstopper with a rich red filling and a golden crust.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Cranberries: Gives the filling its tart bite and deep ruby color. Fresh or frozen both work. I always buy extra bags during the holidays when they are on sale because they freeze great and can be used all year round.
- Sweet Red Cherries: Adds juicy, tangy fruit that matches the cranberries. Fresh, frozen, or drained canned cherries all do the job. You can use tart cherries if you prefer, but I found that sweet cherries work well since the cranberries offer so much tartness on their own.
- Double-Crust Pie Crust: Makes the flaky bottom and the golden top. My homemade pie crust is the one to use, and store-bought works too.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the tart fruit and helps the juices turn into a glossy sauce.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the juices so the filling holds its shape when sliced. All-purpose flour can stand in, using twice the amount.
- Salted Butter: Adds richness to the filling. Unsalted butter is a fine swap.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and rounds out the sharp fruit. Vanilla bean paste can be used.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds a cozy spice that makes the pie feel festive.
- Water: Adds the liquid the cornstarch needs to turn the cherry mixture into a thick sauce.
How to Make Cranberry Cherry Pie
- Make the pie crust. Start with making your homemade pie crust and chill it in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Make the cherry filling. In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries, water, ½ cup of the granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently until thick and bubbly and the cloudy liquid turns into a clear gel, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
- Add remaining filling ingredients. Stir in the whole cranberries, the remaining sugar, remaining cornstarch, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Fill the pie crust. Pour the filling into the prepared bottom pie crust. Dot the top with small cubes of butter. Roll out the top crust and use it to cover the filling. Follow my step-by-step tutorial on how to make a lattice top pie for more detailed info if this is your first time attempting a lattice crust. Trim and crimp the edges. Alternately, this pie is excellent with a crumb topping, which is included in the notes if you don’t want to do a lattice top.
- Brush with egg wash. Beat an egg in a small bowl then brush onto the top crust with a pastry brush. Sprinkle 2-3 teaspoons of granulated sugar or sparkling sugar over the crust.
- Bake pie. Bake at 425℉ (218℃) for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375℉ (191℃) and bake for another 35-45 minutes until golden brown on top and you can see the filling bubbling thick through the lattice crust. Cover the edges of the pie crust with a crust protector or foil shield to prevent them from burning.
- Cool. Remove the pie from the oven and let cool for at least 4 to 6 hours until completely cool before slicing and serving.
Recipe FAQ’s
The filling keeps thickening as the pie cools, so slicing it while it’s hot sends the juices running. Let it cool completely before you cut in.
Fruit releases a lot of juice as it bakes, and some of it can soak into the bottom crust, especially if the crust isn’t baking through quickly enough. This is more likely to happen when using a ceramic pie plate which is thicker and takes longer to heat up. If this is a common occurence for you (especially not just with this particular pie), I recommend switching to a metal pie plate. It conducts heat more quickly and you are more likely to bake the bottom crust through all the way. My second choice is a glass pie plate over ceramic.
I wouldn’t, since they don’t soften like fresh or frozen ones and you’d lose that tart cranberry bite. Plus it will change the texture of the pie. Stick with fresh or frozen.
The edges take the most heat in the oven, so they darken before the rest of the pie. Covering them with foil or a silicon pie protector while it bakes protects them.
Cover it and keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Yes, baked or unbaked. Wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw a baked pie overnight in the fridge, or bake an unbaked one straight from the freezer with a little extra baking time. For a fully baked, then frozen pie, let it thaw at room temperature then warm individual slices in the microwave for 20 seconds before serving.
Yes, assemble the pie and freeze it unbaked according to the freezing instructions above. Then bake it the day that you need it for the freshest crust.
Tips for Success
- Keep frozen fruit frozen until you’re ready to use it, because thawing lets the berries leak juice early and can leave you with a watery filling.
- Don’t skip cooking the cherry mixture on the stove, because the cornstarch needs that heat to activate and thicken the juices.
- Cut the butter into small cubes and dot them over the filling, so each little piece melts evenly into the fruit instead of pooling in one spot.
- Start the pie at the higher temperature, then reduce it as the recipe says, so the crust gets a head start on browning and the filling can finish cooking without the crust darkening too much.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add 1-2 teaspoons of orange zest for a sharper, tangier citrus note that pairs well with cranberries.
- Stir ½ teaspoon of almond extract in with the vanilla for the classic cherry and almond pairing.
- Add a pinch of ground nutmeg or ground ginger alongside the cinnamon for an even warmer, spicier flavor.
- Use the crumb topping in the notes section in place of the top lattice crust for an even easier finish with a yummy texture and flavor.
More Cranberry and Cherry Recipes You’ll Love
- Best Cranberry Sauce Recipe
- Old Glory American Flag Pie
- Easy Homemade Cherry Crisp
- Cranberry Orange Monkey Bread
- Easy Sparkling Sugared Cranberries
- Leftover Cranberry Sauce Muffins
- Cherry Crisp Cake
- Homemade Cherry Pie Filling
Cranberry Cherry Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2 1/2 cups (353g) all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 Tablespoons cold salted butter cubed
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 6-8 Tablespoons ice water
Filling
- 4 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened pitted sweet cherries (do not thaw)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar divided
- 5 Tablespoons cornstarch divided
- 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh or frozen whole cranberries about 3 cups (do not thaw)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter cubed small
- 1 large egg + 1 teaspoon cold water (for egg wash)
- 2-3 teaspoons additional granulated sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions
To Make the Pie Crust
- Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.2 ½ cups (353g) all-purpose flour, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt
- Using a pastry cutter, cut the shortening and butter into the flour until the pieces of fat are roughly pea-sized. The butter contributes flavor and creates flaky layers, while the shortening makes the dough easier to handle and helps create a tender crust.12 Tablespoons cold salted butter, ½ cup shortening
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. Using a fork, gently toss the flour mixture to incorporate the water a little at a time. Repeat with the remaining water, adding only 2 tablespoons at a time, just until the dough starts to come together. Stop adding water as soon as the dough holds together when squeezed in your hand.6-8 Tablespoons ice water
- Turn the pie dough mixture out onto a surface lined with plastic wrap. Use the ends of the plastic wrap to press the dough together. If it does not hold and looks sandy, there is not enough water and you should add a little more. The dough doesn’t need to look perfectly smooth and you should see flecks of butter in the dough. Divided into discs, wrap tightly, pressing on each disc to fill any available space in the plastic wrap, and refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour to chill and hydrate.
To Make the Filling
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries, water, ½ cup of the granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently until thick and bubbly and the cloudy liquid turns into a clear gel, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.4 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened pitted sweet cherries, 0.5 cups (250g) granulated sugar, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, ¼ cup water
- Stir in the whole cranberries, the remaining sugar, remaining cornstarch, cinnamon, and vanilla. Let cool completely before adding to your bottom pie crust.0.75 cups (250g) granulated sugar, 3 Tablespoons cornstarch, 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh or frozen whole cranberries, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Assembly
- Pour the cooled filling into the prepared bottom pie crust. Evenly place small chunks of butter on top of the filling.2 Tablespoons salted butter
- Roll out the top crust on a lightly floured surface. To make a lattice pie crust, slice the crust into narrow strips. I like them to be about 1 to 1 1/2" inches wide but you can make them as thick or thin as you like. Lay half of the strips across the pie going in the same direction. Fold back every other strip about halfway, then place one strip of pie dough across the remaining strips. Fold the alternate strips back in place, then fold back the other strips that were previously covered. Place another strip perpendicular across the strips. Continue to repeat the process until all strips have been used. Trim and crimp the edges. For a step-by-step picture tutorial, I have a guide for how to make a lattice top pie.
- Whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon of cold water, then brush over the top crust. Lightly sprinkle with 2-3 teaspoons of granulated sugar.1 large egg, 2-3 teaspoons additional granulated sugar
- Bake at 425℉ (218℃) for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375℉ (191℃) and bake for another 35-45 minutes until golden brown on top and you can see the filling bubbling thick through the lattice crust. Cover the edges of the pie crust with a crust protector or foil shield to prevent them from burning.
- Remove the pie from the oven and let cool for at least 4 to 6 hours until completely cool before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Store: Keep the pie loosely covered on the counter for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Let the baked pie cool completely, wrap it tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat: Warm the whole pie or individual slices in a 350°F oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, or heat a single slice in the microwave.
- Make Ahead: Assemble the pie and freeze it unbaked, then bake it straight from the freezer with a little extra time. The crust turns out its freshest this way.
- Crumb Topping: Combine 1 cup (141g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ½ cup softened salted butter in a large bowl. Mash the butter in to the other ingredients with a fork or your hands to create large crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the pie filling, going all the way to the edges and bake as normal. Cover the pie with foil partway through the bake if it is browning too quickly on top.
- Cherries: If using tart cherries instead of sweet, you may want to increase the sugar by 1-2 tablespoons.
