Cranberry Meringue Pie Recipe

Introduction

Cranberry Meringue Pie is a delightful combination of tart cranberry filling topped with a light, fluffy meringue. This festive dessert brings bright citrus notes and a crisp, buttery crust, perfect for holiday gatherings or any special occasion.

Ingredients

• 1/2 recipe Flaky All-Butter Pie Crust
• 12 ounces fresh cranberries
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from about 1 large orange)
• 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1 large orange)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 5 large egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Step 1: Prepare the pie crust according to your pie dough recipe until chilled. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll the dough into a 12-inch disc about 1/8 inch thick and place it in a pie dish. Trim the edges to 1 inch and crimp.
2. Step 2: Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans, making sure weights press against the sides to prevent shrinking. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove weights and parchment. Prick the crust with a fork and bake 7–8 more minutes until lightly browned. Set aside and reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
3. Step 3: In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, 1 cup sugar, orange juice, and orange zest. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until berries pop and mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.
4. Step 4: Optional: Puree the cranberry mixture with an immersion or regular blender until smooth for a stronger flavor and vivid color.
5. Step 5: Strain the cranberry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl using the back of a spoon. Press until most liquid passes through and discard the remaining pulp.
6. Step 6: Whisk the softened butter into the hot cranberry liquid a tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated.
7. Step 7: In a small bowl, whisk together whole eggs and egg yolks. Temper the eggs by adding about a cup of hot cranberry mixture to them while whisking. Pour this mixture back into the remaining cranberry mixture and whisk to combine.
8. Step 8: Return the cranberry curd to the saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking frequently until thickened and just barely bubbling, about 10 minutes.
9. Step 9: While the curd cooks, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until they reach soft peaks, about 1 minute. Increase to high speed and beat 4 minutes more.
10. Step 10: With mixer running, slowly add 1/2 cup sugar and salt to the egg whites. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.
11. Step 11: Pour hot cranberry curd into the baked pie crust and spread evenly.
12. Step 12: Spoon the meringue over the hot curd, spreading to the edges so it touches the crust. Create decorative swirls with the back of a spoon if desired.
13. Step 13: Bake on the bottom oven rack for 20–22 minutes. If meringue browns too quickly, tent with foil without touching the meringue.
14. Step 14: Cool the pie on a wire rack for 1 hour, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving.

Tips & Variations

• For a smoother filling, be patient when pressing the cranberry mixture through the sieve; this step ensures a silky texture.
• Use fresh cranberries for the brightest flavor; frozen can work but may alter texture slightly.
• Adding a pinch of ground cinnamon or nutmeg to the cranberry filling adds a warm spice note.
• If you prefer a less sweet meringue, reduce the added sugar slightly but maintain enough to stabilize the peaks.

Storage

Store the pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best texture, consume within this time frame. When serving, you can let the pie sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to soften the filling slightly. Avoid freezing, as the meringue texture will be compromised.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the pie crust from scratch or use store-bought?

Both options work well. A homemade all-butter crust adds extra flakiness and flavor, but a quality store-bought crust can save time and still produce delicious results.

How do I prevent the meringue from weeping or shrinking?

Make sure to spread the meringue so it touches the crust to seal in the filling and bake immediately after assembling. Using cream of tartar helps stabilize the egg whites and reduce weeping.

Cranberry Meringue Pie Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 76 reviews

This Cranberry Meringue Pie combines a flaky all-butter pie crust filled with a tangy, smooth cranberry curd and topped with a light, fluffy meringue. The pie offers a beautiful balance of tart and sweet flavors, brightened with fresh orange juice and zest. Perfect for holiday celebrations or any occasion that calls for a festive, crowd-pleasing dessert.

• Author: Daniel
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Pie Crust

• 1/2 recipe Flaky All-Butter Pie Crust

Cranberry Curd

• 12 ounces fresh cranberries
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from about 1 large orange)
• 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1 large orange)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks

Meringue

• 5 large egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Make and blind bake the pie crust: Prepare the pie dough according to your recipe instructions up to chilling. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch disc, 1/8 inch thick, and place it in a pie dish. Trim to a 1-inch overhang and crimp edges. Line with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans, pressing weights against the crust sides to prevent shrinkage. Bake for 15 minutes, remove parchment and weights, prick the crust with a fork, then bake another 7–8 minutes until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
2. Reduce oven temperature: Lower the oven to 350°F to prepare for baking the assembled pie later.
3. Make the cranberry curd: In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice, and zest. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the mixture thickens.
4. Optional puree step: Use an immersion blender or standard blender to puree the cranberry mixture until smooth for a more intense flavor and vivid color.
5. Strain cranberry mixture: Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much smooth curd as possible. Discard the solid pulp left in the sieve. Set aside the saucepan.
6. Add butter and temper eggs: Gradually whisk the softened butter into the hot cranberry curd in the bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk whole eggs and yolks until smooth. Temper the eggs by adding about 1 cup of hot cranberry mixture slowly while whisking. Combine tempered eggs back into the curd mixture and whisk.
7. Cook cranberry curd: Return the curd to the saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking frequently, until thickened and just barely bubbling, about 10 minutes.
8. Make the meringue: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed for 1 minute, then high speed for 4 minutes until soft peaks form. With mixer on high, slowly add sugar and salt, beating 2 more minutes until stiff peaks form.
9. Assemble the pie: Pour the hot cranberry curd evenly into the baked pie crust. Spread the meringue over the hot filling, ensuring it touches the crust edges to seal. Create decorative swirls using the back of a spoon if desired.
10. Bake the pie: Place on the bottom oven rack and bake for 20–22 minutes. If the meringue browns too quickly, tent carefully with foil without touching the meringue.
11. Cool and chill: Remove the pie and cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Then refrigerate for 4 hours before slicing and serving. This chilling allows the filling to fully set.

Notes

• The optional blending step for the cranberry curd creates a smoother texture and more vibrant color but can be skipped if preferred.
• Tempering the eggs with hot cranberry mixture is crucial to prevent scrambling when adding eggs to the hot curd.
• Ensuring the meringue spreads to the crust edges will help prevent weeping of the topping.
• If meringue browns too fast during baking, tent gently with foil to avoid over-browning while baking the full time.
• Refrigerate the pie thoroughly before slicing for cleaner cuts and better texture.

Keywords: cranberry pie, meringue pie, holiday dessert, cranberry curd, orange zest pie