Nantucket Cranberry Pie Recipe

One of my favorite ways to use cranberries is in Nantucket Cranberry Pie. Cranberries bring a layered flavor to any dish and their beautiful ruby red color complements your holiday table. 

With a perfect blend of pucker and sugar, our Nantucket Pie recipe features plump cranberries and a delicious home-made crust. A must-try recipe perfect for the holiday season.

As a cranberry fanatic, I’ve modified this cranberry pie recipe until it’s reached the perfect balance of sweet and tart. In this post, we’ll dive into how to make a cranberry pie the whole family will go gaga for.

What is Nantucket Cranberry Pie?

While early Fall is all about pumpkin, November celebrates cranberries. Unlike a typical pie, this easy cranberry pie recipe works like a rustic upside-down pie. 

The bottom layer is a deliciously sweetened cranberry sauce-like filling that’s simple to make. Add a few nuts and let the cranberries do the rest.

Topping off the Nantucket cranberry pie is a beautifully balanced cake-like layer that tastes divine. It features a soft layer with a crisp top and a hint of almond flavor. Yummy!

Nantucket Cranberry Pie Ingredients

• Cranberries – fresh or frozen
• Pecans – give them a rough chop
• Granulated sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Unsalted butter – melted and cooled slightly
• Eggs – lightly beaten
• Vanilla extract
• Almond extract
• Salt
• Turbinado sugar – gives the crust a nice crunch

How to Make Cranberry Pie

The prep time is minimal – about 10 minutes. 

Start by rinsing the cranberries and picking out any stems, shriveled berries or debris. Pat them dry and place in a greased pie plate. Top with sugar.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto the cranberry sugar mixture. Carefully spread the topping to cover the cranberries.

That’s it! Done! Pop that pan of deliciousness in the oven to bake.

You can serve the slices plain, or fancy it up with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

When is Cranberry Season?

September through November is the prime time to stock up on cranberries. As the North American cranberry harvest rolls in, you’ll want to pick up as many bags of these delicious bog berries as you can. 

That way you’ll have berries on hand when you crave Nantucket Cranberry Pie in the coming months. 

Cranberries are surprisingly versatile and can be used in a variety of recipes such as cranberry crostini, cranberry cheesecake, cranberry orange cake, oatmeal craisin cookies, cranberry bliss bars, and more. I even like them in Broccoli Salad (don’t judge me until you’ve tried it)! So many cranberries, so little time.

Reasons you’ll love this recipe

• Nantucket Cranberry Pie ticks all the holiday food boxes – easy to prepare, looks pretty and tastes yummy.
• The tart cranberries and not-too-sweet topping are a nice alternative to the typical sweet holiday desserts served this time of year. I love sweets as much as the next person, but sometimes it’s nice to branch out.
• A quick recipe is like gold during the busy holiday season. And this recipe will most likely be one of the easiest dishes you’ll create. Heck, you don’t even need a mixer!
• It’s easy enough for a regular family dinner.
• Clean up is easy peasy – just a bowl and a couple spoons.
• Because this pie is made with fresh cranberries, it counts as healthy, right?! Wink, wink! Work with me here!

More recipes with cranberries

• Cranberry Bread
• Baked Brie with Cranberries and Walnuts
• Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad with Cranberries

Have you had Nantucket Cranberry Pie? Do you consider it a cake or a pie? Inquiring minds want to know what you think.

NOTE: Originally posted in 2015, updated Dec. 2017, Dec. 2018 and Nov. 2021.