Description
This classic Cranberry Pie brings together a buttery, flaky crust with a vibrant, tangy-sweet cranberry filling enhanced by fresh orange juice and zest. Perfect for holiday gatherings or any special occasion, this pie combines the tartness of fresh cranberries with gentle spices and natural sweetness for a deliciously balanced treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the crust
- 1 ½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons (34 g) vegetable shortening, cold and cut into pieces
- 5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
- 5 tablespoons ice water
For the filling
- 6 cups (600 g) fresh cranberries
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh orange juice
- ¼ cup (32 g) cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the crust dough: Add the flour, sugar, salt, vegetable shortening, and butter to a food processor bowl. Pulse the mixture until it looks like wet sand, ensuring fat is evenly distributed for flakiness.
- Add ice water gradually: Slowly drizzle in ice water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition until the dough just begins to hold together. Be careful not to add too much water.
- Form and chill dough: Gather the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Chilling helps solidify fats and relax the gluten for a tender crust.
- Roll out crust: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer and press it into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the edges leaving a 1-inch overhang.
- Shape crust edges: Fold the overhang under to create a thick rim around the pan and flute the edges as desired. Refrigerate the crust-lined pie pan for 30 minutes to prevent shrinking during baking.
- Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, fresh orange juice, cornstarch, flour, ground ginger, salt, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Stir thoroughly to coat the cranberries evenly with the filling mixture.
- Fill the pie crust: Pour the cranberry filling into the prepared and chilled pie crust, spreading evenly.
- Bake the pie: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the pie on the center rack for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling.
- Cool the pie: Allow the pie to cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours 30 minutes, so the filling sets before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use cold butter and shortening to ensure a flaky pie crust.
- Refrigeration times are important to prevent crust shrinkage and improve texture.
- You can substitute fresh cranberries with frozen ones if fresh are unavailable; just thaw before use.
- Cover the edges of the crust with foil midway during baking if they brown too quickly.
- This pie tastes even better the next day after chilling overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10th of pie)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
