This post may contain affiliate links.
This cranberry meringue pie combines a buttery cookie crust, a smooth and creamy cranberry curd filling, and a generous layer of fluffy, toasted meringue. The tart cranberry filling perfectly balances the sweet meringue, creating a beautiful contrast of flavors and textures in every bite. With its vibrant cranberry color and golden toasted meringue, this elegant pie is a stunning addition to any Thanksgiving or holiday dessert table. It's a fresh and fruity alternative to traditional pumpkin and pecan pies.
What makes this cranberry meringue pie special is the combination of its sweet, tart, and creamy layers. A crisp cookie crust provides the perfect base for the smooth cranberry curd filling, while a generous layer of fluffy meringue adds sweetness and a light, airy texture. The meringue is toasted with a kitchen torch, creating a beautiful golden finish and a subtle toasted flavor. With its vibrant color and elegant appearance, this pie is a stunning dessert for Thanksgiving and the holiday season.
For more fall recipes, try Caramel Chocolate Pie, Chocolate Coffee Pie and Cranberry Orange Coffee Cake.
Jump to:
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Sweet & tart: The tangy cranberry curd perfectly balances the sweet meringue.
- Three delicious layers: A crisp cookie crust, creamy cranberry filling, and fluffy toasted meringue.
- Beautiful presentation: Vibrant pink cranberry curd and golden meringue make an impressive dessert.
- Perfect for Thanksgiving: A refreshing alternative to traditional holiday pies.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here is how to make and bake this Cranberry Meringue Pie.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/ 355ºF conventional oven.
STEP 1: Start by making the cookie crust. Blend the cookies and granulated sugar. Add melted butter to the food processor and blend it together with the blended cookies.
STEP 2: Add the cookie crumbs to the pie pan and press it down so it’s well packed together and flattened out. Bake it and let it cool down. Keep the oven on, but reduce the oven heat to 175ºC/ 350ºF.
STEP 3: While the crust cools, make the curd. In a saucepan add the cranberries and water. Heat them up while stirring until the cranberries start to burst and they have all softened.
STEP 4: Take the cranberries of the heat and add orange zest, orange juice, sugar, egg, and egg yolk to the saucepan. Place it back on the stove and constantly whisk the curd, while heating it up until it starts to thicken and it reaches 77°C to 82°C (170°F to 180°F). Then take it off the heat, and pour it through a sieve over a bowl, to remove the larger cranberry pieces.
STEP 5: Then add the cold butter and stir it together with the curd. Using an immersion blender, blend it until smooth. Pour the curd into the crust and place it in the oven. Bake it for 20-22 minutes. Let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour before placing it in the fridge for 5-6 hours or preferably overnight.
STEP 6: For the meringue, in a mixing bowl of your stand mixer, add the egg whites and sugar. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. With the whisk attachment to your mixer, constantly stir around the mixture until the sugar granules have melted together with the egg whites and it reaches a temperature of 71°C (160°F).
STEP 7: Take it off the heat and place it in your stand mixer, and immediately set it at the highest speed. Let it mix until the meringue creates stiff peaks. Then add the vanilla and whisk it in. Add the meringue on top of the pie and using a kitchen blowtorch, torch the meringue until golden.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
Why Cranberry and Meringue Work So Well Together
Cranberries have a naturally sharp, tart flavor, while meringue is light and sweet. The combination creates a dessert that tastes balanced rather than overly sweet, and the contrast between the creamy filling and airy topping adds interest to every bite.
FAQ
Yes! You can prepare the cookie crust and cranberry curd filling 1–2 days in advance and store the pie covered in the refrigerator. For the best texture and appearance, add and toast the meringue on the day of serving. Keep refrigerated before eating.
Yes, frozen cranberries work just as well as fresh cranberries for making cranberry curd. You can use them directly from frozen.
Meringue can weep if the sugar hasn't fully dissolved, the meringue is unstable or undercooked. For the best results, use grams for a stable meringue and avoid making the topping too far in advance. I recommend making the meringue on the day serving it.
Yes! Since we're using a fully cooked Swiss meringue, you can briefly place the pie under the oven broiler to toast the topping until golden. Watch it carefully, as meringue can brown very quickly.
HOW TO STORE
Store the pie in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days. The meringue is best enjoyed within the first 24 hours, as the longer it sit it may gradually soften or release moisture during storage.
Other Fall Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Cranberry Meringue Pie (With Cranberry Curd)
Equipment
- 9-inch pie pan
Ingredients
COOKIE CRUST
- 200 g digestive cookies
- 3 ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 75 g butter melted
CRANBERRY CURD
- 300 g cranberries fresh or frozen
- 2 tablespoon water
- Zest of 1 orange
- 3 tablespoon orange juice
- 250 g granulated sugar
- 2 egg
- 3 egg yolks save the egg white for the meringue
- 150 g butter cold cut into smaller pieces
MERINGUE
- 180 g egg whites about 6-7 egg whites
- 360 g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
The US customary cup measurement serves as a rough estimate, as it can have uncertainties, so for precise results, it's recommended to weigh your ingredients using a digital scale in grams. Baking is both an art and a science, which most often requires precision and accuracy.
Instructions
COOKIE CRUST (prepare the day before)
- Preheat the oven at 180ºC/355ºF conventional oven.
- In a food processor, blend the digestive cookies and granulated sugar together until a fine sand-like texture. Melt the butter. Add the melted butter to the food processor and blend it together with the blended cookies.200 g digestive cookies, 3 ½ tsp granulated sugar, 75 g butter
- Add the cookie crumbs to the pie pan and press the cookie crumbs down with the bottom of a glass, and up against the side of the pan, so it’s packed together and flattened out.
- Bake it for 15 minutes. Then let it cool down while making the curd.
CRANBERRY CURD (prepare the day before)
- Keep the oven on, but reduce the oven heat to 175ºC/ 350ºF.
- In a medium sized saucepan add the cranberries and 2 tablespoon water. Heat them up on medium heat while stirring until the cranberries start to burst and they have all softened.300 g cranberries, 2 tbsp water
- Take the cranberries of the heat and add orange zest, orange juice, sugar, eggs, and egg yolks to the saucepan. Place it back on medium heat and constantly whisk the curd, while heating it up until it starts to thicken and it reaches 77°C to 82°C (170°F to 180°F).Zest of 1 orange, 3 tbsp orange juice, 250 g granulated sugar, 2 egg, 3 egg yolks
- Then take it off the heat, and pour it through a sieve over a bowl, to remove the larger cranberry pieces.
- Then add the cold cubed butter and with a rubber spatula stir it together with the curd. Then, using an immersion blender, blend it until smooth. Pour the curd into the crust and place it in the oven. Bake it for 20-22 minutes. It should have a jelly like jiggle when finished baking.150 g butter cold cut into smaller pieces
- Let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour before placing it in the fridge for 5-6 hours or preferably overnight.
MERINGUE (best to make on the day of serving)
- In a mixing bowl of your stand mixer, add the egg whites and sugar. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bowl. With the whisk attachment to your mixer, constantly stir around the mixture until the sugar granules have melted together with the egg whites and it reaches a temperature of 71°C (160°F).180 g egg whites, 360 g granulated sugar
- Take it off the heat and place it in your stand mixer, and let it mix for 5-6 minutes or until the meringue creates stiff peaks. Then add the vanilla and whisk it in.1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- Add the meringue on top of the pie and using a kitchen blowtorch, torch the meringue until golden.
- Keep refrigerated before eating.
Leave a Reply