Cranberry Crumb Pie

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Cranberry crumb pie features flaky pastry, a rich cream cheese layer, bright cranberries, and a buttery streusel topping. It is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any day.

If you are looking for a fun new pie to make, you are in the right place. This layered pie uses a can of whole cranberry sauce, making it super simple.

The tart berries pairs so well with the cream cheese layer that is thickened with the help of lemon juice. Citrus and berries are always such an unbeatable combination.

Top that all off with buttery brown sugar crumbles, and you know you are going to be in dessert heaven. It really is perfect for Thanksgiving or as a way to use up that extra can of cranberry sauce.

The Crust

There is no shame in picking up some refrigerated pie crust at the grocery store. I do that quite a bit myself.

However, if you want to make your pie extra special, making your own crust takes it to the next level and it is easier to do than you might think. Here are a couple of our favorite recipes.

My great-grandma was known for her tender pie crusts. My mom was looking for her recipe for years, and we finally got her lard pie crust recipe.

If you don’t want to use lard, MiMi also has a super flaky pie crust recipe that uses butter and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Either recipe will make a fabulous base for your pie.

In order to avoid a soggy bottom, we do parbake this crust a bit before filling it. You do that by rolling it out and fitting it into the pan as you normally would.

Then, use a fork to prick some holes in the bottom of the crust. This helps to keep it from bubbling up as it bakes.

Line the crust with some parchment paper and fill it with dry beans, rice, or pie weights. Then bake it for about 10 minutes so it has a head start.

If you are using a glass or ceramic pie plate, you will want to be sure to bake it on the bottom rack in your oven. That will help to get maximum heat transfer to the crust.

It is less necessary in a metal pie plate, but won’t hurt anything. Getting a golden bottom crust will make the final pie that much better.

The Cream Cheese Filling

The creamy layer is super simple to put together. It starts with a couple of ingredients that are pretty much staples in pie recipes around here.

You know, if a recipe features cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk, they are going to be a hit around here. Just check out my collection of recipes using condensed milk for evidence of that!

Start by beating a brick of softened cream cheese until it is really smooth. This is your best opportunity to make sure it is lump free, so take your time and scrape the beaters and the sides of the bowl before you add any more ingredients.

Add a few Tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk and mix that in. Then add a bit more, mixing again.

After a couple of additions, the mixture should be light enough that you can go ahead and add the rest of the can in one addition. Stir it in, then add the lemon juice.

The condensed milk adds rich sweetness and a touch of vanilla. The acid from the lemon juice helps to set this layer and adds just a slight citrus pop.

Spread the mixture in your pie crust and set it aside.

The Cranberry Layer

For convenience, this recipe starts with a can of whole cranberry sauce. Just stir in a little bit of cornstarch and brown sugar.

As the pie bakes, the mixture will heat up enough to activate the starch in the cornstarch to thicken up the sauce a little bit more. That helps to hold the layer in its place as you cut and serve slices of pie.

I haven’t used homemade cranberry sauce, but I don’t see why you couldn’t. You would want to use about one and half cups of homemade cranberry sauce.

Because homemade sauce is typically a little bit looser than you would find in a can, you may want to add an extra teaspoon or two of cornstarch so that it thickens.

Spread the mixture over the cream cheese layer, being careful not to mix it in.

The Streusel

The buttery crumb topping on this pie adds great visual appeal as well as a bit of extra texture. It is just as simple to put together as the other layers.

Just mix a little brown sugar and flour together. You can use all-purpose, or white whole wheat flour also works really well.

Cut in a little butter to make crumbs. You can use a pastry cutter or a couple of knives to do that, but I usually end up using my fingers.

My guys don’t like nuts, so I didn’t add any. However, some chopped walnuts or pecans in the crumbs add even more flavor and texture.

Sprinkle the mixture over the cranberry mixture and bake the pie until the crumbs are golden and the filling is bubbly.

Keep an eye on the crust as it bakes. If the edges are browning too quickly, cover them with a little bit of foil or a pie shield.

Serving the Pie

Once the pie is baked, let it cool at room temperature for a couple of hours before putting it in the refrigerator to chill.

Serve the pie either cold or at room temperature. It is great on its own, or you could top it with a little whipped cream.

Make sure to store the leftovers in the refrigerator. Just loosely cover the pie and chill it for up to 5 days, though it likely won’t make it that long!

More Great Condensed Milk Pie Options

If you are looking to incorporate more fall flavors into your pie repertoire, there are so many great options that are twists on the classics.

For another fun layered pie that would be perfect at your Thanksgiving celebration, try making a pumpkin pie with sour cream topping. It has all of the pumpkin pie flavor you would expect but with a sweet and tangy layered baked on top.

Or try making a condensed milk pecan pie. It has all of the rich sweetness you would want, but with a creamy base under the nut layer. Apple custard pie is another wonderful creamy twist on a pie we all know and love.

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