Cranberry Meringue Pie

This cranberry meringue pie is a festive holiday pie with a flaky homemade crust, a tart, jewel-red cranberry orange filling and a fluffy, golden meringue topping. If you're a lemon meringue pie fan, this cranberry meringue twist will be your new favorite for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

If you love meringue pies, try my classic Lemon Meringue Pie too, or bake my Cranberry-Apple Pie for another way to use fresh cranberries.

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I won't lie, this pie is time consuming to make, but it's an incredible and memorable pie and so worth it. I'm a bit of a cranberry hoarder. If your market runs out of fresh cranberries, check your freezer! I usually have three or four bags waiting to be ripped open and baked, and in the season I make my Cranberry Orange Sauce at least twice a week. Honestly, though, I think this gorgeous cranberry meringue pie is way more exciting than cranberry sauce or a cranberry quick bread.

If you love the texture and flavor of a homemade pie crust, you must make your own crust for this pie. This recipe makes two, so make the dough a day or two ahead (or use my Easy Buttery Pie Crust). If you adore cranberries as much as we do, bookmark this for your next showstopper holiday dessert!

I'm always the official baker on Thanksgiving, no matter where we're going. I love baking homemade pumpkin pies, but I always try to add something a little different and unexpected. One year it was a grape and apple pie (grapes and apples? Yes, and it was wonderful!), and the next I made a cranberry-apple pie.

Then I decided to put a spin on my beloved lemon meringue pie. It's the same concept from start to finish, but with a cranberry curd instead of a lemon curd. So bake both, one for the lemon lovers and one for the cranberry lovers! I can't say which one I love more.

Now here's the story. I brought this pie to our dear neighbor's Thanksgiving feast, and my neighbor's mother, Nonna Marta, is quite a foodie (some might even call her a little bit of a food snob).

She took a bite and liked it. When I made it again for Christmas Eve, she cut herself just a sliver and told me, in Italian, that she has a better cranberry recipe for me. I tried to defend the pie I slaved over, explaining that this isn't an Italian pasta frolla crust but an American pie crust that's perfect for so many recipes. Then she took all the leftovers home! I still don't have her cranberry recipe, but I felt quite satisfied, because she is not an easy nonna to please.

Ingredients

Pie Crust

• All-purpose flour: Plus extra for rolling. This recipe makes two crusts, so you'll have one ready for your next pie.
• Salt and sugar: Just a little of each.
• Unsalted butter and shortening: Butter for flavor and shortening for flakiness. Keep the butter well chilled.
• Ice water: Added a tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together.

Cranberry Filling

• Fresh cranberries: About 16 ounces (one standard bag).
• Sugar and water: Boiled together first, then the cranberries cook in the syrup until they pop.
• Orange zest and juice: The orange brightens the cranberries and gives the filling its citrusy flavor.
• Egg yolks: At room temperature. They make the filling rich and help it set.
• Cornstarch: Thickens the filling so it slices cleanly.
• Salt, vanilla and butter: Stirred in at the end for a smooth, rounded flavor.

Meringue Topping

• Egg whites: The 3 whites left from the yolks, so nothing goes to waste.
• Cream of tartar: Stabilizes the meringue so it whips up tall and holds its shape.
• Sugar and vanilla

How to Make Cranberry Meringue Pie

1. Make the crust dough. Pulse the flour, salt and sugar once in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse 4 times, then add the shortening a tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each. Sprinkle in 6 tablespoons of ice water one at a time, pulsing once after each, until a pinch of dough holds together.
2. Chill. Divide the dough into two 4-inch disks, wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Save the second disk for another pie.
3. Roll and fit the crust. Let the dough sit out about 5 minutes. (It's hot here in Florida, so it doesn't take long to reach the perfect rolling temperature.) Roll it out from the center until it's at least 2 inches wider than your pie dish all around, ease it into the dish without stretching, and crimp the edge.
4. Blind-bake the crust. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prick the dough with a fork, line it with foil or parchment, fill with about a cup of dried beans and bake 7 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and bake 5 to 10 minutes more, until fully baked. Cool on a wire rack and lower the oven to 350°F.
5. Cook the cranberries. While the crust bakes, bring the sugar and 1 cup of water to a boil until the sugar dissolves. Add the cranberries, orange zest and juice, lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring now and then, until the cranberries have all popped.
6. Temper the yolks and thicken. Whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch and salt until smooth. Slowly stir ¼ cup of the hot cranberry mixture into the yolks, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Simmer on low for 5 to 7 minutes, until thickened. Off the heat, stir in the vanilla and butter.
7. Whip the meringue. Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla on medium speed until very frothy, about a minute. Add the sugar a spoonful at a time over about 2 minutes, then beat on high until the whites hold stiff peaks.
8. Fill, top and bake. Pour the filling into the crust. Spoon meringue around the edge first, right up to the crust with no gaps, then pile the rest in the center and make a few wisps with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until the meringue is light golden.
9. Cool and chill. Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate. Slice with a sharp knife dipped in hot water.

Recipe Tips

• Seal the meringue to the crust: Spreading the meringue all the way to the edge keeps it from shrinking and pulling away as it bakes.
• Top the filling while it's warm: Putting meringue on a warm filling helps it cook from underneath, which cuts down on weeping.
• Temper slowly: Add the hot cranberry mixture to the yolks a little at a time and whisk constantly so the eggs don't scramble.
• Room-temperature eggs whip better: Separate the eggs while they're cold (it's easier), then let the whites sit out for about 30 minutes before whipping.
• Keep the bowl clean: Even a drop of yolk or grease will keep the whites from whipping to stiff peaks.
• Watch the oven: The meringue goes from golden to too brown quickly, so keep an eye on it during the last few minutes.
• Protect the crust edge: If the edge is browning too fast, cover it with a ring of aluminum foil or a pie shield. Add it only after the crust has browned, or the edge will be underbaked.
• Frozen cranberries work too: No need to thaw them first. They may take a few extra minutes to pop.

Storage and Freezing

• Refrigerator: Meringue pies are best the day they're made. Store leftovers loosely covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. The meringue may soften a little.
• Make ahead: Make the crust dough up to 2 days ahead and keep it in the fridge, or blind-bake the crust the day before. Make the filling and meringue the day you serve it.
• Freezing: Freezing isn't recommended. The meringue turns weepy and spongy when it thaws, but the unbaked crust dough freezes well.

Serving Suggestions

I love setting this pie out on the holiday dessert table next to my Amaretti Almond Pumpkin Pie and Chocolate Espresso Pecan Pie, so everyone gets a sliver of something tart, something spiced and something chocolatey. Serve it chilled with a cup of espresso or hot tea.

More Recipes Like This

• Leftover Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake
• Easy Cranberry Apple Cake
• Salted Caramel Apple Pie
• Easy Sweet Cherry Pie

Originally published November 2019. Updated October 2026.

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4.80 from 10 votes

Cranberry Meringue Pie

This will be your new favorite holiday pie! If you're a lemon meringue pie fan, you'll love this festive cranberry meringue pie, with a flaky pie crust, tart cranberry orange filling and a fluffy meringue topping.

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cranberries, meringue, pie

Servings: 1 9-inch pie

Calories: 2474kcal

Author: Lora

Ingredients

pie crust

• ▢ 2 ½ cups all purpose flour plus extra for rolling (this makes two crusts)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons sugar
• ▢ ¾ cup a stick and a half unsalted butter, chilled, cut into ¼ inch cubes
• ▢ ½ cup of all-vegetable shortening 8 Tbsp
• ▢ 6-8 Tablespoons ice water

cranberry filling

• ▢ 1 cup sugar
• ▢ 4 cups fresh cranberries about 16oz or 425g
• ▢ zest of 1 orange plus 2 TB juice
• ▢ 3 large egg yolks at room temperature
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

megingue topping

• ▢ 3 egg whites
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ▢ 6 Tablespoons sugar

Instructions

make the pie crust:

• Combine flour, salt and sugar in a food processor; pulse it one time to mix. Add the butter pieces and pulse 4 times. Add shortening one tablespoon at a time and pulse each time you add a tablespoon. The mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal, with butter bits no bigger than peas. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water over flour mixture one tablespoon at a time. Pulse once after you add each tablespoon of water. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready. If the dough doesn't hold together, keep adding water, a teaspoon at a time, pulsing once after each addition, until the mixture just begins to clump together.
• Clean off your counter really well or use a pastry board or a nice cutting board. Flour your hands generously. Take the dough out of the food processor. Tilt the rolling pin and sprinkle it with flour as you rotate the rolling pin. Divide the dough into two balls and flatten each into a 4-inch wide disks. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on each disk and then wrap both separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour before rolling. When you are flattening the disks, you are not working the dough. You are just simply flattening the shape into a disk. If you are making the pie that day,
• make sure you refrigerate for at least an hour. Reserve the second disk for your next pie in the fridge. It can stay for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
• When it is time to roll the dough out to make my pie, I take it out of the refrigerator and I usually let my dough sit out for about 5 minutes before rolling. It's hot here in Florida. Doesn't take more than 5 minutes to get to the perfect rolling temperature.
• On a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin, form pastry into a ball; shape into a flattened round. Apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough. Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough You have a big enough piece of dough when you place the pie tin or pie dish upside down on the dough and the dough extends by at least 2 inches all around.
• When the dough has reached the right size, gently fold it in half. Lift up the dough and place it so that the folded edge is along the center line of the pie dish. Gently unfold and be sure to not stretch the dough to fit. Fold pastry into quarter folds and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.

blind-bake crust:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place dough in pie plate and crimp edges as desired. Prick dough several times with a fork. Place a piece of aluminum foil (or parchment paper)onto the dough and pour in about a cup of dried beans (this stops the crust from bulging while it bakes); bake for 7 minutes.
• Remove foil and beans and continue baking for 5-10 more minutes. Blind-bake the pie crust until it is completely baked. Set aside to cool. Place crust on wire rack to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degree.

make filling:

• While crust is blind-baking, prep the cranberry filling.
• In a medium sized saucepan, bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a boil (sugar should be fully dissolved). Add the cranberries, orange zest and juice and lower the heat to medium. Let the cranberries cook until they are completely popped, stirring occasionally.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch and salt until smooth. Slowly stir in a ¼ cup of the cranberry filling into the egg yolk bowl, stirring constantly. Add small bowl of yolk mixture to the saucepan with the rest of the cranberry sauce. Whisk the whole time you are adding it in. Lower the heat and simmer for about 5-7 minutes; the mixture should be thickened.
• Remove saucepan from heat and add the vanilla and the butter.

make meringue topping:

• Mix egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla on medium speed until very frothy, about a minute. Slowly begin adding the sugar, a spoonful at a time. It should take you about 2 minutes to add all the sugar. Increase speed and continue beating until whites hold stiff peaks.
• Pour filling into the pie shell.
• Spoon dollops of meringue around the edge, making sure there it goes right to the edge of the crust (no gaps).
• Pile the remaining meringue onto the filling. With the back of the spoon, create a few wisps.
• Bake pie for 15 to 20 minutes, or until meringue is light brown. Keep an eye on the pie. You don't want it to get too brown. Let pie cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate and when ready to slice, dip a sharp knife in hot water.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Notes

• Crust: This makes two crusts. Wrap and refrigerate the second disk for up to 2 days.
• Frozen cranberries: Use them straight from the freezer; they may take a few extra minutes to pop.
• Storage: Best served the day it's made. Refrigerate leftovers loosely covered for up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 2474kcal | Carbohydrates: 542g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 3073mg | Potassium: 624mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 298g | Vitamin A: 350IU | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 15mg

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