Cranberry Orange Custard Pie (Creamy, No Blind Bake)

One bowl, one whisk and about fifteen minutes of hands-on work. There is no blind baking, no stovetop custard and no tempering: the raw cranberries go straight into an unbaked crust, a simple mix of sugar, eggs, cream and orange zest is poured over them, and the oven does the rest.

What comes out is a pie with two personalities. The custard bakes into a smooth, creamy, lightly orange-scented layer, while the cranberries soften and burst in the heat, leaving pockets of sharp, jammy fruit throughout. The tartness of the berries keeps the sweet custard in check, which makes it a lighter-tasting option on a holiday dessert table full of rich pies.

Ingredients

For the crust

• 1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, homemade or store-bought – a deep plate leaves room for the berries and the custard without spilling.

For the filling

• 12 oz (340 g) fresh cranberries, about 3 cups – frozen berries work too; thaw them and pat them dry so they do not water down the custard.
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar – balances the sharpness of the cranberries.
• 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour – helps the custard set firm enough to slice.
• 1/2 tsp salt – sharpens both the orange and the fruit.
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature – they set the custard as it bakes.
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream – gives the filling its rich, silky texture.
• 1 tbsp finely grated orange zest, from about 1 large orange – the oils in the zest carry the orange flavor; the juice is not needed.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract.

If you keep a bag of cranberries in the freezer for the season, they also go into our cranberry bread with orange glaze, which uses the same fruit and citrus pairing.

How to Make It

1. Heat the oven and prepare the crust – 400°F (200°C)

Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the lower third. Fit the crust into the pie plate, crimp the edge and keep it in the fridge while you mix the filling. A cold crust holds its crimped edge better in the hot oven.

2. Add the cranberries

Rinse the cranberries, discard any soft or shriveled ones, and dry them well. Spread them in an even layer over the bottom of the crust. The berries should cover the base in a single, fairly tight layer.

3. Whisk the custard – 2 minutes

In a bowl, whisk the sugar, flour and salt together first, then add the eggs and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the cream, orange zest and vanilla. The mixture should be pale, smooth and free of flour lumps; mixing the flour with the sugar first is what keeps it from clumping.

4. Pour and bake hot – 400°F (200°C), 10 minutes

Pour the custard slowly over the cranberries; some of the berries will float, which is normal. Set the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake for 10 minutes. The first blast of heat starts to set the bottom crust before the custard soaks into it.

5. Lower the heat and finish – 350°F (175°C), 40 to 45 minutes

Reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C) and cover the edge of the crust with a pie shield or strips of foil. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes more. The pie is done when the edges look set and slightly puffed and the center jiggles only a little when you gently nudge the plate.

6. Cool completely – at least 2 hours

Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. The custard keeps setting as it cools; once the plate feels cool to the touch, the slices will hold a clean edge.

How to Tell the Custard Is Set

Custard pies are easy to mix and easy to misjudge in the oven. The filling is liquid when it goes in and only firms up as the eggs cook, so the timing is the part that needs attention.

Look for a slight wobble, not a firm center. When you nudge the plate, the outer ring should barely move and only the middle should shiver a little, like soft gelatin. If the whole surface ripples in waves, give it 5 minutes more and check again. Ovens vary, so start checking at the 40-minute mark.

Do not wait for a fully firm center. The heat stored in the pie carries on cooking the custard as it cools. A pie that looks completely set in the oven usually ends up overbaked, which shows as cracks across the top and a slightly grainy, weepy texture.

Shield the crust after the first 10 minutes. The crust edge browns long before the custard is ready. Foil or a pie shield keeps it golden rather than dark.

Expect the cranberries to burst. Many of the berries split and release juice into the custard around them. Those red streaks are part of the pie’s look, not a sign that something went wrong.

The same gentle wobble test applies to our classic pumpkin pie, another custard set with eggs and cream.

Storing and Serving

Because the filling is made with eggs and cream, this pie belongs in the refrigerator once it has cooled. The University of Illinois Extension advises keeping custard pies refrigerated and not leaving them out for more than two hours, and notes that custard and cream pies often do not freeze well. Cover the cooled pie loosely and eat it within 3 to 4 days.

It can be served chilled, when the custard is at its firmest and slices most cleanly, or left out for about 30 minutes to take the chill off. A spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream and a little extra orange zest are all it needs. Baking it a day ahead works well, since the custard is fully set and the flavors have time to settle.

For a lighter cranberry option without a crust, our crustless cranberry pie bakes in a single dish with a cake-like top, and the glazed cranberry orange scones bring the same flavors to a breakfast table.

Variations

• Spiced: add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the sugar.
• Half-and-half: use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter, slightly softer custard.
• Graham cracker crust: swap the pastry crust for a pressed graham cracker crust, baked and cooled before filling.
• Sugared orange topping: finish the cooled pie with thin orange slices tossed in a little sugar.

Find more holiday pies, bars and bakes among our dessert recipes.

Cranberry Orange Custard Pie

A one-bowl custard pie with fresh cranberries baked into a creamy, orange-scented filling, no blind baking needed.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Cooling Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 8 slices

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 420

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the crust

• 1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie crust homemade or store-bought

For the filling

• 12 oz fresh cranberries 340 g, about 3 cups; if frozen, thaw and pat dry
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 300 g
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 30 g
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup heavy cream 240 ml
• 1 tbsp finely grated orange zest from about 1 large orange
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

 

1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Fit the crust into a deep 9-inch pie plate, crimp the edge and refrigerate it while you mix the filling.
2. Rinse and dry the cranberries, discarding any soft ones, and spread them in an even layer over the bottom of the crust.
3. Whisk the sugar, flour and salt together, then whisk in the eggs until smooth. Whisk in the cream, orange zest and vanilla.
4. Pour the custard over the cranberries, set the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
5. Reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C), cover the crust edge with a pie shield or foil and bake 40 to 45 minutes more, until the edges are set and the center jiggles only slightly.
6. Cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. Refrigerate once cool.

Notes

Storage: refrigerate the cooled pie, loosely covered, and eat within 3 to 4 days. Do not leave it out for more than 2 hours. Custard pies do not freeze well.

Make-ahead: bake the pie a day ahead and keep it in the fridge; the custard slices most cleanly when chilled.

Substitutions: frozen cranberries (thawed and patted dry) instead of fresh; half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter custard; a baked graham cracker crust instead of pastry.

Nutrition is an estimate, not a laboratory analysis.