It’s baking season, and one of my favorite seasonal flavors is cranberry. It’s perfect all fall and winter long and pairs great with pumpkin and orange which I also love. After Thanksgiving, I came across a large 2 pound bag of fresh cranberries for $0.99 at Costco, so I figured that was some sort of challenge to use them! I’d already enjoyed my share of Cranberry Orange Bread. I’d made a cranberry curd tart for Thanksgiving, Cranberry Apple French Toast, and I was cranberry sauced out, but while wandering the aisles of Trader Joe’s (my admitted guilty pleasure), I came across Cranberry Nantucket Pie and immediately had some inspiration!
I’d never heard of Cranberry Nantucket pie, and it didn’t look like what I traditionally think of as a fruit pie, so I set out to do some research. It’s an old recipe from the New England region of the United States. It’s actually more like cake with cranberries and walnuts that’s made in the style of an upside-down cake. No wonder it caught my eye – I love upside down cakes! I’ve made apricot, banana coconut, persimmon-cranberry, and my husband’s favorite old fashioned pineapple, just to name a few!
I checked out a few recipes and made some tweaks to make it my own. I love this recipe because it uses less than 10 ingredients, most of which you likely already have on hand. Interestingly, this dessert doesn’t use traditional leaveners like baking soda or baking powder, so the eggs serve as the leavening agent. I think this Cranberry Nantucket Pie will be a fabulous and festive addition to any of your upcoming holiday get-togethers!
Cranberry Nantucket Pie
Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe
Serves: 8
Active Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
For the topping:
2 cups fresh cranberries, halved
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tbs butter, to grease the pie dish/pan
For the cake:
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the topping ingredients and stir to combine.
3. Pour mixture evenly into a buttered 9-inch pie plate (you can also use a springform or cast iron pan).
4. Combine the melted butter, sugar and salt in a medium size bowl until smooth.
5. Add the eggs, vanilla bean paste, and almond extract and beat with a whisk (or hand mixer/stand mixer) until fluffy.
6. Add the flour and beat until smooth.
7. Spread the batter over the cranberry mixture in the pie plate.
8. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Let sit for 5 minutes and invert onto a platter/plate. Some people serve directly from the pie plate, so you do not have to invert if you prefer not to, but I like the look of the cranberries on top.
10. Top with your choice of whipped cream, or ice cream, or enjoy as is!
If this recipe has you feeling festive, we have some wonderful cooking classes to get you in the holiday spirit! Check out:
If you’re looking to do some baking at home, we’ve got you covered there, too. Our retail store is stocked with everything you need from vanilla bean paste, to Callebaut chocolate, bakeware, measuring cups, cookie cutters, and more!
Combine the topping ingredients and stir to combine.
Pour mixture evenly into a buttered 9-inch pie plate (you can also use a springform or cast iron pan).
Combine the melted butter, sugar and salt in a medium size bowl until smooth.
Add the eggs, vanilla bean paste, and almond extract and beat with a whisk (or hand mixer/stand mixer) until fluffy.
Add the flour and beat until smooth.
Spread the batter over the cranberry mixture in the pie plate.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let sit for 5 minutes and invert onto a platter/plate. Some people serve directly from the pie plate, so you do not have to invert if you prefer not to, but I like the look of the cranberries on top.
Top with your choice of whipped cream, or ice cream, or enjoy as is!