If you enjoy lemon meringue pie, try this festive cranberry meringue pie. It swaps the lemon curd for a bright cranberry curd, then finishes with sweet, glossy meringue for a holiday-ready dessert.
If you bake often at home, you know how useful a stand mixer can be. I have a heavy-duty stand mixer I bought refurbished over a decade ago, and it still performs reliably. That said, large mixers aren’t always ideal for every task. When a recipe requires mixing multiple components separately, I end up washing the bowl between steps, which is time-consuming. For small jobs like whipping a single egg white or preparing a small batch of whipped cream, the whisk on a big mixer barely reaches the liquid and it’s awkward to use.
For this reason, a compact, lightweight hand mixer can be a valuable addition to the kitchen. Recently I tried a small electric hand mixer from a trusted kitchen brand and appreciated how comfortable it is to hold while whisking for extended periods — helpful for recipes like royal icing or delicate meringues. A lighter mixer with a consistent speed range makes it easier to achieve steady results without fatigue.
This cranberry meringue pie is a great example of when both a stand mixer and a hand mixer are handy: you can use a stand mixer for the filling if you prefer, and a hand mixer for whipping the egg whites to soft and then stiff peaks. The meringue forms glossy peaks and browns beautifully in the oven, creating an attractive contrast to the deep red cranberry curd beneath. The pie also stores well in the refrigerator when covered loosely.
Cranberry Meringue Pie
10 servings
30 minutes
15 minutes
45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1-inch pie crust for a 9-inch pie plate, store-bought or homemade
For the filling:
- 12 oz cranberries, fresh or frozen (thawed if frozen)
- 1 cup orange juice
- ¾ cup sugar, divided
- 1 large egg
- 3 large egg yolks, whites reserved
For the meringue topping:
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- Pinch of salt
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate and prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Line the crust with foil and fill with pie weights or a mixture of dried beans and rice. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the pie crust from the oven, transfer to a wire rack, and carefully lift off the foil and weights.
- While the crust bakes, combine the cranberries and orange juice in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often, then reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, for 5–6 minutes until the berries have softened. Remove from heat and press the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, extracting as much juice and pulp as possible; the result should be thick. Stir ½ cup of the sugar into the cranberry juice, then return the mixture to the saucepan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole egg and three egg yolks with the remaining ¼ cup sugar until the mixture lightens in color.
- Temper the eggs by slowly whisking about ¼ of the hot cranberry mixture into the egg mixture, then pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cranberry mixture. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the curd thickens and begins to bubble. Pour the hot filling into the prebaked pie crust and set aside to cool slightly.
- Using a clean bowl and clean beaters, beat the reserved egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and salt, then increase the speed and beat until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add the ⅓ cup sugar while beating on high until the whites form stiff, glossy peaks. Beat in the vanilla.
- Spread the meringue over the cranberry filling, making sure the meringue seals to the crust at the edges. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to create peaks by pressing and lifting to form decorative points.
- Bake the pie for about 15 minutes, or until the tips of the meringue peaks are lightly browned.
- Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack to room temperature before serving. Store loosely covered in the refrigerator; best served within a couple of days for optimal texture.
Tips and serving suggestions: For the smoothest cranberry curd, press the cooked fruit through a fine mesh strainer while it is still warm to capture all the flavor without seeds or skins. When whipping the egg whites, make sure the bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry — any grease or moisture can prevent the whites from reaching full volume. Seal the meringue to the pie crust to reduce the chance of weeping between the curd and meringue. If you prefer a deeper orange note, substitute a portion of the orange juice with a tablespoon or two of orange zest added to the hot cranberry mixture before straining. Serve slices at room temperature so the curd is soft but the meringue remains light and airy.
Adapted from Betty Crocker
