A sweet-tart silky smooth cranberry curd in a gingersnap nut crust, this Cranberry Curd Pie is perfect for holiday entertaining!  Made from fresh or frozen cranberries, come learn all the tips you need for perfect homemade fruit curds.

Well, here we are!  We made it to the end of my Pie of the Month series for 2018.  I wasn’t quite sure if it was going to happen (you know, new house, upacking, etc etc), but… we did it! 

And we’re ending with a doozy, with what has easy skyrocketed to my second favorite pie I’ve ever made: a cranberry curd pie with a gingersnap hazelnut crust.  (For those wondering: this lemon pie remains my most favorite.)

Oh yes.  This is so good.  So good.  I am pleased as punch that I have two pounds of frozen cranberries in my freezer right now because believe me, there will be more of this cranberry curd pie in my life before next fall rolls around!

So let’s get into the details: what is this cranberry curd pie, why is it so delicious, and how do you make one for yourself?

What is Fruit Curd?

We can’t make a cranberry curd pie without the cranberry curd, so we’ll start here.  What exactly is a fruit curd, anyway?  Is it different from a jam or jelly?  Can you turn any fruit into a curd?  Let’s go!

Unlike a jam or jelly, fruit curd contains eggs and butter — so it’s more like a custard.  But unlike a custard, it has a high percentage of fruit juice and/or zest, and a creamier texture thanks to the addition of butter.

Curd is traditionally made from citrus fruits.  Lemon is, of course, the most popular.  But lime, grapefruit, and orange also have a horse in the game.  You can, however, make curd from any fruit that releases juices upon cooking — like my popular blueberry cardamom curd recipe, raspberry curd, or lemon curd.

How to Make Perfect Fruit Curds

Like any other fruit curd, this homemade cranberry curd contains a few simple ingredients: sugar, eggs, cranberries, and butter.  But while the ingredient list is simple, there are a few important tricks for silky smooth curd.

How do you get a curd that is silky smooth every time?  Well, one important trick is to strain your curd.  For this particular curd, we’re going to do a lot of straining, because we’re keeping the cranberry skins in.  The fruit will pop open and burst, but we’re leaving the outside bits behind for the curd making and will strain them out later.  Press the finished mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to leave any lumps behind.

But how do we minimize any lumps from the eggs, while also maintaining that perfect curd texture?  The answer is, as always, perfectly explained using some kitchen chemistry.

Kitchen Chemistry

Fruit curds should be cooked to 170-175 °F.  In the presence of sugar, eggs begin to thicken at 160 °F, a process known as coagulation, and will scramble at 180 °F.  We need to keep the curd in this optimum temperature to achieve the perfect texture.  Cook your curd too low and the egg protein strains won’t denature, or unfold, which is necessary for coagulation.  Cook your curd too high and the eggs will scramble.  But if you cook your curd juuuust right, the protein strands unfold, latch on to nearby sugar molecules, and form a semi-solid state that wiggles and jiggles and remains perfectly lump free.

No thermometer?  No problem!  Use a whisk to continue to mix the curd.  When the whisk leaves trails in the cooking curd, you’re at the right thickness.  Remove from heat to stop the cooking process, and whatever you do, don’t let the curd boil!

Easy, Festive Cranberry Curd Tart

Okay! Now that we’re well versed in fruit curds, let’s make this pie (or tart – whatever you want to call it).

First off, every pie needs a crust, right?  Right.  For this cranberry curd pie, we’re going to make a gingersnap-based crust.  Gingersnaps are one of my favorite holiday cookies and the zing from the ginger pairs perfectly with the sweet-tart curd filling.  Don’t like gingersnaps?  Use graham cracker crumbs instead.

I usually make this in a 9-inch pie dish, hence calling it a cranberry curd pie. But for easy removal, you can also make it in a 9-inch removable bottom tart pan. The recipe remains the same!

We’ll also add in some nuts for a little extra flavor and crunch.  I used ground hazelnuts, but you can substitute in any nut you like — pecans or walnuts would be A++ too.

The crust is easy: combine ingredients in a food processor (or smash well with a mallet in a plastic bag), combine with some sugar and melted butter, and bake.  This is the only baking we’ll do during the process.

While the crust cools, make the cranberry curd.  Stir together whole cranberries (fresh or frozen) with some sugar and lime.  Once the berries are soft and start to burst open, whisk in the egg and egg yolks, whisking continuously until the mixture reaches 170 °F.  Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted.

Then comes the hardest part: straining!  Set a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and pour in the curd mixture.  Using a spatula, push the mixture against the mesh, then scrape down.  Repeat until all the soft curd has squeezed through, leaving behind the cranberry skins.  This process takes 10-15 minutes, but I find it strangely relaxing.

The curd will have cooled down a bit during this process.  Once you’re done, pour it into the pie crust, level with a knife, and pop the whole pie into the refrigerator to chill.

Top with a few sugared cranberries for a little decoration and dig on it!

Recommended Tools to Make Cranberry Curd Pie

• Food Processor: Use a food processor to crush the cookies into crumbs.
• 9″ Pie Plate: I always get questions about my “Pi” Plate – so for the other math nerds out there, now you can get our own!
• 9″ Tart Pan: For even easier serving, you can make this in a tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Citrus Juicer: A handheld citrus juicer helps squeeze the most juice out of the lime.
• Microplane Zester: This type of microplane zester is the best way to zest just the peel without getting any of the bitter white pith.
• Saucepan: Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to heat the curd evenly without scorching the bottom.
• Instant Read Thermometer: Taking the temperature of the curd is the best way to know when it’s done.
• Mesh Sieve: Press the curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove any curdled bits of egg and the cranberry skins.

Tips and Tricks for the Best Cranberry Curd Pie

1. Finely Ground Crust: Ensure the cookies and hazelnuts are finely ground for a smooth, even texture. A food processor works best for this.
2. Butter in Crust: Add melted butter to the crust mixture. This helps bind the crumbs and nuts together, creating a firm base that’s easy to slice.
3. Blind Bake the Crust: Blind bake the crust before adding the curd. This prevents the crust from becoming soggy over time.
4. Strain the Curd: After cooking, strain the cranberry curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove any cranberry skins.
5. Chill Before Serving: Make sure to leave enough time for the pie to chill in the refrigerator for several hours to help the curd set and make slicing the pie easier.
6. Garnish the Pie: For an extra festive look, garnish your cranberry curd pie with sugared cranberries, whipped cream, or orange zest.
7. Make Ahead Crust: Cranberry Curd Pie can be made ahead of time. The crust can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored at room temperature.
8. Refrigerate Leftovers: The finished cranberry curd pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

More Fruit Pie Recipes

• Caramel Pear Pie with Oatmeal Cookie Crumble
• Cherry Almond Pie
• Blueberry Rhubarb Pie
• Lemon Pie
• Old Fashioned Banana Cream Pie
• All Pie Recipes »

2018 Pie of the Month Series