Description

This Cranberry Mousse Pie is a delightful dessert featuring a tangy and smooth cranberry mousse set in a crunchy gingersnap crust. Perfect for festive occasions, it blends fresh cranberries with cream cheese and fluffy whipped topping, garnished beautifully with sugared cranberries and mint leaves.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cranberry Mousse

12 ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp water
8 ounces brick style cream cheese
1 Tbsp vanilla paste
8 ounce tub Cool Whip Extra Creamy Whipped Topping, thawed overnight in the refrigerator

For the Crust

2 cups gingersnap crumbs
5 Tbsp melted butter

For Garnish

Whipped topping or sweetened whipped cream
Sugared cranberries
Mint leaves

Instructions

Prepare the Pie Plate: Butter a 10 inch pie plate thoroughly to prevent sticking and set aside.
Cook Cranberries: In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, and water. Stir to dissolve sugar and bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat and let cranberries simmer and bubble for about 15 minutes until thickened, stirring often to avoid scorching.
Puree the Cranberries: Remove cooked cranberries from heat and transfer to a high speed blender, food processor, or use an immersion blender. Puree until smooth. Chill the puree in the freezer for faster cooling.
Make the Crust: Toss gingersnap crumbs with melted butter until crumbs are evenly coated. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the buttered pie plate using the bottom of a measuring cup for even compaction. Refrigerate crust while preparing the mousse.
Create Cranberry Mousse: In a food processor or stand mixer, blend the cooled cranberry puree with cream cheese and vanilla paste until smooth and free of lumps. If using a stand mixer or beaters, soften the cream cheese beforehand.
Fold in Whipped Topping: Gently fold the thawed Cool Whip whipped topping into the cranberry and cream cheese mixture until fully combined and no streaks remain.
Assemble the Pie: Dollop the cranberry mousse mixture into the gingersnap crust. Use an offset spatula to spread it evenly and smoothly over the crust.
Chill to Set: Refrigerate the pie for several hours or overnight to allow the mousse to set firmly and be easier to slice.
Garnish and Serve: Before serving, decorate the top of the pie with additional whipped topping or sweetened whipped cream, sugared cranberries, and fresh mint leaves for a festive finish.

Notes

Use fresh or frozen cranberries interchangeably; no need to thaw frozen cranberries before cooking.
Chilling the cranberry puree in the freezer accelerates the cooling process, helping the mousse set better.
Softening cream cheese is optional if using a food processor for blending.
Gingersnap crust adds a spicy contrast that complements the tart cranberries.
Sugared cranberries can be made by tossing fresh cranberries in simple syrup and then in sugar; let them dry before garnishing.
For a dairy-free option, substitute cream cheese and whipped topping with vegan alternatives.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Keywords: cranberry mousse pie, gingersnap crust, holiday dessert, creamy cranberry pie, no-bake mousse pie