Dessert

Nantucket Christmas Cranberry Pie Recipe

ByHarry Bern December 1, 2025December 1, 2025

Introduction

This Nantucket Christmas Cranberry Pie is a festive treat bursting with tart cranberries and a rich, almond-scented topping. Perfect for holiday gatherings, it combines textures and flavors that delight every bite.

A round, sliced cake is shown from above, baked in a clear glass pie dish with two small handles on the sides. The cake has a golden-brown crust with uneven patches of red fruit spread throughout the top layer, giving it a marbled look. The surface looks crumbly and slightly cracked, with the red fruit filling visibly peeking through. The dish sits on a checkered cloth with beige and dark blue stripes. The background is a white marbled texture made to look like a wooden table. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
½ cup sugar (for the filling)
½ cup chopped pecans
¾ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar (for the topping)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
⅔ cup brown rice flour
⅓ cup tapioca starch

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a bowl, combine the cranberries, ½ cup sugar, and chopped pecans. Stir well and pour the mixture into a generously buttered 10-inch pie plate.
Step 2: In a separate mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 cup sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs and almond extract, then continue beating until the mixture is fluffy.
Step 3: Add the all-purpose flour, brown rice flour, and tapioca starch to the butter mixture. Beat briefly until just combined to form a thick batter.
Step 4: Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, dollop the batter evenly over the cranberry mixture in the pie plate. It doesn’t need to be perfectly smooth; the uneven topping adds charm.
Step 5: Bake the pie for 40–50 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the topping; it should come out clean. Serve warm, topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.

Tips & Variations

Use fresh cranberries when in season for a brighter flavor, or frozen if not available—no need to thaw before baking.
Swap pecans for walnuts or omit nuts altogether if preferred.
For a gluten-free version, ensure the all-purpose flour is replaced entirely with gluten-free alternatives, or omit it and slightly increase tapioca starch for binding.

Storage

Store leftover pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave for about 20 seconds or until warmed through. The pie can also be frozen wrapped tightly for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

How to Serve

A close-up of a slice of berry cobbler on a white plate, topped with a smooth, creamy scoop of vanilla ice cream dotted with small vanilla bean specks. The cobbler slice has a golden, crumbly crust on top, with visible bright red berries and soft, textured fruit filling beneath it. In the background, a clear glass pie dish holds the rest of the cobbler, showing the same golden crust and berry filling inside. The dish is placed on a white marbled textured surface with a faintly striped cloth nearby. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use a different type of nut instead of pecans?

Yes, walnuts or almonds work well and can be used as a direct substitution. If you have a nut allergy, you can omit nuts completely without greatly affecting the texture.

Is brown rice flour necessary in the recipe?

Brown rice flour adds a slight nuttiness and helps with texture, but you can replace it with more all-purpose flour or another gluten-free flour if you prefer. Just keep the total flour amount consistent.