Name: Cranberry Sugar Pie
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 Single Pie Crust; 2 Large Eggs; 1 Cup White Granulated Sugar; 1 Cup Sour Cream; 2 Teaspoons Clear Vanilla Extract; 1/8 Teaspoon Salt; 1 Cup Sweetened Dried Cranberries; 2 Teaspoons All Purpose Flour

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Cranberry Sugar Pie is sweet like crème brûlée and filled with tart cranberries. As it bakes the whole house smells like vanilla and sugar heaven!

Close up overhead view of a pie in a tart shell decorated with pie crust leaves and cranberries on a pale pink glass plate.

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What is a Sugar Pie?
Ingredients
Instructions
My Top Tips
Decoration
Related Recipes
Recipe

When you think of a cranberry pie, I bet you are thinking of a pie filled with a sweetened cranberry filling that may include citrus notes or warming spices. But, I have a cranberry pie that is totally different and absolutely delicious!

A couple weeks ago I was watching one of my favorite YouTube channels, Cooking with Glen, and Glen presented a tutorial on a 1943 Sour Cream Raisin Pie. As soon as I saw this pie, I knew I had to try it.

However, I’m not real crazy about raisins, but I do love dried cranberries. So, I thought I would reimagine that pie with dried cranberries and a few more tweaks. In addition to the cranberries, I upped the vanilla extract, switched the brown sugar to white, and discovered a perfect combination for a delicious pie filling.

What is a Sugar Pie?

As I researched what to call this pie, I came across the Sugar Pie, which is also similar to a Sour Cream Raisin Pie. Sugar pies are also made from just a handful of basic pantry and refrigerator items and are simple to make. In general, the ingredients for the filling of a sugar pie are sugar, eggs or cornstarch, a dairy item, flavoring, and salt.

Variations of this pie are bountiful. There seems to be many regional favorites of this pie everywhere. Midwestern Sugar Pies typically don't contain eggs and are set with cornstarch. While the French-Canadian sugar pie has eggs and contains brown sugar and sometimes maple syrup. It just goes to show that inventive cooks will make do with what they have on hand!

Square image of a pie in a tart shell decorated with pie crust leaves and cranberries on a pale pink glass plate. A fork and red napkin are beside the plate.

For my version of this pie you will probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry and fridge and only have to buy the dried cranberries and maybe also the sour cream.

So, Let's Bake!

Ingredients

The 8 ingredients for the pie, clockwise from top right: pie crust, salt, all-purpose flour, sour cream, clear vanilla extract, eggs, sweetened dried cranberries, and sugar.

Instructions

Pie crust is eased and pressed into a tart pan. — After trimming the excess dough from the top of the pan, you can use the excess dough to help press the crust into the sides of the tart pan.

Step 1 - Ease the pie crust into a 9” tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the crust into the sides of the pan and trim the excess crust from the top of the pan. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and set it aside for later.

Dried cranberries are coated in flour in a small bowl.

Step 2 - In a small bowl toss the sweetened dried cranberries with the flour until the cranberries are coated (dredged) with the flour. Set them aside for later.

Eggs, sugar, and salt are beaten together in a medium sized bowl.

Step 3 - In a medium sized bowl beat the eggs with a fork. Add the sugar and salt and continue to beat the eggs and the sugar until they are well combined. Let the egg and sugar mixture stand for 5 minutes before continuing. This allows the sugar to dissolve into the eggs.

Sour cream is added to the egg mixture in a medium sized glass bowl.

Step 4 - Add the sour cream and vanilla extract to the sugar and egg mixture and mix until no streaks of the white sour cream can be seen.

Cranberries are added to the egg and sour cream mixture in a medium sized glass bowl.

Step 5 - Gently fold in the flour-dredged dried cranberries.

The pie filling has been poured into the prepared tart shell. The tart pan is on a well used baking sheet.

Step 6 - Pour the pie filling into the prepared tart pan.

The baked pie is cooling on a wire rack. The pie is golden brown around the edges.

Step 7 - Bake the pie at 425°F/218°C for 10 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F/163°C and continue to bake the pie for another 25 to 35 minutes. As the pie bakes the filling will puff up. The pie is done when the edges of the filling turns golden brown and the filling is set.

Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack. During cooling, the pie filling will lose its “puff”. This is completely normal.

My Top Tips

♥ USE A 9 INCH PIE PAN - This recipe is scaled to use a 9"-inch pie pan or a 9" tart pan with a removable bottom. If you use a larger pan or deep-dish pan, the filling will not completely fill the pan.

♥ USE CLEAR VANILLA EXTRACT - I like to use a clear (imitation) vanilla to keep the pie light in color. This makes the red cranberries really stand out in the filling. But, if you don't have clear vanilla, please do use the vanilla extract you have on hand.

♥ USE A DRY INGREDIENT MEASURING CUP - I found that using a dry ingredient measuring cup was easier to use than a liquid measuring cup to accurately measure the sour cream.

Decoration

There usually is a small amount of pie crust left when you make this pie and you can use it to cut out some small shapes to decorate the top of the baked pie. I cut out leaf shapes, baked them, and when the pie was baked and cooled, I added them to the top of the pie with a couple of fresh cranberries.

Vertical image of a slice of pie on a white plate. The remaining pie is on a pale pink glass cake stand in the background.

Please don't hesitate to give this cranberry pie a try! I think you will agree that this sweet sugar pie with tart cranberries is perfect for afternoon tea or holiday celebrations and pairs beautifully with a cup of tea or coffee.

Overhead vertical image of a single crust pie decorated with pastry leaves and cranberries. Pinterest Pin 1.

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Recipe

Very close up overhead view of a pie in a tart shell decorated with pie crust leaves and cranberries on a pale pink glass plate.

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