Description
Bright, festive, and downright delicious — this Cranberry Cheesecake Pie layers a tangy cranberry compote over a silky cream-cheese center, all nestled in a spiced sugar-cookie style crust with a crunchy crumb topping. It’s perfect for holiday tables or any cozy autumn night when you want something both pretty and comforting.
Ingredients
Cranberry layer
- 10 oz (about 280 g) fresh cranberries
- 7 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp finely grated orange zest
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
Crust & crunchy topping
- 2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2/3 cup (150 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (for the topping)
Cheesecake filling
- 12 oz (340 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
In a medium saucepan combine cranberries, sugar, orange zest and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring now and then, until the berries have burst and softened (about 8–10 minutes). Remove from the heat and let cool — it will thicken as it cools.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch pie dish. In a large bowl mix flour, both sugars, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Work the softened butter into the dry mix with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside about one-third of the crumb mixture for the topping. Press the remaining crumbs firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish to form an even shell. Bake the crust for 8 minutes, then remove and let cool.
To make the topping, stir the reserved crumbs with the tablespoon of melted butter until slightly cohesive; set aside.
In a bowl beat the cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add the egg and cornstarch and mix until fully combined and silky. Spread this cheesecake mixture evenly over the cooled crust.
Spoon the cooled cranberry compote over the cheesecake layer, leaving a little space at the edges. Sprinkle the buttered crumb mixture evenly across the top.
Bake the assembled pie at 350°F (175°C) for 33–38 minutes, until the top is golden and the cheesecake layer is set (it may have a slight jiggle in the center). Remove from oven and cool on the counter for about an hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing.
Notes
- Notes & swaps
- Frozen cranberries work fine — thaw and drain a bit before cooking.
- Want gluten-free? Replace the flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend.
- For a grown-up twist add 1 Tbsp orange liqueur (like Grand Marnier) to the cranberry mixture.
- Stir chopped pecans or walnuts into the topping for extra texture.
- Storage: Keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze wrapped well if you need longer.
- Serving suggestions
- Serve slices chilled with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A light drizzle of caramel or extra orange zest makes a pretty finish.
- Quick tip
- Don’t overbeat the cheesecake filling — mix until smooth but stop before it gets airy. That keeps your filling dense and creamy instead of cakey.