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In this Cranberry Pie recipe, homemade whole cranberry sauce is gently folded into mascarpone whipped cream, creating a tangy, puckery filling that is beautifully marbled with pops of cranberry within a creamy cheesecake texture, resulting in a balanced sweet-tart bite. The Oreo ganache crust is deeply chocolatey, fudgey with a brownie-like texture, and just firm enough to slice clean. The result is a light, fluffy pie that is the perfect way to end a holiday feast.
The contrast between the tart cranberry cream and the dark, decadent crust makes each bite feel balanced and dramatic, with a cranberry pie that’s as striking in flavor as it is in appearance.
If you are whipping up holiday recipes, be sure to check out my Cranberry Orange Muffins (the best part is the tops are butter-dunked and coated in sugar!), my Pancake Casserole, or my Biscuits and Gravy Casserole.
Behind this Cranberry Pie Recipe:
The inspiration for this pie came after my mom texted me about a family recipe for a cranberry mallow pie, in which you melt together canned cranberry sauce and marshmallows. It’s an old-school dessert that my grandma made every year (though, in my opinion, overly sweet). But my mom asked me to help her update and elevate this dessert. After testing a few versions, I ended up with something quite different from the original recipe, but it’s so much more delicious that I would never want cranberry-mallow pie again.
- Fresh Whole Cranberries – We use a homemade cranberry sauce made with fresh cranberries and orange zest, leaving some whole cranberries for bright pops of flavor.
- Cheesecake-like Whipped Cream – Mascarpone is mixed with fresh whipping cream to create a delightful, creamy treat that’s simply indulgent!
- Oreo Ganache Crust – This Oreo crust is extraordinary. After it’s baked, we coat it with a chocolate ganache that seeps into the Oreo’s, creating a brownie-like texture.
- Chilled and Refreshing – this cranberry pie is refreshing and best served super cold. It’s light enough to be the perfect sweet ending to a heavy meal without making you uncomfortable.
- Pairs Perfectly with Red Wine – the tangy cranberry and dark chocolate flavor in this pie was calling for red wine. We opened a bottle of smooth Cabernet, and it was incredible together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ready to make this refreshingly creamy, chocolatey Cranberry Pie? Be sure to review the recipe card at the bottom of this page for the exact measurements.
Oreo Crust – The Oreo cream filling is kept intact, as it adds great flavor and texture to the crust. That said, don’t use Double Stuf Oreos; the cream-to-cookie ratio is too high.
Ganache – heavy cream is poured over high-quality chopped dark chocolate to make a creamy ganache, which is then poured over the crust to create a brownie-like texture.
Cranberry Sauce – a combination of fresh whole cranberries, orange peel and juice, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. We omit the cinnamon from my original Holiday Cranberry Sauce recipe.
Mascarpone Whipped Cream – the addition of mascarpone (or cream cheese) imparts a rich, creamy texture, similar to a light cheesecake. It also stabilizes the whipped cream, creating a firmer structure that holds up well in the fridge.
Powdered Sugar – we use powdered sugar to sweeten the whipped cream as it also aids in stabilizing better than granulated sugar.
Vanilla Extract – provides a warm, cozy vanilla flavor not only to the whipped cream but also to the homemade cranberry sauce.
How to Make Chocolate Cranberry Pie
We start by making a batch of homemade cranberry sauce, which couldn’t be simpler to make.
1. Homemade Cranberry Sauce: Combine the water, orange zest and juice, sugar, vanilla, and cranberries in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened and most of the cranberries have burst. Allow to cool fully and refrigerate for a few hours before assembling the pie. I like to make this a day ahead when possible.
2. Make the Oreo Ganache Crust: pulse whole oreos in a food processor until they turn to a fine crumb. Toss them with melted butter and press into a pie dish, working it up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. While it bakes, heat the cream to a low simmering boil in a saucepan and pour it over the chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl. Let it sit a few minutes and then stir until smooth. Allow the crust to cool for a few minutes, then pour the ganache in and rotate the pan to coat the crust. Place the pie pan in the fridge or freezer while preparing the filling.
3. Whip the Creamy Filling: In a large bowl, add the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla, and whip until stiff peaks form. Set aside. In another large bowl, add the cream cheese and use a hand mixer to blend until smooth and no lumps remain. Add the cranberry sauce and continue mixing until combined. Divide the whipped cream, saving half for the pie topping. Fold the other half into the cranberry mixture in increments, gently folding to prevent the cream from deflating.
4. Assemble the Pie: spread the filling into the cold crust and use an offset spatula to smooth out evenly. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 2 days. Before serving, I like to place the pie (or pie slice) in the freezer for 30-60 minutes to get it super cold.
How to Store and Serve
Cover this pie tightly and place it in the fridge for up to 2 days. After that, the whipped cream can lose stability and start to separate, and you may see liquid seeping out of the cream.
I love to serve this cranberry pie ice cold, so before slicing, I will place it in the freezer for 30-60 minutes. It’s super easy and clean to slice, and it’s super cold and refreshing.
Looking for More Holiday Treats?
Pancake Casserole
Slow Cooker Hot Cocoa
Coffee Punch
Cranberry Orange Muffins
I hope you enjoyed this Cranberry Pie recipe! I look forward to your questions and feedback below.
Please be sure to tag me @BadBatchBaking using hashtag #badbatchbaking if you made this recipe and I will feature you on my story! Plus, I LOVE to see your baking accomplishments.
Cranberry Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Cranberry Sauce
- 12 oz bag fresh cranberries or frozen and thawed
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar brown sugar can be substituted
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/2 cup orange juice*
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Filling
- 3 cups heavy cream cold
- 12 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature (1 1/2 blocks)
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Oreo Ganache Crust
- 22 Oreo cookies regular not double stuf
- 4 Tablespoons butter melted
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces dark chocolate finely chopped bittersweet or semi-sweet works
Topping
- 1 ounce dark chocolate bar finely sliced
Instructions
Make the cranberry sauce
- Combine the water, orange zest and juice, sugar, vanilla, and cranberries in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens and most of the cranberries have burst (leaving some whole berries). Remove from heat and allow to cool completely, then refrigerate for several hours or overnight before assembling the pie.
Make the Oreo ganache crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Pulse whole Oreos in a food processor until they turn to crumbs. Mix with melted butter, then press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a pie pan, working it up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes.
- While the crust bakes, heat the cream in a small saucepan just until simmering. Pour it over the chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl and let sit for a few minutes, then stir until smooth. Once the crust has cooled slightly, pour the ganache over the crust, tilting the pan to coat evenly. Chill the crust in the refrigerator or freezer while you prepare the filling.
Make the filling
- In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form; set aside. In another bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the chilled cranberry sauce and mix until fully combined. Set aside half of the whipped cream for topping, then gently fold the remaining whipped cream into the cranberry mixture in batches until light and smooth.
Assemble the pie
- Spread the filling evenly into the chilled crust, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Top with reserved whipped cream (I like to beat it again briefly to ensure the stiff peaks remain). Sprinkle over shaved chocolate if desired.
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 2 days to set. For an extra-cold, clean slice, place the pie or individual slices in the freezer for 30–60 minutes before serving.
