Cranberry Pear Pie
Lightly spiced pear and cranberry pie filling sandwiched between layers of flaky pie crust. It’s perfect for your holiday table!
Hello, cranberry season! Cranberries are the perfect segue from fall to winter, and I was really excited to spot the first fresh packages at the grocery store a few weeks ago. It can only mean one thing— the holiday season is on its way!
I absolutely adore cranberries in a pie, but they’re a little too in-your-face tart all by themselves. I prefer to combine them with other fruits to mellow them out a bit and pears are the perfect pairing. I love how well they go together, little bursts of tartness nestled alongside slices of sweet pears lightly spiced with cinnamon. Add a flaky all-butter pie crust and you’ve hit the jackpot.
If you’re looking for a fruit pie to serve during the holidays, this is it!
baking tip:No more soupy pies!
I know the temptation to cut into a pie hot and fresh from the oven is almost overpowering, but resist it. If you cut into a fruit pie while it’s still hot, you’ll end up with a runny filling. The filling needs a chance to cool in order for the thickeners to work and for the pie slices to hold their shape once cut.
Let the pie cool to room temperature on a cooling rack for about an hour. You can then serve it at room temperature or reheat it in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes if you want to serve it hot.
Other pie baking help:
- How to make foolproof flaky pie crust
- The best tips for making perfect pies
- How to make pie crust in the food processor
- How to prep and store pie crust in advance
Tools for this recipe
Cranberry Pear Pie
Ingredients
- 1 double-crusted pie recipe
- 5 cups ripe pears (about 5), peeled and sliced
- 2 cups cranberries (200 grams), fresh or frozen
- 2 tablespoons flour (16 grams)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (133 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 tablespoons butter (28 grams), cut into small pieces
- Egg wash , 1 beaten egg + 1 teaspoon water
- Sanding sugar , for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out first dough disk and transfer to an 8 or 9-inch pie dish.
- In a small bowl combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest. In a large bowl, combine the pears and cranberries. Add the dry ingredients and toss to coat. Dump into the prepared bottom crust. Dot with the small pieces of butter.
- Roll out the second dough disk and transfer to the top of the filled pie. Fold the top crust over the bottom crust and tuck into the dish, crimping the edge. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut vents into the top crust.
- Place pie on a sheet pan and bake at 400 degree for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake until golden brown and juices are bubbling, about 45 minutes.
- Let cool completely to let juices thicken. Serve at room temperature or reheat in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired. Store leftovers in the fridge.
Note: this recipe was originally published November 2012.
What a lovely fall dessert!
This pie is so full of goodness! Awesome idea!
I can never wait to eat it! ha
I love the tart cranberries with the sweet pears. There is no denying that you make gorgeous and delicious pies, Annalise! Save me a piece?
Oh my happiness!!! I have discovered a pie that I MUST make for Thanksgiving!!!….many thanks to you!!! YUM! 🙂
Waiting for pie to cool is the worst! I feel like I’ve waited long enough and it’s torture to ask me to smell it and not eat it!
This pie looks so cute. I love what you did with the crust.
This sounds delicious and a nice change from usual pumpkin while still getting those Fall flavors ?
I love cranberries so much that I’m going to try this recipe for this weekend. We’re going to celebrate my niece’s birthday and the huge party is coming.
Wow, what a great tasting pie. Made it for Thanksgiving, it was a hit. I used cookie cutter to decorate the top crust, it was a very pretty pie. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe.
Yay! So happy you enjoyed the pie!
I’ve been making this pie without fail for our Thanksgiving Day lunch for the past couple years and it’s a fan favorite in my family! I adore this recipe; it’s absolute perfection!
Thank you so much for the feedback! I’m so happy to hear your family enjoys this recipe.