EASY Crustless Cranberry Pie Recipe

If you need a quick, easy, delicious, but still healthy dessert recipe, this Cranberry Pie recipe is exactly what you’re looking for! It’s a no-mixer, no food processor dessert that’s absolutely perfect for holiday entertaining. Did I mention this is gluten-free and has no added sugar?!

I’m going to go ahead and admit that the desserts are my favorite thing on any Thanksgiving menu or holiday dinner. Just me? Don’t get me wrong. I love the entire Thanksgiving feast. But there’s a special place in my heart for the desserts from Pumpkin Pie Bars to the Vegan Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars, I love them all. (You’ll notice that all my “pie recipes” are tweaked to make them easier than traditional pie! What can I say? I like easy.)

There are so many labor intensive desserts, which can make hosting a Thanksgiving (or any holiday) dinner stressful. Or if someone asks you to bring a pie and you aren’t a pie maker? What a nightmare! Can I just say that pie crust is one of my least favorite things to make?

For this recipe, I eliminated the need to make a crust all together! This Cranberry Pie recipe is the exact opposite of labor intensive. It’s SUPER easy! If you love fruit pie, you’ll love this fun adaptation.

It’s so easy that you can make this anytime fresh cranberries are available. It can be an easy weeknight dessert if you need it to be. Who doesn’t love a little mid-week surprise of dessert after dinner? You have to love a dessert that is simple to make and will look amazing on your Thanksgiving OR Christmas dessert table!

See, there’s no pie dough to screw up, no bottom crust–the crust and filling are mixed together to make a Crustless Cranberry Pie! I promise, you can’t mess this up. You’ll get good results because it’s a simple, forgiving recipe that doesn’t require strong baking skills. E

Cranberry Health Benefits

Before I get to the recipe for this incredible Crustless Cranberry Pie, I have to share the health benefits of cranberries. Yes, your Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert can come with health benefits! Cranberries are low in sugar, high in fiber, and full of vitamin C and protective antioxidants. Here’s a look at some of the benefits of eating the nutrient-dense cranberry:

• Protecting the urinary tract
• Promoting a healthy heart
• Fights chronic inflammation making it perfect for the anti-inflammatory diet
• Promotes gut health
• Supports digestive health
• Can reduce free radicals the body, which can have an anti-cancer effect and help prevent major diseases

You should definitely be adding a lot of cranberry recipes to your line up–it’s such a healthy choice! I have a number of delicious ways to get cranberries into your diet. Try one of my Cranberry Sauce Recipes or this Cranberry Salsa!

Ready for a delicious Cranberry Pie recipe? Let’s go!

Recipe Ingredients–What You Need

GF flour

I recommend using a 1-for-1 type flour that can be used in place of all-purpose flour. (If you don’t need this to be gluten free, you can use regular AP flour or a mix of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour. The gluten-free brand and kind I used is  Cup 4 Cup Wholesome Gluten Free Blend. It worked beautifully and the texture was incredible. I love that this blend uses a mixture of brown rice flour, white rice flour, and golden ground flaxseed, and rice bran. This makes a really nutrient-dense blend!

Erythritol

I used the Swerve brand sweetener here. This allows us to offset the tartness of the cranberries without added sugar. Erythritol is a natural sugar alcohol (not an artificial sweetener!) that is calorie-free, has low net carbs, and works well in most baked goods as a substitute for sugar. If you want to use regular sugar, you can use the same amount of white sugar. I haven’t tried brown sugar in this recipe. Erythritol can cause digestive upset for some people, but I’ve found in moderation most people can tolerate it very well.

Cinnamon

It’s a beautiful thing when a spice adds health benefits and just the right flavor notes. That’s what cinnamon is. It’s a perfect flavor compliment here, but also adds anti-inflammatory benefits and helps keep your blood sugar stable.

Allspice

Allspice is a warm spice that adds dimension to the flavor profile of this dessert. If you need a substitute for the allspice, make a 2:1:1 blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to create your own spice blend.

Fresh Cranberries

Fresh cranberries are the star of the show! Save a few of them to garnish your Cranberry Margarita! 😉

Butter

While butter isn’t always considered the healthiest choice, it adds the perfect flavor and texture to this recipe. Cows that are grass-fed produce milk that is naturally higher in omega-3s and conjugated linoleic acid, both of which come with a host of health benefits. So if you look for butter made from the milk of pasture-raised cows, your butter will be a little healthier!

Eggs

The eggs are going to help bind the ingredients together here. If you need an egg substitute, check out my vegan egg substitutes for ideas. I haven’t tested it at this time, so I can’t give you any tried and true substitutes for this recipe.

Vanilla Extract

Vanilla extract ups the flavor of this cranberry pie.

Almond Extract

Almond Extract is another flavor booster.

Orange Zest

Orange and cranberries go together so well, so I used orange zest to bring that zesty citrus flavor to this delicious cranberry pie.

How to Make Cranberry Pie

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a pie pan with cooking oil. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, Swerve, cinnamon, and allspice. Stir in the cranberries to coat.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter*, eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, and orange zest.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. The mixture will be thick.
5. Transfer the cranberry mixture to the pie pan and use a spatula to smooth out the top.
6. Bake pie in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes*, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean the top is starting to turn golden brown. Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

Just look at those juicy cranberries after this is baked. The whole family will love this dessert; mine certainly did. It’s perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I hope your family loves this simple recipe just as much.

FAQS

Can I make this Cranberry Pie ahead of time?

While I prefer this pie fresh from the oven, it’s also really delicious the next day. You can make this a day ahead of time and it’ll still be a big hit.

How do I store this?

You can store the pie at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap or an alternative. (Here is one plastic wrap alternative.)

How long does this last?

This is best consumed in 3-4 days.

Can I make this with frozen cranberries?

I don’t recommend making this recipe with frozen cranberries. They will release more liquid and that can create an unfavorable texture. Fresh cranberries are best here!

Can I use another fruit with this recipe?

I haven’t tested any other fruits, but I suspect many berries like blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries would work equally well. Use fresh berries in the same quantity and give it a try!

If you make this Crustless Cranberry Pie recipe or any of my other healthy recipes, please share it on Instagram  and I’ll feature you! Also, if you try it, please leave a comment with a star rating below! Those star ratings are so helpful in helping my recipes get discovered. I appreciate you!

 

 

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