Cranberry Pie (Single-Serve)
I love pie. If I ever owned a bakery, it would likely sell pie and lots of goodies made with dough (cinnamon rolls, breads, etc). There is just something about a buttery pie crust, graham cracker crust, oreo crust, or any other crust filled with all things good, and topped with something equally divine.
With that, I of course had to make a single-serve pie situation for all of us. I found this mini cast iron skillet in Aldi’s recently and thought it’d be the perfect vehicle for my pie obsession (spoiler alert: it is!). If you don’t have a mini oven-safe skillet, a ramekin (one 6-inch or two 3-inch) will absolutely do the trick.
Now, I love tart things. Give me all the lemon desserts and sour candy, please. This pie filled with cranberries does lean a little sharp if you will but what I love most about it is, it’s easily adaptable! Swap your cranberries for cherries, strawberries, blueberries, you name it! If using frozen fruit – which I did for ease – there are some notes below around fruits like raspberries, which can lose their structure as they cook, so keep that in mind (and see the callouts below!).
This single-serve cranberry pie makes for the perfect tart, sweet, and creamy treat for one (two if you’re feeling generous)!
WHAT IS CRANBERRY PIE?
Divine.
Honestly, this is a new favorite pie for me as all the elements balance together incredibly well. It’s made up of a graham cracker base, which is quickly baked and cooled before adding in your cranberry filling. The cranberries themselves are cooked like a compote, so they hold a little bit of goo (but it’s also not running everywhere with every bite). The pie is topped with a simple homemade whipped cream, balancing the crunch of the graham cracker crust with the tartness of the cranberries so beautifully.
How do I get my graham cracker crust to not crumble? A key ingredient to a graham cracker crust is sugar. As it bakes, the sugar melts and becomes liquid where it will work with the graham cracker crumbs and butter to bring together your crust. Once you remove it from the oven, the sugar will harden as it sets, which is why it’s crucial to allow your crust to cool completely before filling! Also, be sure to tightly pack your crust into your skillet or ramekin, ensuring it stays together and doesn’t crumble.
INGREDIENTS
- Graham Cracker Crumbs – Make sure these are pulsed fine (or buy them already crumb-ed). Fine crumbs ensure you can pack them together tightly for a crust that holds!
- Butter – Necessary for binding your crust ingredient and offering its signature, delicious flavor
- Brown Sugar – As mentioned above, sugar is a key ingredient for graham cracker crust, and brown sugar amps up that caramelized flavor
- Cranberries – You can’t have cranberry pie without them! They also hold really well while being cooked down, offering a delicious bite in your pie
- Granulated Sugar – Used for both sweetness and texture as sugar helps the fruit to not breakdown too quickly while cooking
- Orange Juice – Fresh orange juice to be specific! Not the sugary variety you find in the carton. This helps to cook down your cranberries while bringing out flavor and, of course, added goo (the best part!)
- Heavy Cream – The base for your whipped cream as it’s high-fat content is key for those soft peaks
- Powdered Sugar – Just a little goes a long way to provide a subtle sweetness to your whipped cream. Be sure to sift it into your cream before whisking to avoid any sugar lumps!
Can I substitute the cranberries for another fruit? Absolutely! Blueberries, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, all the berries (like really, you could do a mixed berry pie) are yours to choose from and swap in for this pie! Note that certain berries lose their shape more – like raspberries – as they cook down, especially if frozen, so your pie might have less chew than a skinned fruit like a cranberry, cherry, or blueberry.
HOW TO MAKE SINGLE-SERVE CRANBERRY PIE
You’ll start by making your graham cracker crust. First, lightly grease your mini skillet or ramekin(s). In a mini food processor or using a rolling pin and a Ziploc-style bag, pulse your graham crackers until finely ground. Remember, you want these to be like sand, with no large chunks, to ensure the crust holds together after baking.
Pour your graham cracker crumbs into a bowl with your melted butter and brown sugar, and stir to combine. Once stirred, press your crust evenly into your chosen baking dish, making sure to cover the bottom and the sides. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or even a spoon to really press your crust into your pan, making sure it’s snug for baking. Place your dish in the freezer for 10 minutes, to harden the butter ahead of baking.
Preheat your oven to 325F and bake your crust for 12 minutes before removing it from the oven and cooling completely at room temperature – this will take around 30 minutes.
While your crust is cooling, make your cranberry filling by placing your cranberries in a pot or small frying pan over high heat, until the juices start to release. You’ll stir occasionally and notice that the skin of the cranberries begins to burst as they release those yummy juices. Pour in your sugar and, once the mixture begins to thicken, add in your orange juice, stirring to combine. Bring your mixture to a gentle boil – this will happen relatively quickly since it’s a small batch of cranberry compote – so keep an eye on it! Reduce the heat to low and thicken for about 5-8 minutes, stirring often. You don’t want your compote to get too thick – we’re not looking for jam here – but still have a little bit of run. It will look on the runnier side when you pull it from the heat but don’t worry, it will thicken as it cools! Pour into a bowl to cool for 10 minutes before pouring into your cooled graham cracker crust to cool completely – about 35-40 minutes.
White your compote and crust set and cool, whip together your whipped cream. Pour your heavy cream into a bowl and sift over your powdered sugar (we don’t want grainy whipped cream!). Whisk steadily until your whipped cream is light, fluffy, and forming soft peaks. Cover and place in the fridge until the rest of your pie is cooled.
Once ready, spoon your whipped cream over the top of your pie and sprinkle with any remaining graham cracker crumbs. Enjoy!
3 reasons you’ll love this cranberry pie
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- Easily swap out the cranberries for most fruit you have on hand! Fruit with a “skin” – think cherry, blueberry, cranberry – will hold its shape better for a delicious chew but you can 100% mix in raspberries and strawberries as well
- Use fresh or frozen fruit, depending on the season and the availability near you. With frozen, you’ll have a little more liquid so if using fresh, add a teaspoon or more of orange juice if your fruit isn’t getting gooey enough
- Make sure your graham crackers are finely ground. We want those resort-level sandy beaches ok?! This along with really packing your crust mixture into your dish with the flat bottom of a cup or even a spoon, will ensure your crust stays intact during and after it bakes. We’re not going for an overly crumbly crust here
- Make sure you sift your powdered sugar over your heavy cream. The grains of sand are for the graham crackers, not your light and fluffy whipped cream. Sifting will ensure that your whipped topping is as smooth as it is delicious
- You can use a mixer for the whipped cream but regardless of using an electric beater or whisking by hand, be careful not to overwhip. You want soft peaks and a creamy texture, if you overwhip, your whipped cream could turn grainy and greasy
MAKING AHEAD & STORING
You can bake your graham cracker crust in advance, just wrap it and place it in the fridge the day before you want to use it. You can also freeze it for up to three months, just be sure to wrap it in freezer-proof packing or in an airtight container.
I don’t recommend making the cranberry filling in advance as it should be made as soon as you’re ready to assemble your pie, since you want the pie filling to set inside the crust.
Once you’ve made your pie, cover it and store it in the fridge for two to three days! If it lasts that long!
MORE PIE RECIPES
Love a single-serve pie? Try this Single-Serve Apple Scrap Pie to use up any extra pie scraps. If you’re looking for something cozy and comforting that feeds a crowd, this is my favorite Savory Vegetable Pot Pie. Also, you can’t beat a hand pie and these Blackberry Passionfruit Hand Pies are honestly amazing.
Equipment
- 6-inch Mini Cast Iron Skillet or Ramekin or 2, 3-inch ramekins
- Mini Food Processor
- Bowls
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Spatula
- Small pot
- Juicer
- Fine Mesh Sieve
- Whisk
- Spoon
Ingredients
- ½ cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 ½ cup frozen cranberries
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 ½ tbsp fresh orange juice about half medium orange
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ tsp powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Grease your oven-safe mini cast iron skillet or ramekin(s)
- For the crust, blitz your graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground, and then combine in a bowl with your melted butter and brown sugar. Once stirred, press the mixture evenly into your greased and lined baking dish, using the flat bottom of a glass or measuring cup to press firmly into the bottom of the pan. Freeze the crust for 10 minutes
- Preheat oven to 325F and then bake your crust for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely
- For the cranberry filling, place your cranberries into a pot or frying pan over high heat, until juices start to release, stirring occasionally
- Stir in sugar and then once the mixture begins to thicken, add orange juice and bring to a gentle boil
- Reduce the heat to low and thicken for about 5-8 minutes, stirring often. The compote will thicken as it cools so don’t over-thicken in the pan, you want it to have a slight run to it after it cools and sets (this is not jam!)
- Remove from heat and pour into a bowl to cool for 10 minutes, then pour into your cooled graham cracker crust to cool completely (about 35-40 minutes)
- While your cranberries are cooling, make your whipped cream by whisking together your heavy cream and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Place in the fridge until ready to use
- Spoon your whipped cream on top of your cranberries and enjoy!
- Cover and store in the fridge for 2-3 days (if it lasts that long!)
so delicious and the perfect size! was really easy to make too
so glad to hear this! it’s one of my favorites