Homemade cranberry pie filling has a lip-smacking tart-sweet flavor that's delicious in pies, as a cake filling, or as a dessert topping. This versatile recipe is super simple to make!
Around the holidays, you always hear people talking about apple and pumpkin desserts, but let's not forget about cranberries. This cranberry filling is SO delicious and festive.
Sweet, tart and tasty. Use to make my cranberry pie recipe, in pastries, or simply spread it on your morning bagel with cream cheese.
If you like cranberry recipes, you might also want to make some cranberry orange scones or cranberry white chocolate cookies
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Festive color. This cranberry pie filling is so pretty in Thanksgiving desserts.
- No fancy equipment needed. Nothing special is needed to make this recipe - just a saucepan and 5 basic pantry ingredients.
- Better flavor than store-bought. Some of the store-bought pie fillings are way too sweet, and full of preservatives that give it an off-putting flavor.
Ingredients
See ingredient substitutions in the next section. ⬇️
- whole fresh cranberries: During the fall and winter months, you can usually find fresh cranberries in the produce section. At other times of the year, look for them in the frozen foods section of the grocery store.
- white granulated sugar: Without sugar, cranberry pie filling is very tart!
- apple juice: This also adds a little sweetness, and the apple flavor pairs well with the tart berries.
- vanilla extract
- spices: You'll need a pinch of ground cinnamon and ground ginger
- cornstarch - You'll mix the cornstarch with a little water to thicken the pie filling.
Substitutions and Recipe Variations
- cranberries: Short of swapping out the cranberries for a different fruit, there are really no substitutions for this ingredient. Dried cranberries will not work.
- sugar: To cut down on the calories of your pie filling, feel free to swap out the sugar for any cup-for-cup granulated sugar substitute. Monk fruit sugar is a good option. Feel free to use light brown sugar as a substitute for white, but understand that it does add a slight molasses flavor to the cranberry pie filling.
- cornstarch - Tapioca starch and arrowroot are good substitutes for cornstarch. Some people like to use all-purpose flour as a thickener in pie filling, but I have never used it, so I can't guide you on how much to use.
- vanilla extract - Vanilla essence is a good substitute for extract. This ingredient adds a nice flavor to the cranberry pie filling, but if you don't care for it, it can be omitted.
- apple juice - Feel free to substitute orange juice or plain water for the apple juice.
How to Make Cranberry Pie Filling
Summary only. The complete recipe instructions are in the card at the bottom of this post ⬇️
- Measure and add all ingredients except for the cornstarch to a sauce pan.
- Simmer the pie filling over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken the cranberry pie filling.
- Add to a pie crust or use as desired.
Liz's Tips and Recipe Notes
- Uses for cranberry filling - Obviously, the filling is delicious in a pie, but it's also fantastic in pie bars, over ice cream, or stirred into Instant Pot rice pudding. You can even substitute cranberry filling for raspberry jam in my raspberry pound cake recipe.
- Add other fruit - Adding additional fruit to this pie filling is a delicious idea! I often substitute half of the cranberries for other fall fruits, such as apples, pears, or strawberries.
Storage
- Storage - Refrigerate the cranberry filling in a sealed container for up to 1 week. I like to use a mason jar. Do not store this at room temperature unless it’s been pressure canned, as it will quickly become moldy.
- Freezing - You can freeze cranberry pie filling for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
- Reheating - Reheat over medium heat on the stove, or at 50% power in microwave. You can also add it straight from the fridge to a pie crust before baking.
Cranberry Pie Filling Recipe FAQ
Can runny pie filling be fixed?
The consistency of a good pie filling should be almost jam-like. If your filling is too runny, bring it to a simmer over medium heat and let it reduce a bit longer. If you have not used a cornstarch slurry, continue to simmer the mixture until it reduces slightly.
In the instance where you've already added a slurry and the filling is too loose, stir in an additional teaspoon of cornstarch slurry.
Other Fruit Dessert Recipes
- Mini Cherry Pies
- Homemade Peach Pie Filling
- Vegan Key Lime Pie
- Blueberry Pie Filling
- Blueberry Bars Recipe
Cranberry Pie Filling
Homemade cranberry pie filling has a lip-smacking tart-sweet flavor that's perfect in pies or as a dessert topping. This recipe is so easy!
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: 4 1 cup servings
Calories: 298kcal
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple juice or orange juice
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolve in a teaspoon of water before adding
Instructions
- Heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat on the stove. Add all the ingredients except the cornstarch. Stir to combine.
- Simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the cranberries burst and the filling reduces slightly.
- Combine the cornstarch with enough cold water to dissolve it, then stir it into the cranberry mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, or until thick. *Keep in mind that the mixture will continue to thicken as it cools.
- If it is still too loose/watery, simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes until thickened, then remove from heat. The pie filling will thicken as it cools. The finished filling should be the consistency of a thick jam.
Helpful Notes and Tips From Liz
- Uses - This filling is delicious in cranberry pie, but it's also fantastic as a dessert topping over ice cream, brownies, or even in parfaits. You can even substitute cranberry filling for raspberry jam in my raspberry pound cake recipe.
- Storage - Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 1 week. I think it keeps the best in a mason jar. You can freeze the pie filling for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Do not store this at room temperature unless it’s been pressure canned, as it will quickly become moldy.
- Reheating - Reheat over medium heat on the stove or in microwave. You can also add it straight from the fridge to a pie crust before baking.
- Add other berries - Adding in another berry to this pie filling is a delicious idea! I often substitute half of the cranberries for other fruit options such as apples, pears, or strawberries.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 68g | Vitamin A: 62IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Meg Stewart
Can you “can” this? I’d love to stock pile
Liz Marino
I'm sorry but I haven't tried that so I'm not sure how it would work. If you try it let me know!
Kae
So the recipe is for the filling only. can you please add instructions on how you finish the pie.....do you pre-bake the crust and put cooled filling and serve cold....do you bake it with a topping, but does that cause the filling to be too thick...this information would be helpful for inexperienced bakers...
Liz Marino
Hi- this recipe is just for cranberry pie filling. if you're looking for a full pie recipe you can check our our Cranberry Pie Recipe
Allie
Winner! I did add in some pomegranate with the cranberry. Hubby loved it - licked the pan. 😀❤👍