Easy Maple Cranberry Pie – Crustless Nantucket Style
A crustless fresh cranberry pie, made with maple syrup and a touch of brown sugar, creates a perfect combo of tart and sweet. Using whole wheat and less sugar means this hybrid pie and cake works equally well as a light dessert, a breakfast coffee cake, or a snack. It’s also incredibly easy to make with only 10 minutes of hands-on time and eight simple ingredients. Make it for holidays, for special occasions, brunch, or just a cozy night in – it’s a delightful treat you won’t want to miss!
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During the fall and winter, especially the holidays, I’m always looking for ways to use seasonal fresh cranberries. I love the tart-sweetness of them in foods and how they make the season just feel right.
While I have quite a few cranberry recipes, most of them use dried cranberries – which is a great way to enjoy cranberries all year long, don’t get me wrong. But fresh cranberries carry more of that cranberry flavor I’m looking for in the winter.
Which brings us to this incredibly easy maple cranberry pie – which is actually more of a upside down cake, or what is sometimes called “Nantucket pie.” It’s got a bottom layer of fresh cranberries that’s coated with a lightly sweetened batter before baking.
I’ve mixed the cranberries with maple syrup instead of the traditional sugar because I love the combo from my homemade cranberry sauce – it’s very, very good.
Besides not having to deal with a traditional pie crust, making a cranberry pie like this takes just minutes of hands on time (less than 10 minutes!) yet has all the delicious cranberry flavors we’re looking for. Which makes this a perfect, quick recipe for any holiday gathering, brunch or special snack in the winter when cranberries are in season.
Though since you can use frozen berries you really can make this anytime!
Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this amazing cranberry pie:
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Cranberries: Use fresh or frozen – if using frozen, there is no need to thaw.
- Maple syrup: I strongly suggest this, as it’s a wonderful compliment to the berries, but if you have to substitute, use traditional cane sugar or honey.
- Flour: I used whole wheat pastry flour – it is becoming harder to find, so you can use half unbleached flour and half whole wheat or white whole wheat if you can find that. Or use all unbleached flour.
- Pecans: You can also use chopped walnuts – or leave the nuts out completely and add another 1/4 cup of cranberries (which honestly, I like better!). I’ve also sprinkled the nuts on the top of the batter before which helps keep them crisp. Choices!
- Optional glaze (not pictured): This pie is naturally less sweet so to make it a bit more special I really do like a simple powdered sugar-milk glaze with it, but you can simply sprinkle with coarse sugar before baking and then leave it plain if you’d like.
Orange-Cranberry Pie Variation
This option produces a subtle orange flavor like my cranberry sauce.
- Sprinkle zest of a large orange over the cranberry layer.
- Use orange juice instead of milk to make the glaze.
How to Make Cranberry Pie
Here are a few helpful visual instructions – the full instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Step 1: Make bottom layer. Spread the cranberries and nuts evenly in the bottom of a well-buttered deep dish pie plate. You can also use a springform pan – it may fit in a regular pie plate, but I haven’t tested it. Pour maple syrup over layer.
Step 2: Make top batter. Mix together the batter ingredients in a 4-8 cup glass measuring cup or batter bowl (it helps if it’s a pourable container).
Step 3: Evenly pour batter over the cranberry-nut layer.
Step 4: Bake. Option to sprinkle top with coarse sugar (if glazing, probably don’t need this). Bake until top is browned.
Step 5: Optional glaze. Remove pie from oven and let cool on a rack. While cooling, mix up a glaze, if using, with powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle and then serve the pie either warm or cold.
Tips & Storage
As if taking just 10 minutes to put this together isn’t enough, you can make and bake the whole pie ahead of time and freeze it! It’s just as good after thawing – how convenient is that around the holidays?
- Storage: Store covered at room temperature for 1-2 days. Refrigerate pieces in a covered container, or cover the whole pie well, for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze the whole pie up to 3 months – cover the top with plastic or waxed paper and then the whole plate with foil. Label and freeze. Freeze individual pieces by wrapping in foil or placing in freezer containers for 3 months. Thaw overnight before serving.
- Reheating: Serve this warm or cold. To reheat, microwave pieces for 20-30 seconds or heat in an air fryer/toaster oven for a minute or two.
More Cranberry Recipes to Try
- Cranberry Crumb Loaves or Muffins Recipe
- Bread Recipes Using Cranberry Sauce
- Orange Cranberry Bread Recipe (100% Whole Wheat)
I hope you enjoy this crustless maple cranberry pie – if you make it, be sure to leave a rating and review so I know how you liked it!
Easy Maple Cranberry Pie – Crustless Nantucket Style
Equipment
- 10-inch deep dish pie plate or springform pan
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup maple syrup (or cane sugar or honey)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat, or half WW and half unbleached/all purpose
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 1½ tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 10-inch deep dish pie plate or springform pan.
- Spread cranberries over the bottom of pie pan (no need to thaw if frozen), sprinkle with nuts if using and then pour the maple syrup evenly over all.
- Beat the eggs in a large bowl, preferably with a spout for pouring. Add brown sugar and beat until no lumps remain.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and melted butter – beat well. Pour the batter evenly over the top of the cranberries.
- Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, or until top is browned. Remove from oven and let cool
- While cooling, make optional glaze by whisking the powdered sugar and milk together in a small bowl until pourable consistency (start with 1 tablespoon milk and add more only if needed).
- Serve the pie either warm or cold for dessert, brunch or with tea and coffee.
Notes
- Sprinkle zest of 1 large orange over the cranberry layer.
- Use orange juice instead of milk to make the glaze.
- Store covered at room temperature for 1-2 days. Refrigerate pieces in a covered container, or cover the whole pie well, for 3-4 days.
- Freeze the whole pie up to 3 months – cover the top with plastic or waxed paper and then the whole plate with foil. Label and freeze. Freeze individual pieces by wrapping in foil or placing in freezer containers for 3 months. Thaw overnight before serving.
- Serve this warm or cold. To reheat, microwave pieces for 20-30 seconds or heat in an air fryer/toaster oven for a minute or two.
Nutrition
