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Thanksgiving is the time for show-stopping desserts, and this cranberry walnut meringue pie delivers!

Cranberry Walnut Meringue Pie
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The vibrant cranberry curd filling and mile-high Swiss meringue topping are the perfect match to Diamond of California’s Walnut Pie Crust. Made with walnuts (or pecans), the crisp and buttery crusts are perfect for our holiday pie baking!

Make-Ahead Options

My first pro tip for this pie is of course the ready-to-use Diamond Walnut Pie Crust! My second pro tip is the cranberry curd filling – make the cranberry curd a few days in advance, then cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to use.

Another make-ahead option is to bake the pie the day before your holiday gathering. Spoon the cranberry curd into the walnut crust and bake until the curd is just set (about 10 minutes). Cool the pie completely on a wire rack and then refrigerate overnight, adding the Swiss meringue topping a few hours before serving.

Cranberry Walnut Meringue Pie

How to Shape and Toast Swiss Meringue

To shape the meringue into a mile-high topping, use a clean spatula to pile the Swiss meringue over the pie, reserving about a 1/2 cup of meringue in the bowl.

To make the peaks, dip a clean hand into the bowl to coat your fingers with meringue. Press your fingers against the meringue on the pie, and then pull away to form peaks and curls. Repeat as you work your way around the pie.

For perfectly toasted meringue, use a kitchen blow torch to lightly torch the peaks and curls, rotating the pie as you work. Refrigerate the pie until you’re ready to serve (meringue can be added 3 to 4 hours before serving). It’s easy to see why this stunning cranberry pie is a holiday favorite!

Cranberry Walnut Meringue Pie
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Cranberry Walnut Meringue Pie

Cranberry Walnut Meringue Pie

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Laura Kasavan
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 9-inch pie, 8 servings
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Cranberry walnut meringue pie topped with mile-high Swiss meringue!


Ingredients

Cranberry Curd

  • 3 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 2 Tbsp fresh orange juice
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed

Pie

Meringue

  • 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar

Instructions

  1. For the cranberry curd, combine cranberries, orange juice, salt, and brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until cranberries split open and soften, about 6 minutes.
  2. Transfer cranberry mixture to a food processor. Let cool for 5 minutes, then add water and process until smooth. Return mixture to saucepan over medium heat and whisk in sugar.
  3. Gradually whisk in eggs and egg yolks until combined. Cook over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened. Add butter a few pieces at a time, whisking constantly until melted before adding more butter. Continue until curd is smooth and thickened, and coats the back of a spoon (about 5 minutes total).
  4. Strain curd through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. If making ahead, press a piece of plastic directly on the surface and chill until ready to use.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F and spoon cranberry curd into walnut pie crust. Bake for 10 minutes, until the filling is set. Cool pie completely in pan on wire rack, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours (or overnight).
  6. For the Swiss meringue, combine egg whites and sugar in a mixer bowl and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Heat mixture to 160°F while whisking constantly to dissolve the sugar, about 5 minutes.
  7. Transfer mixer bowl to stand mixer fitted with wire whip attachment. Starting on low and increasing to medium-high speed, whisk for 8 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, forms stiff peaks, and the mixer bowl is cool to the touch.
  8. Pipe or pile meringue over tart, then toast carefully with a blow torch or under a broiler. Refrigerate until ready to serve (meringue can be added 3-4 hours before serving). To slice, dip a sharp knife in hot water and let excess drip off before cutting each slice.

Cranberry Walnut Meringue Pie

This recipe is created in partnership with Diamond of California. All opinions expressed are my own.

Meet Laura

Hi, I'm Laura and I'm so happy you're here! Welcome to Tutti Dolci Baking Recipes, a baking blog celebrating all things sweet! I share approachable baking recipes and elevated classic desserts for every home baker. My goal is to inspire you to bake from scratch with kitchen-tested recipes you can count on.

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13 Comments

  1. I made this for Thanksgiving, but as tiny pies (2-1/2” pie tins). They were a big hit! The curd is absolutely delicious. Thanks!

  2. Made this pie today for Thanksgiving and we loved the tartness of the cranberries paired with the sweetness of the meringue. It was my first time baking with fresh cranberries and making Swiss meringue and this dessert was a success all around. Happy Thanksgiving, Laura!






  3. I made this today and ohmygosh the cranberry curd is out of this world good!! It was a test recipe for Thanksgiving! Do you have any tips for getting it out of the aluminum pan? My pie cracked in half when removing it.
    Thx for a delicious pie!






    1. Hi Debbie, so glad you tried this pie! 🙂 I left the aluminum pan on until after the pie was chilled – the crust and curd firmed up and were sturdier once fully chilled. You can also use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to carefully cut away the aluminum pan. Hope that helps!

  4. What a beauty!!! Bill would never eat anything with visible cranberries, but I bet he’ll love this as much as I do!!






  5. This is definitely a showstopper dessert! That beautiful cranberry colour and that mile-high meringue is absolute perfection 🙂






  6. This is such a great idea! The tart cranberries are perfect with the sweet meringue. You’re so clever Laura 😀

  7. You had me at cranberry curd! This is SUCH a showstopper, would be perfect on any holiday table. Can’t wait to try this one!