Sweet-tart and beautifully festive, this cranberry curd tart is ready to light up your holiday table. The graham cracker crust adds just the right amount of sweetness and crunch, and a cloud of homemade whipped cream tops the silky-smooth, ruby-red filling. Garnish with sugared cranberries for some extra glitz that makes this unique dessert literally sparkle!
If you’re looking for a dessert that’s both simple and show-stopping, this is the one.
What You’ll Love About This Cranberry Tart
- Bright, tangy cranberry flavor in a smooth filling that sets up perfectly
- Sweet, buttery, crunchy 3-ingredient crust
- Creamy, lightly sweet 3-ingredient whipped cream topping
- Mostly no-bake—just need 10 minutes in the oven for the crust
- Make-ahead friendly—the tart needs time to chill
- A uniquely festive dessert for the holidays—just look at that jewel-toned filling!
Start With the Graham Cracker Crust
We tested this cranberry curd filling with SO many different crusts, and the graham cracker crust was—by far—the crowd favorite. The cookie-crumb texture contrasts with the silky-smooth cranberry curd and fluffy whipped cream, and the sweetness strikes just the right balance with the tart filling.
(No, seriously: we tested this with the shortcrust from this fruit tart, the hazelnut crust from this Nutella tart, and the almond crust from this cranberry frangipane tart; plus, we tried it in a Biscoff pie crust, as well as in a gingersnap crust like we use for this Nutella-swirled pumpkin pie. Yes, we made a LOT of test tarts!)
This crust is just like the regular graham cracker crust we use for pies and cheesecake, but scaled down to fit a 9-inch tart pan.
Ingredients You Need
In addition to the graham crackers, melted butter, and sugar you need in the crust, you need the following ingredients for the cranberry curd. (Which also includes butter and sugar!)
- Cranberries: You can make this with either fresh or frozen cranberries.
- Orange Juice: Using 1 cup of orange juice adds a bright, citrusy lift that really makes the cranberry flavor sing. Fresh-squeezed or store-bought both work beautifully, and pulp is fine since the mixture gets puréed. Some recipes dilute the flavor with a mix of water and orange juice, but we didn’t find that necessary—the cranberry flavor is quite bold on its own, and the orange balances it perfectly.
- Sugar: We found that 1 cup of granulated sugar is the ideal amount for a perfectly balanced sweet-tart cranberry flavor. If you like your cranberry curd extra tart, reduce the sugar in the filling by 2 Tbsp. If you like it a little sweeter, add 2 Tbsp more sugar.
- Egg + Egg Yolks: You need 2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg for the curd. Combine them with cornstarch and add them to the cranberry mixture after you’ve pureed it, then cook it again.
- Cornstarch: Key for the filling to set into a perfectly slice-able tart.
- Salt: Flavor enhancer.
- Butter: Makes for a smoother, creamier curd filling.
- Vanilla Extract: More flavor!
Pat the crust mixture down in the tart pan, and up the sides to make a compact crust. Bake the crust for 10 minutes—then turn off your oven, that’s the only time you need it for this recipe (or keep it on if you’re baking some Thanksgiving side dishes!).
How to Make Cranberry Curd
Now turn your attention to the stovetop. The process starts off very similar to how we make cranberry sauce, but takes it a couple steps further.
Start by cooking the cranberries with the orange juice and sugar. Cook until the cranberries have all burst; you can help them along by mashing them up against the sides of the saucepan with a spatula or spoon. Here is what it will look like:
Let that mixture cool for a bit, and then puree it. A high-powered blender works best for pureeing, but you could also use a food processor or immersion blender if that’s what you have. (You could try to strain it through a fine mesh sieve, but it’s pretty thick and you will lose quite a bit of filling that way.)
Once the cranberry mixture is completely smooth, return it to the saucepan:
Finish the Cranberry Curd Filling
Whisk the egg, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt together first:
Then pour and whisk it into the rest of the cranberry puree in the saucepan. You’ll bring it all to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer until thickened, about 5–7 minutes. If you’d like to be precise and use a candy or instant-read thermometer, the temperature will rise to about 200°F (93°C).
After that, whisk in the butter and vanilla off-heat. Pour the filling into the crust and smooth the top (I use a small offset spatula for this).
Pour the cranberry curd filling into the graham cracker crust. Let it cool for about half an hour, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours. The tart needs to chill for the filling to set up.
By the way, you could always make this cranberry curd without the crust and topping, and store it in a jar in your refrigerator, and use it like you would lemon curd. It would taste phenomenal on cranberry orange scones!
Finish with a Whipped Cream Topping
After your tart has chilled, top it with homemade whipped cream. Spread it over the cranberry filling. I like to garnish this tart with sugared cranberries, but that’s completely optional. They’re like edible holiday decorations!
This recipe is part of Sally’s Pie Week, an annual tradition where I share a handful of new recipes that fit into the pie/crisp/tart category. Join the community below!
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Cranberry Curd Tart
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 7 hours (includes chilling)
- Yield: 1 9-inch tart
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Sweet-tart and beautifully festive, this cranberry curd tart is ready to light up your holiday table. The graham cracker crust adds just the right amount of sweetness and crunch, and a cloud of homemade whipped cream tops the silky-smooth, ruby-red filling.
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 and 1/4 cups (150g) graham cracker crumbs (about 10 full-sheet graham crackers)
- 3 Tablespoons (37g) granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, melted
Cranberry Curd Filling
- 1 lb. (454g) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup (240g/ml) orange juice
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup (240g/ml) heavy cream, cold
- 2 Tablespoons granulated or confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- optional: sugared cranberries, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable base with nonstick spray.
- Make the crust: If you’re starting out with full graham crackers, use a food processor or blender to grind them into fine crumbs. Stir the graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar together in a medium bowl, and then stir in the melted butter. The mixture will be thick, coarse, and sandy. Try to smash/break up any large chunks. Pour the mixture into the prepared tart pan. With medium pressure using your hand, pat the crumbs down into the bottom and up the sides to make a compact crust. Do not pack down with heavy force because that makes the crust too hard. Simply pat down until the mixture is no longer crumby/crumbly. For more shaping technique tips, see the graham cracker crust recipe page.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Set aside on a cooling rack.
- Make the cranberry filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cranberries, orange juice, and sugar. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, until the cranberries have all burst, about 10 minutes. You can mash them against the sides of the saucepan with your spatula to help them along. Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes.
- Transfer the cranberry mixture to a high-powered blender or food processor and puree until completely smooth, and no specks of cranberry skins remain. Pour the cranberry puree back into the saucepan.
- In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the egg, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk or stir with a fork until completely combined and smooth. Pour and whisk the egg mixture into the cranberry puree.
- Return the saucepan to the stove over medium heat and allow the cranberry curd to come to a boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring with a silicone spatula and scraping the bottom and sides of the saucepan to keep the curd from sticking, until thickened, about 5–7 minutes. If you’d like to be precise and use a candy or instant-read thermometer, the temperature will rise to about 200°F (93°C).
- Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla extract until the butter is melted and fully incorporated. Pour the filling into the crust and smooth the top (I use a small offset spatula for this). Let cool at room temperature for 30–45 minutes, and then place in the refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
- Make the whipped cream: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3 minutes. Medium peaks are between soft/loose peaks and stiff peaks, and are the perfect consistency for topping and piping on desserts. If you accidentally over-whip the cream, and it looks curdled and heavy, pour in a little bit more cold heavy cream, and fold it in gently by hand with a spatula until it smooths out.
- Spread the whipped cream on top of the tart. Garnish with sugared cranberries, if desired. Remove the rim of the tart pan, slice, serve, and enjoy!
- Cover and store leftover tart in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Make-Ahead Instructions: You can prepare the graham cracker crust through step 3, let it cool completely, then cover and keep at room temperature for up to 2 days. I don’t recommend making the cranberry curd in advance, as it thickens considerably and becomes difficult to spread into the crust after chilling. If you’d still like to make it ahead, you may refrigerate it (covered) for up to 5 days; whisk vigorously to loosen before assembling. Once assembled (without the whipped cream), the tart can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Add the whipped cream shortly before serving.
- Freezing Instructions: Freeze the tart without the whipped cream. After the cranberry curd layer has cooled and set in the refrigerator, wrap the whole tart (in its pan) in a double layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Add whipped cream and garnish just before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Food Processor or Blender | 9-inch Tart Pan | Cooling Rack | Medium Saucepan | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Egg Separator | Instant-Read Thermometer | Offset Spatula | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand)
- Can I Use Frozen Cranberries? Yes. Do not thaw. No changes necessary. Add them right to the saucepan in step 4.
- Orange Juice: Using 1 cup of orange juice adds a bright, citrusy lift that really makes the cranberry flavor sing. Fresh-squeezed or store-bought both work beautifully, and pulp is fine since the mixture gets puréed. Some recipes dilute the flavor with a mix of water and orange juice, but we didn’t find that necessary—the cranberry flavor is quite bold on its own, and the orange balances it perfectly. I don’t recommend any substitutions.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I made this for Thanksgiving, and it was excellent! Perfect tartness, and the crust was an excellent compliment! I did put an Italian meringue on top rather than the whipped cream, reminiscent of a lemon meringue pie. From another comment, I know the Sally’s team had trouble getting the meringue to stick to the curd; however, the Italian meringue, being stiffer, seemed to hold well. I also allowed the pie to sit on the counter while I made the meringue in the hopes that the closer temperatures would aid in the stick. Finally, I initially torched the meringue, but popped it in the oven for a final toast under the broiler, again hoping to aid in the stick. Seemed to work perfectly!!! Hopefully this helps some 10/10
this recipe is amazing light and tangy it is totally a pie to die for and is perfect for thanksgiving. great job sally!
this recipe is amazing light and tangy it is totally a pie to die for great job sally!
This tart is so delicious! The curd is sweet and tangy and I agree with another comment that said it was like Keylime pie for fall! I did put the cranberry mixture through a sieve, because they’re quite a few of us in the family with texture issues, and it came out so silky and smooth. The other change I made is that I only had an 11” tart pan, so when I calculated the area of each size pan, I found that if I just made one and a half of the recipe then it would be the equivalent to the original recipe. The calculation was spot on because everything fit beautifully in the 11” pan and is in perfect ratio. Another Sally winner!
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit!
I tried the cranberry curd tart as tartlets and they were delicious! (And the color of the filling is so pretty. 🙂 ) The recipe made about seven tartlets using my mold size (approximately 3 1/4 inches at the base/bottom and 4 inches at the top). The one issue I had with making them is that I could not get the crust to stay together (so they had to be eaten directly from the mold. 😉 )
How could I increase the size just a little to an 11 inch tart pan?
Hi Theresa, we have not tried scaling this recipe up for an 11-inch tart dish, so we’re unsure of the exact changes. Let us know if you try anything.
Hi! I’m currently in the process of making this in an 11in pan. It is setting up so I cannot vouch for the final product, but I ended up doing 1.5x the recipe and there was a little graham cracker mixture and cranberry curd left over. I can let you know how it turns out! So far so good.
Confirming that 1.5x the recipe worked well! It came out beautifully and everyone loved it. Only change I made was to put the cranberry puree through a sieve so it was silky smooth.
Deciding to make this last minute for thanksgiving! Can I use arrowroot vs corn starch? A pie pan vs tart pan?
Hi Corrianne! We haven’t tested this tart with arrowroot so we’re unsure of the results. You can use a regular pie dish. The pie/tart will be thin and a little tough to slice but it works! Same instructions.
I’ve just made the curd by itself and I am having trouble saving it for later because it is so fantastic! I was thinking of serving it with breakfast on thanksgiving – toast/scones, etc. So Tasty!!!
I just looked and my bag of cranberries is 12 oz instead of a pound? Could I just scale down the sugar a bit or will this completely throw it off?
Hi Sara, it’s best to grab another bag of cranberries to yield the 1 pound needed for this recipe, rather than scaling down.
Made this for early Thanksgiving last night and it was a huge hit! My only complaint is the graham cracker crust was quite crumbly and didn’t hold its shape well. Any idea what I did or could do differently next time? No deviation from the instructions.
Hi Nicole, was the crust packed tightly enough? You don’t want to pack it in too hard (that will make it too difficult to cut), but you do want to use enough force to bring it together so that it is no longer crumbly. We’re so glad it was a hit!
If I use a store bought graham cracker crust do I still bake it?
No, you shouldn’t have to bake a store bought crust.
Going to make for Thanksgiving. How far in advance can I put the whipped cream on? Bringing pie and don’t want to put whipped cream on there, wanted to do it before. Will that work? Thanks!
Hi MaryJo, You can definitely add the whipped cream in advance, but I recommend doing it no more than 6–8 hours before serving for the best texture. The tart holds up beautifully, but whipped cream can start to deflate or weep if it sits too long, especially during transport. If you need to finish it earlier, stabilize the whipped cream with a little cornstarch or a spoonful of (block-style) cream cheese and it will hold its shape even longer.
The recipe was great! It was hard reading with all the ads, bu it came out so Good!
Very good.
Sally, this is a winner. My husband said it’s like key lime pie for the fall. I used country crock plant-based butter which works really well if any other non-dairy families ask. So glad I did a test run before Thanksgiving!
Sooo good!! My family loved this. Such a fun addition to the holiday dessert menu.
This tart looks delicious! I have tartlet molds, though, so I was wondering, how many tartlets do you think I’d be able to make using this recipe? (My molds are approximately 3 1/4 inches at the base/bottom and 4 inches at the top.) Thanks so much for all the delicious recipes!
Hi Renae, we’re unsure without testing tartlets ourselves, but let us know how many you get and how they go!
Can’t wait to try? Can I just start with a bottle of pure cranberry juice?
Hi MJ, no, we don’t recommend that here.
Could you make these in individual portions, perhaps in a muffin tin?
Hi Jane, we haven’t tested this exact recipe in a muffin pan, but that *should* work. You may want to use cupcake liners to ensure they come out easily from the pan. Without them, it could be tough to remove the crust/tart in one piece. Let us know if you try anything!
Could I use a springform cheesecake pan instead of a tart pan?
Hi Sarah, that would be fine! I can’t see why that wouldn’t work.
I was wondering this too. What to use instead of a tart pan?
Should the tart be covered during the 6 hr chilling? Can it chill overnight to serve the following evening?
Hi Karen, you can let it chill overnight, yes. It can be assembled up to two days ahead of time (without the whipped cream – add that just before serving). We would cover it to let it set overnight.
Loved this! Made it for a church potluck and everyone raved over it. If you know your group doesn’t like super tart desserts, add the extra sugar. But most of the people who tried it thought it was the perfect sweetness.
This tart is beautiful and absolutely delicious!
I put the curd through a fine mesh strainer as the seeds were still too plentiful after using the blender. After that, it came out perfectly smooth. I also took the leftover egg whites and made a Swiss meringue, then toasted it with a torch. Perfection!! This was a dry run for Thanksgiving and it definitely made the cut!
Happy to post a photo just need to know where to do it. Thanks!
Did you have to increase any liquid for the loss of pulp after you put it through the seive? Just want to make sure the tart shell is full with curd.
The comments for similar tart with hazelnut crust by NYT suggest brushing crust with egg white so the tart filling isn’t so inclined to soak into the crust and turn it soft a day later. Would this also be a good strategy for the graham cracker crust? We are a small family and I do plan for leftovers. Thank you!
Hi MJ, we haven’t found this to be an issue with the graham cracker crust, since it’s a little crumbly. You can certainly brush it if you’d like, but again, we haven’t found that necessary.
Fantastic! Made it tonight and everyone loved it, I expect it to become a new Thanksgiving tradition. I couldn’t quite blend out all the cranberry skins, will probably strain next time.
Hello! I am trying to adapt this to a similar fruit in South America (corozo), but the corozo does not have as much pulp as the cranberry does, it is mostly a juice with a very light pulp, so it is not very thick.
I am thinking of simply trying to reduce down my corozo pulp to make it a bit thicker. In your recipe, after you pureed the cranberries in step 5, about what volume of cranberry puree did you have?
Thank you so much for any help.
WOW! What a delicious tart!!!! I followed it exactly as written and it turned out beautifully and everyone loved it!
i was expecting a stronger cranberry taste, could it have been my berries? A nice dessert still, just missing the berry zing i was seeking.
Hi Sharon, if you like your cranberry flavor extra tart, you can reduce the sugar by about 2 Tbsp. An easy fix for next time. Thank you for giving this recipe a try!
I was thinking of making this with a toasted meringue topping. Any reason why this would not work?
Hi Jeannine, we tested that, and while it tastes delicious, we couldn’t get the meringue to stay in place on top of the cranberry curd filling–it just kept separating/sliding off! So as long as you’re fine with that, go for it!
ahhh good to know! Thank you!
This sounds amazing and I like the idea that one person mentioned they were going to make it in small phyllo cups for handheld. I was wondering if I could do this in a mini cup parfait version. Instead of using the crust recipe, I would break up graham crackers or a ginger cookie and layer the cranberry and whipped cream. Do you think this would hold up?
Hi Andrea, yes, I think that would work!