Cranberry Surprise Pie: A Delicious and Easy Dessert

My good friend Erin, an author, bookseller, and blogger, introduced me to the delightful Cranberry Surprise Pie. Her blog, One Good Deed, chronicles her daily attempts to do good deeds, and in one post, she mentioned this intriguing dessert. Initially, she didn’t share the recipe, but thankfully, she added it later, and I’ve since made it four times.

The recipe, which seems to have originated in the 1950s, is remarkably simple and versatile. It’s my favorite kind of recipe, as it easily accommodates slight changes. I made a batch with fresh ricotta and lemon zest added to the batter, and you could also substitute other fruits, though Erin has only tried it with cranberries. Tart fruits would work best, matching the sweet and crispy crust. It took me a while to figure out what the Cranberry Surprise Pie reminded me of, but I eventually realized it’s similar to the French dessert clafouti, a rich pancake batter poured over fruit. The biggest difference is that clafoutis usually include milk or cream in their batter.

Yield: 8-10 Servings

Cranberry Surprise Pie

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Cranberry Surprise Pie is a simple and versatile dessert that originated in the 1950s. It's made with fresh cranberries, walnuts, sugar, eggs, and flour, and can be easily modified with different fruits and flavors. This recipe serves 8-10 people and takes about 60-65 minutes to prepare and bake.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup melted butter
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9 1/2″ pie plate.
2. Pour cranberries into the bottom of the pie plate and sprinkle evenly with walnuts and 1/2 cup of white sugar.
3. Mix 2 beaten eggs with 3/4 cup melted butter, 1 cup sugar, vanilla, and 1 cup flour. Pour over the cranberry mixture.
4. Bake 50 minutes at 325 degrees.

Notes

Despite the absence of a bottom crust, the pie holds together beautifully. You can experiment with different fruits and add fresh ricotta and lemon zest to the batter for additional flavor. This dessert contains gluten, eggs, and dairy, making it unsuitable for individuals with these dietary restrictions.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 350Total Fat: 18gSodium: 100mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 2gSugar: 30gProtein: 4g