Description

A crunchy, spiced gingersnap–walnut crust paired with a bright, tangy cranberry curd creates a holiday dessert that practically glows on the table. This pie is sweet, tart, colorful, and guaranteed to turn heads the moment it arrives.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Crust

10 ounces gingersnap cookies
2 cups walnuts
5 tablespoons brown sugar
8 tablespoons melted butter

For the Cranberry Curd

24 ounces fresh cranberries
3 cups granulated sugar, divided
6 eggs
4 egg yolks
1 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Pinch of kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened and cut into pieces

For Garnish

Sugared cranberries
Fresh thyme sprigs or mint leaves

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Instructions

Make the crust: Heat your oven to 350°F. Add the gingersnaps to a food processor and pulse until they turn into fine crumbs—you’ll get roughly 2 cups. Toss in the walnuts and brown sugar, then pulse again to blend. Pour in the melted butter and give everything a few final pulses until the mixture comes together.
Form and bake the crust: Press the mixture firmly into a deep 9-inch pie dish, making sure to work it up the sides as well. Bake for 10–15 minutes, or until the crust feels set and slightly darker. Allow it to cool. Tip: You can prepare and bake the crust a day ahead. Keep it wrapped at room temperature.
Cook the cranberries: In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries with 2 cups of sugar and ½ cup water. Bring everything to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat and cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes—until the berries burst, most of the moisture evaporates, and the mixture thickens. Let it cool just a bit, then blend until perfectly smooth.
Prepare the curd: In a clean saucepan, whisk the cranberry puree with the remaining 1 cup sugar, eggs, egg yolks, lemon juice, and salt. Place over medium heat and cook while stirring nonstop. The mixture will gradually thicken and should coat the back of a spoon in about 10 minutes. Don’t step away—constant stirring is key.
Strain and finish the curd: Push the hot curd through a fine mesh strainer to remove any bits of skin or cooked egg. Add the softened butter pieces into the warm strained curd, stirring until each piece melts in smoothly.
Fill and chill: Spread the cranberry curd into your prepared crust, smoothing the top. Transfer to the fridge and chill for about 2 hours, or until fully set.
Garnish and serve: Top the pie with sparkling sugared cranberries and a few fresh thyme or mint sprigs before serving, if you want a festive touch.

Notes

Achieving silky curd is all about medium heat, continuous stirring, and straining the mixture at the end to ensure flawless smoothness.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Category: Desserts