Last updated: November 12, 2026.
Cranberry tart is the bright spot on the Thanksgiving table: a buttery shortcrust filled with a jewel-red cranberry curd — tart, silky and just sweet enough — served with whipped cream. This cranberry tart recipe is the easy version — a food-processor shortcrust, a cranberry curd cooked on the stove in ten minutes, and one bake to set it. The fridge does the rest, and the tart needs nothing more than an hour to chill before it slices cleanly.
If you have never made a cranberry tart at home, this is the version to start with. The whole secret is the curd: fresh cranberries cooked with sugar until they burst, pushed through a sieve so the curd is perfectly smooth, then whisked with eggs and butter until it thickens. No gelatin, no fiddly technique — just cook, sieve, whisk, pour, and let it chill.
Cranberry tart belongs in our holiday dessert recipes collection, and it is the tart to make for Thanksgiving when the table is already rich with pumpkin and pecan pie — its brightness balances everything else. If you are still choosing what to bake, our dessert recipes hub has the full list of ideas.
Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Tart
- Bright, not heavy. The cranberry curd is tart and fresh — the one dessert on the Thanksgiving table that cuts through all the richness.
- Silky smooth curd. Sieving the cooked cranberries gives a curd with no skins or seeds — just a glossy, jewel-red filling.
- Easy shortcrust. A food-processor crust comes together in minutes, and it blind-bakes while you make the curd.
- Make-ahead by design. Bake it the day before Thanksgiving and it slices even better — one less thing to do on the day.
- Feeds the table. One 9-inch tart serves eight, and the recipe is the perfect size for a holiday dessert spread.
Ingredients
Shortcrust
- 200 g (1 2/3 cups) all-purpose flour
- 100 g (7 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 1–2 tablespoons cold water, if needed
Cranberry Curd
- 300 g (about 3 cups) fresh cranberries
- 150 g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 60 g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract — where to buy
To Serve
- Whipped cream, for serving
Equipment
- 9-inch (23 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom
- Food processor — where to buy
- Medium saucepan — where to buy
- Large mixing bowl — where to buy
- Whisk — where to buy
- Rolling pin — where to buy
- Baking sheet
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Measuring cups and spoons
How to Make Cranberry Tart
Step 1 — Make the Shortcrust
Pulse the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and pulse until the dough just comes together — add a tablespoon of cold water only if it will not hold together. Press the dough into a disc, wrap it, and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 2 — Roll and Fit the Crust
Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a round about 30 cm (12 inches) across. Fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing it into the fluted edge, and trim the overhang. Prick the base all over with a fork. Chill for 15 minutes while the oven heats.
Step 3 — Blind-Bake the Crust
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Line the crust with parchment paper, fill with baking beans or dried rice, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for 5 minutes more, until the crust is pale golden and dry to the touch.
Step 4 — Cook the Cranberries
While the crust bakes, combine the cranberries, sugar and 60 ml (1/4 cup) of water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens into a jammy sauce.
Step 5 — Make the Curd
Push the cooked cranberries through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, pressing with a spoon — discard the skins and seeds left in the sieve. Whisk the eggs into the sieved cranberry purée, then return the mixture to the saucepan with the butter. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 4–5 minutes, until the curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil. Stir in the orange zest and vanilla.
Step 6 — Fill the Tart
Pour the warm curd into the blind-baked crust and smooth the top with a spatula. It should come to just below the rim.
Step 7 — Bake and Chill
Bake the filled tart at 175°C (350°F) for 12–15 minutes, until the curd is just set at the edges and still trembles slightly in the center. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until the curd is fully set.
Step 8 — Serve with Whipped Cream
Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts, and serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream.
Tips for a Perfect Cranberry Tart
- Sieve the cranberries. Pushing the cooked cranberries through a fine-mesh sieve is the step that makes the curd silky — skip it and the filling is seedy and rough. It takes two minutes and it is worth it.
- Do not boil the curd. Once the eggs are in, medium-low heat and constant stirring. Boiling scrambles the eggs and the curd turns grainy — if it starts to bubble hard, pull the pan off the heat and keep stirring.
- Blind-bake properly. A pale, dry crust is the goal — an under-baked crust turns soggy under the wet curd. The full 15 minutes with beans plus 5 minutes without is not optional.
- Chill it fully. An hour in the fridge is the minimum for clean slices. The curd is still soft when warm and only sets as it chills.
- Fresh or frozen cranberries. Both work. Frozen cranberries go straight into the pan from frozen — add 2–3 minutes to the cooking time. No need to thaw them first.
- Orange zest, not orange juice. The zest gives the curd its bright note without adding liquid. Juice would thin the curd and make it harder to set.
Storage, Make-Ahead and Freezing
- Leftovers: cover the tart loosely and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The crust softens a little by day 3, but the flavor stays good. Serve cold, or let slices sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Make ahead: bake the crust a day ahead and keep it covered at room temperature; make and fill the tart the day before serving and refrigerate overnight — it slices even more cleanly the next day. Add the whipped cream just before serving.
- Freezing: freeze the baked, chilled tart (without whipped cream), wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil, for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge. The crust is slightly softer than fresh, but still good.
- Unbaked crust: the shortcrust dough keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days before rolling, or frozen for up to 1 month — thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Variations
- Cranberry-orange tart. Replace the vanilla with 1 teaspoon of orange extract and add 1 tablespoon of orange juice to the curd for a stronger citrus note.
- Cranberry-almond tart. Add 50 g (1/2 cup) of ground almonds to the shortcrust and scatter flaked almonds over the curd before baking.
- Spiced cranberry tart. Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a pinch of ground ginger to the cranberries as they cook.
- Meringue-topped cranberry tart. Whip the 2 leftover egg whites with 100 g of sugar to stiff peaks, spread over the chilled tart, and torch or broil briefly until golden.
- Mini cranberry tarts. Divide the dough among 8 small tartlet pans and bake for 12–15 minutes; fill with the curd and chill. Perfect for parties.
Nutrition
One serving (1 of 8 slices) has about 375 calories, 49 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 19 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 27 g sugar, 2 g fiber and 40 mg sodium. Nutrition information is an estimate only.
Dietary notes: Contains wheat (gluten), egg and milk. The shortcrust contains gluten and butter; the curd contains egg and butter. A gluten-free flour blend can replace the plain flour in the crust.
| Calories | 375 |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | 49 g |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Fat | 19 g |
| Saturated fat | 11 g |
| Sugar | 27 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sodium | 40 mg |
FAQ
Can I use frozen cranberries for cranberry tart?
Yes. Use frozen cranberries straight from the freezer — no need to thaw them first. Add 2–3 minutes to the cooking time in step 4, since the frozen berries take longer to burst. The curd comes out exactly the same as with fresh cranberries, which is why this tart is easy to make all winter, not just when fresh cranberries are in season.
How do I keep the tart crust from getting soggy?
Three things. First, blind-bake the crust fully — 15 minutes with beans plus 5 minutes without — so it is pale golden and dry before the curd goes in. Second, fill the tart with warm curd, not hot: let the curd cool for 5 minutes after cooking so it does not steam the crust. Third, serve the tart within a day of filling it — the crust is at its crispest on day 1 and softens slowly after that.
Can I make cranberry tart ahead of time?
Yes — cranberry tart is a good make-ahead Thanksgiving dessert. Bake the crust a day ahead and keep it covered at room temperature. Make the curd, fill the tart and chill it the day before serving — it slices even more cleanly the next day. Add the whipped cream just before serving. The finished tart keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can I make cranberry tart without a food processor?
Yes. The shortcrust is simple to make by hand: rub the cold cubed butter into the flour, sugar and salt with your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs, then stir in the egg yolk and bring the dough together with your hands. It takes a few minutes longer than the food processor, but the crust comes out the same. Keep the butter cold and work quickly so it does not melt.
Times, servings and nutrition values are standard guidance and may vary.
Cranberry Tart Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Make the shortcrust. Pulse the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and pulse until the dough just comes together — add a tablespoon of cold water only if it will not hold together. Press the dough into a disc, wrap it, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll and fit the crust. Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a round about 30 cm (12 inches) across. Fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing it into the fluted edge, and trim the overhang. Prick the base all over with a fork. Chill for 15 minutes while the oven heats.
- Blind-bake the crust. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Line the crust with parchment paper, fill with baking beans or dried rice, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for 5 minutes more, until the crust is pale golden and dry to the touch.
- Cook the cranberries. While the crust bakes, combine the cranberries, sugar and 60 ml (1/4 cup) of water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens into a jammy sauce.
- Make the curd. Push the cooked cranberries through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, pressing with a spoon — discard the skins and seeds left in the sieve. Whisk the eggs into the sieved cranberry purée, then return the mixture to the saucepan with the butter. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 4–5 minutes, until the curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil. Stir in the orange zest and vanilla.
- Fill the tart. Pour the warm curd into the blind-baked crust and smooth the top with a spatula. It should come to just below the rim.
- Bake and chill. Bake the filled tart at 175°C (350°F) for 12–15 minutes, until the curd is just set at the edges and still trembles slightly in the center. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until the curd is fully set.
- Serve with whipped cream. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts, and serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream.
Notes
More Recipes to Try
More from Desert Dishes — try these next:
- Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe — Easy, Spiced & Perfect for Thanksgiving — the classic Thanksgiving pie, spiced pumpkin custard in a flaky crust.
- Classic Pecan Pie Recipe — Easy, Sweet & Perfect for Thanksgiving — the Southern holiday pie, sweet and nutty.
- Easy Apple Pie Recipe — Classic Homemade — flaky crust and spiced apple filling, the other Thanksgiving classic.
- Classic Cheesecake Recipe — Creamy, No Cracks — New York-style cheesecake with a buttery crust.
- Best Sugar Cookies Recipe — Soft & Easy — soft, thick cookies for the Christmas cookie table.
