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Cranberry Cherry Pie with almonds
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4.63 from 8 votes

Cranberry Cherry Pie with Almond Glaze

This Cranberry Cherry Pie is just what you need for Thanksgiving! It has perfect pops of tart from the cranberries. The almond glaze on the top adds the perfect crunch! 
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 628kcal
Author: The Food Charlatan

Ingredients

For the pie crust

  • 2 cups all purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 & 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter COLD, cut into chunks (1 stick)
  • 6 tablespoons butter-flavored Crisco
  • 1/2 of a beaten egg
  • 1/4 cup ice water

For the filling

  • 1 (21-oz) can cherry pie filling
  • 1 (12-oz) bag fresh cranberries 3 cups
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 & 1/4 cup white sugar
  • dash salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons butter cold and cut into chunks

For the glaze

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 2-3 teaspoons milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Instructions

  • First make the pie crust: Measure out 1/4 cup water into a glass measuring cup and stick it in the freezer. Or add some water and ice to a small bowl and set it on the counter. (You will need 1/4 cup ice water in a bit.)
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
  • Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut in the butter and Crisco. Cut until it looks like coarse crumbs. Don't overdo it!
  • In a small bowl beat one egg. Pour out half (into the sink or into another container, or heck, into a frying pan). You can just eyeball it. I know this is annoying, but it makes for SUCH a tender crust!
  • Add the half beaten egg to the cold water that you put in the freezer. Beat it together, then add it to the butter mixture. Stir until it is just coming together, then use your hands to knead it once or twice (only to make it come together). Divide the dough in half.
  • Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface. I love to use my pastry cloth.
  • Roll the dough loosely on the rolling pin to transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Fold the edges under. Place the formed crust in the fridge while you make the filling.
  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Make the filling: Rinse the cranberries and pick them over, removing any stems.
  • In a large bowl, stir together the cherry pie filling, cranberries, cornstarch, white sugar, a dash of salt, and vanilla.
  • Pour the filling into the shaped pie crust. 
  • Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cold butter over the top of the filling.
  • Roll out the other pie crust. Carefully lay it on top of the pie. Fold the edges under and crimp as desired. Use a sharp knife to vent the pie.
  • Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. If your pie filling looked very full, bake it on a baking sheet just in case it bubbles over.
  • Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. 
  • Remove the pie from the oven and loosely cover the whole thing with tin foil that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.
  • Return to the oven and bake for another 35 minutes. 
  • Remove the tin foil and see how the crust looks. The edges of the crust should be golden, and the center should be under baked. Remove the foil, fold it into quarters and cut out the center (so that you have a circle of tin foil with a hole in the middle.) Cover the edges of the crust with the foil to prevent over browning. 
  • Return to the oven and bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes, until the center of the pie is golden brown*. (The total bake time should be about 1 hour: 15 minutes at 475 and at least 45 minutes total at 375.)
  • Let the pie cool on a rack for several hours or overnight. Make sure you cover it after a while so it doesn't dry out.
  • 1-2 hours before serving the pie, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients.  
  • Drizzle the glaze over the top of the pie. Use the back of a spoon to make sure it gets in every nook and cranny.
  • Immediately sprinkle the sliced almonds on top of the glaze. Let sit for an hour or two until the glaze hardens, then slice and serve. 

Notes

*You are not going to overcook the filling on this pie, so the priority here is getting the crust browned. 
You can make this pie 24 (or even 48...but 24 is better) hours in advance. Leave the glaze topping off and add it a couple hours before serving. (You want the glaze to have time to harden)
Of course you can use a store bought crust if you don't want to make your own!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 628kcal | Carbohydrates: 96g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 637IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 2mg