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No Bake Cranberry Cream Pie is an easy make-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas. The filling is rich, creamy, sweet, and a little tart, with a hint of orange zest that reminds me of my homemade cranberry sauce. The pale pink filling sits high in a graham cracker crust, all ready for your decorative garnish!
An Easy Make-Ahead Cranberry Pie
I like to get my holiday desserts done a day ahead. You can make this no bake pie the day before Thanksgiving or Christmas so dessert is ready to go!
This no bake pie sets up overnight in the fridge, so all you have to do before serving is add the garnish. Or, if you make it in the morning, it should be chilled enough to serve after dinner.
No Bake Cranberry Pie Ingredients
You can use a premade 9-inch graham cracker crust, or make the homemade cinnamon-ginger crust. I used the homemade crust in the photos because I love how those warm spices go with the tart cranberry and hint of orange.
I make this cranberry pie with Cool Whip and canned whole-berry cranberry sauce, so the filling comes together quickly.
For exact amounts, see the recipe card below.
Homemade Crust: Graham Cracker Crumbs, Butter, Packed Brown Sugar, Ground Cinnamon, Ground Ginger, Salt.
Pie Filling: Cream Cheese, Powdered Sugar, Orange Zest, Whole-Berry Cranberry Sauce, Whipped Topping.
- Whole-Berry Cranberry Sauce. The whole berries leave little bits of cranberry throughout the filling and give it a pretty pale pink tint.
If there’s loose liquid sitting in the can when you open it, pour it off. - Cream Cheese. Use full-fat block cream cheese and let it soften so it beats up smoothly.
- Whipped Topping. Thaw the Cool Whip before making the pie. Use the full tub in the filling and have a little extra on hand if you want to decorate the top. The premade kind works best for this recipe.
How to Make No Bake Cranberry Cream Pie
Start with a ready-made 9-inch graham cracker crust, or follow the first two steps to make the spiced graham cracker crust.
- Mix the homemade crust. Stir the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and salt together. Add the melted butter and stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
- Press the crumbs into the pie dish. Use your hands or the bottom of a flat-bottomed glass to press the crumbs firmly and evenly across the bottom. Also press them up the sides of the dish, then refrigerate the crust while you make the filling.
- Mix the cranberry filling. Use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and orange zest until smooth and a little fluffy.
- Pour off any loose liquid from the cranberry sauce, then mix the cranberry sauce into the cream cheese mixture on low speed until combined.
- Fold in the whipped topping. Gently fold in the full 8-ounce tub of thawed whipped topping.
- Fill and chill. Spoon the filling into the prepared crust and mound it high in the center, smoothing it toward the edges. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until firm enough to slice.
Garnish
A decorative touch! As soon as it has set, decorate your cranberry pie however you like!
I’m not a great decorator, so I just put extra whipped cream in the center with some fresh whole cranberries (a few dusted in powdered sugar), mint leaves, orange zest strips, and a broken cinnamon stick. I like the not-so-perfect look of it!
Serve
Keep the pie refrigerated until you’re ready to serve it. If you used cinnamon stick pieces, remove them before slicing.
No Bake Pie Storage
Storage. Cover the pie in its dish and refrigerate for up to 3 days from the day you make it.
More No Bake Desserts
No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
Grinch Truffles
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
If you make this delicious Cranberry Cream Pie recipe, let me know by leaving a comment with a star rating below! 😊
No Bake Cranberry Cream Pie
Equipment
- Microplane or Fine Zester
- Food Processor or Rolling Pin (if using whole graham crackers)
Ingredients
- 1 (9-inch) Ready-Made Graham Cracker Crust (or make the homemade crust below)
Homemade Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 ½ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs (about 10 to 12 full sheets, finely crushed)
- 7 Tablespoons Butter, melted
- 2 Tablespoons Packed Brown Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Cranberry Filling
- 12 ounces Full-Fat Block Cream Cheese, softened (1½ (8-oz) blocks)
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons Orange Zest
- 1 (14-ounce) can Whole-Berry Cranberry Sauce (drained if liquid present)
- 1 (8-ounce) tub Whipped Topping, thawed
Optional Garnishes
- Additional Whipped Topping
- Fresh Cranberries
- Orange Peel Curls
- Fresh Mint Leaves
- 1 Cinnamon Stick, broken
Instructions
Make the Graham Cracker Crust
- If using a ready-made crust, skip to the filling. If starting with whole graham crackers, crush them in a food processor or in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
- Use the bottom of a flat-bottomed glass to press the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch pie dish. Press the crumbs up the sides of the dish. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
Make the Pie Filling
- Use a fine zester or Microplane to zest the orange. In a medium mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and orange zest until smooth.
- Pour off any loose liquid from the can of cranberry sauce. Add the sauce to the cream cheese mixture and beat on low until evenly combined.
- Use a silicone spatula to gently fold in the full tub of thawed whipped topping until the filling is evenly pink.
- Spoon the filling into the prepared crust. Use the silicone spatula to mound it high in the center and smooth it toward the edges.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until the filling is firm enough to slice.
Garnish & Serve
- If desired, garnish however you like once the pie is set. I spooned extra whipped topping into the center and decorated with cranberries, orange peel curls, mint leaves, and cinnamon sticks.
- Remove the cinnamon stick pieces before slicing. Serve chilled.
Notes
Make the pie the day before you plan to serve it, or first thing in the morning if you’re serving it after dinner. Once the pie is set, decorate it as desired and return it to the refrigerator until serving. If you used cinnamon stick pieces, remove them before slicing. Filling a ready-made crust
If your 9-inch crust is shallow, pile the filling high in the center of your crust, then use a spatula to smooth it into a mound that slopes gently toward the edges. Whipped topping for garnish
The full 8-ounce tub goes into the filling. Have a little extra on hand if you’d like to decorate the center as shown in the photos. Storage
Cover the pie in its dish and refrigerate for up to 3 days from the day you make it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
