A big, billowing cloud of meringue tops this crimson beauty and acts as a sweet reprieve from the tart cranberry curd. The vibrant filling is made even more sour with a generous amount of lime juice. Think lemon meringue pie but holiday-ified. Use our Perfect Pie Crust as the base to create a sturdy-flaky foundation, and be sure to start the pie the day before you plan to serve it, as the curd requires several hours of chilling to set into a sliceable texture. Cut into it too soon and it will run onto your plate, creating a messy—albeit delicious—slice.
We never make pie dough without a metal bench scraper. Our favorite is from Gestura. Use the scraper to cut butter, fold dough and nudge it into shape, transfer it from counter to plastic wrap, trim edges, cut strips, and, sure, scrape flour off your counter.
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Recipe information
Total Time
3 hours (plus 30 minutes for freezing and 5 hours for chilling)
Yield
12 servings
Ingredients
Crust
1⅔
1
¼
2
10
Filling and Assembly
1
2¾
⅔
¼
3
2
1
1½
¾
6
¼
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Crust
Step 1
Whisk 1⅔ cups (208 g) all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ¼ tsp. baking powder in a large bowl to combine. Add 2 oz. chilled cream cheese, cut into 1" pieces, and rub into dry ingredients with your fingers until incorporated (mixture will look very shaggy). Add 10 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, sliced ½" thick, and toss to coat in flour, then smash with your fingers into smaller, flatter pieces (about chickpea-size).
Step 2
Make a well in the center of mixture and pour in ¼ cup ice water. Toss with a fork or your hands to distribute, then knead in bowl a couple of times to bring dough together (some dry bits may remain).
Step 3
Turn out dough onto a surface lightly dusted with rice flour or all-purpose flour and dust top of dough with flour. Roll out to a ½"-thick rectangle. Fold dough in half, rotate 90°, and fold in half again. Roll out again to a ½"-thick rectangle and repeat folding process, dusting with more rice flour as needed to prevent sticking. Pat into a ½"-thick disk and wrap tightly in plastic. Chill at least 2 hours and, preferably, up to 12 hours.
Step 4
Let dough disk sit at room temperature 5 minutes. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12" round, about ¼" thick. Brush excess flour from dough and wrap around rolling pin. Transfer to a 9"-diameter pie pan (such as East Fork Spun Iron Pie Dish). Unfurl into pan, then lift edges and allow dough to slump down into pan. Trim, leaving about a 1½" overhang. Fold overhang under so crust is flush with edges of pan and crimp as desired with lightly floured fingers. Set pan on a rimmed baking sheet and prick bottom and sides of crust with a fork in several places. Freeze, uncovered, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Step 5
Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 400°. Line crust with a sheet of parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake crust, tenting edges with foil if browning too quickly, until edges are set and look dry, 20–25 minutes. Carefully lift out parchment paper and weights and continue baking crust, gently pressing bottom and sides occasionally with a flat-bottomed measuring cup if puffing up, until bottom looks dry and is golden, 20–25 minutes more. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let crust cool.
Do Ahead: Dough can be made 1 month ahead. Wrap disk in 2 layers of plastic and freeze instead of chilling. Thaw in refrigerator 12 hours before using.
Filling and Assembly
Step 6
Bring 1 lb. fresh or frozen cranberries, 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar, and ¼ cup water to a boil in a large saucepan, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring often, until cranberries soften and burst and most of the liquid has evaporated, 10–15 minutes. Let cranberry mixture cool.
Step 7
Transfer cranberry mixture to a blender; reserve pan. Add ⅔ cup fresh lime juice and ¼ cup (32 g) cornstarch and blend on high speed until smooth. Scrape purée back into pan (not over heat) and add 3 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks, 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture bubbles and thickens to a pudding-like consistency, about 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces, and whisk until melted and combined. Strain curd through a fine-mesh sieve, pushing with a rubber spatula, directly into crust. Smooth into an even layer and cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto surface. Chill pie at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
Step 8
Just before serving, beat 6 large egg whites, room temperature, ¼ tsp. cream of tartar, remaining 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar, and remaining ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until foamy and sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Increase speed to high and continue to beat until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes more.
Step 9
Spoon meringue over filling and swirl decoratively as desired. Using a kitchen torch, toast meringue if desired.