Serve this flavorful Cranberry Pecan Tart at holiday parties! It’s perfect for Thanksgiving.
“Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits.”
― Samuel Butler
Fall always brings mixed feelings for me. I love the changing leaves and the crisp, cool weather. I love the holidays. It’s the season for apples, pears, winter squash and root vegetables. My favorite wardrobe staples are dusted off- jeans, boots, pea coats, merino wool cardigans and sweaters. There are many reasons to celebrate autumn.
And then it’s time to dim the sun. The days become night before 5pm, and the holidays are over and temperatures are no longer hovering in the high 50s and low 60s. Winter arrives, and I go into a holding pattern until spring. That being said, I’ve made it a goal this year to try and embrace these months because, as we are reminded all too often these days, life is short. There is beauty in each and every day.
This cranberry pecan tart is a celebration of autumn and the holiday season. Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and this is one of the many desserts I’m preparing this year. The filling is sweet and reminiscent of pecan pie, but the tart cranberries cut through that sweetness for a perfect balance of flavors.
Because I use cranberries so often this time of year, one of my tricks is to stock up on a large bag of frozen cranberries at the beginning of the season. The fruit is flash frozen at its peak freshness and I don’t have to worry about it going bad. It’s one less thing to worry about when I have (what feels like) a million recipes to prepare. My preferred frozen fruit brand is Wyman’s of Maine. They use high quality, sustainably farmed, Nantucket cranberries that work perfectly in this recipe.
Cranberry Pecan Tart
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch unbaked pie crust, either store-bought or homemade (see notes)
- 1 1/2 cups whole frozen cranberries, such as Wyman's of Maine (do not thaw)
- 1 cup toasted pecans
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup honey
- 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until approximately 1/4 inch thin. Transfer to a 9-inch tart pan or shallow pie dish. Flute the edges, place the pan in the refrigerator, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Use a fork to prick numerous holes in the bottom and sides of the dough. Line the pan will aluminum foil and weigh down with dried beans. Place on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and beans, then bake for another 5 minutes or until the dough is firm. Set aside and lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
- In a food processor, pulse the cranberries 3-4 times and then add the pecans. Pulse a few more times until the ingredients are very coarsely chopped with some larger pieces still in the mix (a few whole pieces here and there are also good for texture).
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together. Whisk in the honey, butter, salt and vanilla. Fold in the cranberries and walnuts.
- Pour the filling into the prepared tart crust and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the mixture has set. Let the tart rest for an hour before slicing.
Notes
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
For immediate help troubleshooting a recipe, please email me using the form on my contact page. I’ll try to respond to urgent questions as quickly as possible! For all general questions, please leave a comment here :)
Disclaimer: I was paid to develop a recipe for Wyman’s of Maine. As always, all opinions are my own!
Loving this, darling! Cranberries in a tar is such a brilliant idea!
Thanks, Sarah! Cranberries add such a nice sour note to balance the sweetness :)
Love this!
Thank you!
Beautiful tart, Jennifer! I am such a huge fresh cranberry fan and am lucky to have access to lots of them, as they are grown in large numbers in my neck of the woods :)
Thanks, Jennifer!
I definitely struggle with fall and winter. We have actually had a beautiful fall so far, but I can see the end in sight. Snow. Cold. Yuck. The darkness at 5 is almost unbearable. My dad leaves the house in the dark and comes home in the dark. I do enjoy the holidays, but I think there is something very sad about them. I wish we lived near each other … I think we could be good friends :) Especially if you share this tart with me. I was just thinking about making a cranberry walnut pie for Thanksgiving.
I will never forget the days of my 9 to 5 job where I left in the dark and came home in the dark. It’s kind of soul crushing. It’s one of the many reasons I decided to become self employed and have flexible hours. I hope your dad gets to enjoy some time off during the holidays; I know you’ll make him some amazing food! :)
Gorgeous tart, the cranberry pecan pairing is scrumptious!
Thank you!
Came for the comment…. stayed for the tart.
So lovely! I have never made a tart with cranberries and I have no idea why! It looks and sounds delish!
Thanks, Tori!
Absolutely beautiful. Your photography is so incredibly great. Always.
Thanks, Matt. That’s quite a compliment considering that Naomi has always been one of my biggest inspirations! And your work is pretty fantastic as well :)
I love pecan pie and have never had one with cranberries – this looks delicious!
Thanks, Bianca!
Fall is my favorite, and the cooling and crisping of the weather makes me blissfully happy. I can definitely agree that this pie would help me through the changes into winter, too.
love that quote by Samuel Butler . . and yes, winter . . I love your attitude. . you are right . . we need to just embrace it because life is short. I absolutely love this festive and beautiful cranberry pecan tart, love this combo and perfect for the holidays!
For me cranberries are the stars of fall — this is such a creative pairing!
This is such a beautiful recipe and your photography is truly delicious!
Do you think I could sub maple syrup for honey? I don’t know why but I much prefer syrup. This tart looks and sounds delicious!
Hi Jen! I hear you on that, I’m a huge fan of maple syrup. Since the eggs are functioning as the binder, I think that will work just fine.
Can fresh cranberries be used?
Absolutely!
Thanks! Looking forward to giving it a try.