Creamy Cranberry Tart
This post has been sponsored by Eagle Brand®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Brighten up the holidays by making a Creamy Cranberry Tart! Calling for simple ingredients, this cranberry dessert recipe is creamy, tart and flavorful! Perfect for Thanksgiving, holiday parties, Christmas Eve and more, this Cranberry Tart is a tasty winter dessert. Makes 8-10 servings.
Love cranberry desserts? You’ve got to try Upside Down Cranberry Cake and Orange Cranberry Bars
Real talk: The holidays are my favorite time of year because I love hosting our families and friends.
Realer talk: I adore serving homemade goodies to the people I love… but I don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen when I could be hanging out with them.
If you agree with me, please consider making this homemade Cranberry Tart soon.
Why I love this recipe:
This Creamy Cranberry Tart is decadent and delicious without being too heavy. And it incorporates two of my favorite seasonal flavors: cranberry and orange, which obviously makes it a delightful holiday dessert to try this season.
It’s pretty easy to make, too! All you need is a little bit of time and some patience to not cut into it before it’s completely chilled. Truly, it makes a beautiful centerpiece for the holiday table and involves simple ingredients.
This tart has two stars that strike a perfect balance — fresh cranberry and Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk.
In addition to being a family favorite, Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk adds a lovely creaminess and balances the tart cranberry curd filling. Which is exactly what this tart needs!
This tart is reminiscent of a cheesecake, with its crispy chocolate crust and ceamy cranberry filling.
A really, really easy-to-make cheesecake.
It’s perfect for any size crowd gathering this season, too, assuming your crowd likes cranberries the way mine does.
More holiday desserts to try this season: Orange Cranberry Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies | Bourbon Pecan Pie | Spiced Apple Upside Down Cake with Bourbon Caramel Glaze | Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies | Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownie Bars
What do I need to make this recipe?
- Food processor
- 14”x4.5” nonstick tart pan with a removable bottom
- Saucepan
- Citrus juicer
- Citrus zester
- Blender
- Liquid measuring cup
- Hand mixer
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here’s what you’ll need to grab at the grocery store:
- Chocolate graham cracker crumbs — you can make these yourself in a food processor or purchase pre-made crumbs at some grocery stores.
- Unsalted butter — this is going to be a binder for the crust. There is no substitute.
- Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this provides a little extra sweetness to the chocolate tart crust.
- Fresh cranberries — if you can’t find these, frozen ones will work. You’ll need to cook them down for longer. Do not use dried cranberries.
- Orange — we need the orange peel/zest, as well as the juice from one navel orange. It adds a nice pop of citrus to the filling.
- Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk — I love this brand because the ingredients are simple: just milk and sugar. The straightforward ingredients and the flavor they provide make a difference for this tart.
- Eggs — we’ll need two egg yolks and another egg. They need to be at room temperature so they will blend better.
- Heavy whipping cream — also known as heavy cream, this serves as the base of our orange whipped cream. There is no substitute.
- Powdered sugar — also known as confectioner’s sugar, this sweetens up the whipped cream
- Orange extract — this adds a little orange essence to the whipped cream without overwhelming it. I know it’s a little extra… but it pairs SO nicely with the cranberries.
How to make a Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust
Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a tart pan with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside.
Crush the graham crackers into a powder a food processor.
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and granulated sugar in a small bowl. Stir with a spoon to combine.
Press the crust into the prepared tart pan. Spread it out evenly and up the sides. I like to use the back of a measuring spoon to evenly spread this mixture out.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.
Once baked, let the tart shell cool on a wire rack.
Unlike most tart shells, this will not turn golden brown since the graham crackers are dark brown already. Keep an eye on it as it bakes because you do not want it to burn.
How to make Cranberry Tart filling
Combine the cranberries, orange zest and orange juice in a saucepan over high heat. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the cranberries begin breaking down. Remove from the heat.
Pour the sweetened condensed milk into the cranberry mixture. Stir them together with a rubber spatula.
Transfer the mixture to a blender. Blend until smooth. (You may also do this with an immersion blender, though make sure the sides of your pan are tall enough so that the hot filling does not splatter all over you.)
This is very important so you don’t have cranberry chunks in the creamy filling.
Add the egg yolks and egg to the filling. Blend immediately until smooth.
DID YOU KNOW?
You can pour the cranberry mixture through a fine mesh strainer or sieve to remove any lumps from the eggs or other ingredients. I highly recommend doing this.
Pour the tart cranberry filling into the baked tart crust.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until the tart is set.
How will I know the tart is set?
Put an oven mitt on your hand. Grab the side of the tart pan, and give it a gentle shake. If the filling doesn’t move, it’s set. If it jiggles, it needs to bake for longer.
When set, remove the finished tart from the oven and let it cool completely.
Cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before slicing and enjoying.
How to make Orange Whipped Cream
I talk a lot about making homemade whipped cream in my Sweetened Whipped Cream post. You can find a lot of details there about the process!
Here is an overview for how to make orange-flavored whipped cream.
Measure the whipping cream, powdered sugar and orange extract into a large bowl
Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer to whip the ingredients together until light and fluffy. You will have stiff peaks!
Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and chill for up to a few hours.
How to serve a Creamy Cranberry Tart
Carefully remove the tart from its pan.
Cut the tart into 10 slices using a very sharp knife. Wipe any filling off the knife between slices to make them as clean as possible.
I like to cut mine into triangles, but you can slice it however makes you happy.
Dollop whipped cream onto each slice. Top with additional orange zest.
Enjoy immediately.
How to make this recipe in advance:
This tart is better if made in advance because then it has ample time to chill.
You can make it 1-2 days early. once the tart cools, cover with nonstick plastic wrap and refrigerate.
When it’s time to serve, remove it from the refrigerator, slice with a sharp knife, make the whipped cream and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Frozen cranberries will work. You’ll have to cook them a little longer to get them to break down for the filling, but they shouldn’t be a problem.
Yes. From my understanding, my tart pan is a standard tart pan, so this recipe should work in any other standard tart pan, no matter the shape. The cook time might vary, so keep an eye on yours.
Absolutely! If you want to use what you’ve got on hand, it should work. Just be sure to grind up the cookies finely so that they can mix with the other crust ingredients.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
This Cranberry Tart recipe is a total dream to serve for the holiday season because it’s a festive dessert that is colorful and delicious.
It’s also excellent for entertaining because, well, it’s an awesome recipe to make in advance.
Here’s what I recommend doing:
- Make the recipe early. Since this tart can keep in the fridge, make it a few days in advance. All you’ll need to do is slice and top it with fresh whipped cream when you’re ready to serve it to guests.
- Make a double batch. While I do not recommend doubling this recipe and dividing it between two tart pans, you can batch make a few if you’re hosting a crowd.
- Add fun toppings. Make the whipped cream, but offer guests things like a cranberry sauce to drizzle over their slice. You could also offer a chocolate or white chocolate topping, too!
Quick tips and tricks to the best Cranberry Tart:
- Ingredients matter. Use the Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk for its quality and flavor!
- Make it early. Since this tart tastes better when it’s been chilled, make this 1-2 days early. All you have to do when serving it to guests is make the sweetened whipped cream!
- Keep it cold! Not only do the flavors meld when cold, but it slices a lot better than straight out of the oven.
What can I serve with this cranberry dessert?
Now who’s ready to whip up a tart for the people they love?
Scroll on down to learn how simple and delicious this Creamy Cranberry Tart is!
Creamy Cranberry Tart
Ingredients
Tart Shell
- 1 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs 8 sheets of Graham crackers
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Tart Filling
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
- Zest of 1 navel orange
- 3 tablespoons orange juice freshly squeezed
- 14 oz. Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 egg
Orange Whipped Cream
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure orange extract
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
Make the Tart Shell
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a tart pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, unsalted butter and sugar. Stir until combined.
- Press into a 14”x4.5” tart pan, spreading out evenly and up the sides.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
Make the Tart Filling
- Combine the cranberries, orange zest and orange juice in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the cranberries begin breaking down. Remove from the heat.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk to the cranberry mixture, stirring together until combined.
- Transfer the cranberry mixture to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Add the egg yolks and egg, blending until smooth
- Strain the cranberry mixture before pouring into the baked tart shell.
- Bake 15-18 minutes or until the tart is set. (When you shake it, the filling should no longer jiggle.)
- When set, remove the tart from the oven and let it come to room temperature.
- When the tart has cooled, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2+ hours.
Make the Whipped Cream
- In a glass bowl, measure out the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and orange extract.
- Using a hand mixer (or a stand mixer), whip the cream until it is light and fluffy.
- Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and chill for up to a few hours.
Serve the Tart
- Carefully remove the tart from its pan.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the tart into 10 slices. (I like to cut mine into triangles, but you can slice it however makes you happy.)
- Dollop whipped cream on top of each slice and top with additional orange zest.
- Enjoy immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
This looks so super delicious! I would have never thought to use cranberries in this way because they are so, well, tart, but now I have to try it. Eagle Brand Condensed Milk is the only one I use. Well done!
Thank you so much, Susannah! It’s seriously SO scrumptious, and I’m so happy it occurred to me to use cranberries this way because the dessert is so beautifully balanced. If you’re a cranberry dessert lover, you’ll adore this!
Oh my, this cranberry tart looks amazing! I never would’ve come up with such a fun use of sweetened condensed milk. Can’t wait to make this!
Thank you, Madison! I hope you and yours enjoy this as much as we have… We’ve made it three times already, and there have been no leftovers ever!
I love this idea! Looks like a festive and delicious tart.
Thank you, LeAndra! It’s totally festive AND delicious! And you can make it ahead, which makes it even better for holiday entertaining!