Easy Keto Cranberry Pie Dessert - Perfect for Leftover Cranberries!

This easy Keto Cranberry Pie Cake Dessert is not only delicious and simple but is also a great way to use up leftover cranberries from the Holidays.  With only a handful of ingredients and one bowl, within a matter of minutes, you can create this deliciously sweet sponge cake dotted with tart cranberries and crunchy pecans.  Gluten-free and Keto-Friendly, you HAVE to try this Cranberry Pie Cake today!

Easy Cranberry Pie

This simple cranberry pie recipe will make an excellent addition to your Thanksgiving, Christmas table! This recipe calls for fresh or frozen cranberries which is how I came about creating this recipe.

You see, around twice a year, I try to go through my freezer, look at what needs to be used up, and at the same time, wipe it down. There is nothing better than a clean, crumb-free freezer!

Looking for odds and ends and bits and bites, cleaning out my fridge and freezer is actually something I really enjoy!

Call me crazy but it just makes me feel so good to use up leftovers and create something wonderful with what some might call "scraps".

And that is exactly how this recipe came to be!

After finding an open bag of cranberries leftover from the Holidays, and not wanting to spend a ton of time making and chilling a pie crust, I developed this RIDICULOUSLY EASY Leftover Cranberry Pie Cake.

Crunchy pecans are added to a mixture of tart juicy cranberries and sweetener, then topped with a buttery batter to make a dessert that’s a little bit cake and a little bit pie.

Is it a pie-like cake?

Is it a cake-like pie?

I don’t know but I do know that it tastes phenomenal!

Why this is the BEST Cranberry Pie Cake recipe

• The sweetly tart combination is irresistible
• Mr. Grumbles loved this pie so much that he even ate it again for breakfast
• It is perfect if you can't decide between making a cake or a pie
• It is so easy and only takes minutes to prepare
• Instead of rolling a delicate pie crust, you simply pour the cranberry filling into a pie pan and top with a batter made from butter, eggs, sweetener, almond and coconut flour
• It is gluten-free, low carb and keto-friendly.

Are cranberries Keto and Low Carb Friendly?

Cranberries can absolutely be part of a keto diet.

In about 1 cup of fresh berries, they have only 12g of carbs and almost 5g of dietary fibre. That means that 1 cup of fresh cranberries only has 7 g of net carbs.

Plus, since they are also chock full of antioxidants, adding cranberries to your keto diet is a win-win!

How should you serve this Leftover Cranberry Pie Cake?

The resulting pie is begging to be served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

Of course, it’s also perfectly delicious all on its own!

It works as a dessert and as a fun breakfast or brunch dish. 

What type of cranberries can you use?

This pie is a fabulous way to cook fresh cranberries but frozen cranberries work just as well!

Many of us snack on dried cranberries all year long but don’t do much with the fresh berries until it’s time to make Cranberry Sauce around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I love my Keto Cranberry Pistachio Muffins and all the new versions I’ve experimented with over the years like my Keto Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars - Nut-Free.

Fresh cranberries are for more than just sauce! I’ve enjoyed exploring different ways to use these tart berries.

What ingredients do you need to make this Keto Leftover Cranberry Pie Cake recipe?

Cranberries - For this recipe, you can use either fresh or frozen. You can either chop them into smaller pieces or leave them whole. I have made this recipe both ways and prefer to slice larger cranberries in half so that they are more evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Sweetener - Allulose works best if you plan on storing this in the fridge. If you plan on eating this cake within 3 days and storing it on the counter at room temperature, erythritol-based sweeteners, such as the Lakanto brand, will work (if you want to learn more about types of keto sweeteners and when to use each type, check out my Guide to Keto Sweeteners)

Chopped pecans - Adding pecans gives this cake a little texture which I love. If you don't have any pecans, you can use walnuts or almonds instead. Also, if you want to eliminate the nuts altogether, feel free to do so.

Butter- You will need to soften the butter either on the counter for about 30 minutes or heat it in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds. I used unsalted butter but if you only have salted butter, you can use it but you will probably want to eliminate the added salt.

Eggs - This recipe calls for 3 large eggs. If you have farm-fresh eggs and think they may be slightly smaller than a store-bought large egg, add an additional egg. Also, make sure that your eggs are at room temperature. If you add cold eggs to the soft butter, it will make the butter firm again.

Almond flour - Use superfine almond flour and not almond meal which is a coarser texture.

Coconut flour - The high fiber content of coconut fiber helps to absorb any of the extra liquid that is released from the cranberries as they bake as well as gives the cake some extra structure.

Almond and Vanilla Extract - The almond extract REALLY takes this cake recipe and adds the most unbelievable flavour so I highly suggest that you do not eliminate it.

A Review of Keto Sweeteners

I am almost certain that any type of sweetener will work.  

I recently have been using Allulose which is about 70% as sweet as regular sugar.  Although I love sweet treats, I do sometimes find certain recipes to be a little too sweet so allulose (which is natural sugar, unlike erythritol) works perfectly for me.

However, if you prefer your desserts on the sweeter side, you can use regular sugar, coconut sugar, erythritol, or any other sweetener in a 1:1 exchange.

If you prefer somewhat less sweet desserts and you do NOT use allulose, I highly suggest cutting the sugar down by ¼ cup for every 1 cup of allulose in the recipe.

How do you make this Keto Leftover Cranberry Pie Recipe?

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and generously grease a 10 inch pie plate
• Combine the filling ingredients and stir to combine and spread it evenly on the bottom of the pie pan.

• Combine the butter and sweetener in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth
• Add the eggs and almond extract and beat again until fluffy
• Add the flours and beat once more.
• Spread the batter in the pan - if desired, add a couple of cranberries to the top of the batter for decorations
• Bake for 40-50 minutes, test doneness with a toothpick
• Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Baking the pie

I have noticed a couple of things after making this cake pie several times. First, if you want, you can spread the cranberry nut filling in the pie pan and then just pour the batter over the top. Then, top the cake batter with a couple of extra cranberries and chopped pecans for decorations. By doing it this way, I have found that my cake does not brown too much before the cake has had a chance to fully cook.

When I folded the cranberry filling into the mixture, the top of the cake browned too quickly. I probably could have covered the top with aluminum foil to stop it from browning so much but since it had never happened in the past, I didn't think of checking on it. (See the pictures below for the difference).

So, to reiterate, if you fold in the cranberry filling, check the pie at the 30-minute mark and cover it with aluminum foil to prevent it from browning before it has had time to fully bake.

Or, simply spread the filling on the pie plate, pour in the batter, and bake it without aluminum foil.

How to Make Sugar-Free Sugared Cranberries

The first time I made this recipe, I decided to add sugared cranberries. If you decide to add sugar-free sugared cranberries, you will need ½ cup water and 2 cups of sweetener, and an additional 12 oz (or 1 bag) of fresh cranberries.

To make sugar-free sugar-coated cranberries, all you have to do is to combine ½ cup sweetener (any type should work) and ½ cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sweetener has dissolved, about 2-3 minutes. Next, stir in the cranberries until all the cranberries have been well coated. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cranberries and transfer them to a wire rack. Allow the cranberries to dry for at least 1 hour.

Finally, working in batches, roll cranberries in the remaining 1 ½ cups sweetener until well coated and allow them to dry for at least 1 hour.

How do you store this pie?

You can store this pie on the counter for up to 3 days.  You can also freeze the pie for up to 3 months.  

When you are ready to eat the pie, simply remove the frozen pie and allow it to come to room temperature.

Can I make this pie ahead of time?

You can make this pie a day ahead of time.  Just allow the pie to fully cool and then LOOSELY cover it otherwise the crust will soften.

Can I substitute the almond extract?

You can replace the almond extract with any other extract such as rum extract.  Or, just replace the almond extract with vanilla extract.

More Holiday Keto Dessert Recipes

• Keto Cranberry Pistachio Muffins
• Keto Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Keto Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars - Nut-Free
• Leftover Gingerbread Cookie Butter
• The BEST Easy Keto Pumpkin Roll - Gluten-free

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