The recipe
A Lattice Pie Made for the Holiday Table
Cranberry-Pear Pie pairs soft, mellow pears with the brighter tartness of whole cranberry sauce, then tucks the filling under a classic lattice crust. Cinnamon and lemon juice keep the fruit from tasting flat, while a light sprinkle of sugar over the lattice gives the top a simple finish.
It is an especially good bridge between fall and the holidays: familiar enough to feel at home on a Thanksgiving table, but different enough from a standard apple or pecan pie to stand out. The filling is colorful, the lattice keeps it traditional, and the combination of pear and cranberry feels made for late-autumn gatherings.
Why it matters
Why This One Is Worth Bringing Back
Cranberry-Pear Pie has the kind of combination that immediately tells you when it belongs on the calendar. Pears bring soft sweetness, cranberry brings color and tartness, and the lattice crust makes the whole thing feel unmistakably holiday-ready without becoming fussy.
The source note strengthens that seasonal fit: contributor Virginia Frank says she has taken the pie to potlucks and also makes it for Thanksgiving and Christmas. That makes this more than a clever flavor pairing; it is a recipe with a documented place at gatherings.
For more pies already in the fall archive, try Boiled Cider Apple Pie or Elsah Landing Mystery Pecan Pie. You can also browse more recipes preserved from 75 Years of Caring and Sharing.
Modern kitchen notes
If You're Making It Today
These are modern editorial suggestions, not changes to the archived recipe. When a variation comes directly from the original source, we will say so.
Use a true lattice top
The printed recipe calls for pastry for a 9-inch lattice-top pie. Keep enough dough for strips rather than covering the filling with a full second crust.
Watch the crust edges early
The source directs you to cover the pastry edges with foil to prevent overbrowning, then remove the foil a few minutes before the pie is done.
There are a few source quirks
The method calls for salt, but no salt amount appears in the ingredient list. It also says to sprinkle the lattice lightly with sugar without giving an additional amount. The ingredient list includes a few drops of red food coloring, but the printed method does not say when to add it.
Recipe card
The Preserved Recipe
Cranberry-Pear Pie
Ingredients
- pastry for 9 inch lattice top pie
- ½ c. sugar
- 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 c. whole cranberry sauce
- 3 c. sliced pears
- 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
- few drops red food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare pastry. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Blend with lemon juice. Add 1 cup whole cranberry sauce and 3 cups of sliced pears. Dot with butter. Turn into pastry lined pie plate. Adjust lattice; seal fluted edge. Sprinkle top lightly with sugar. To prevent overbrowning, cover edges of pastry with strips of foil. Bake at 400° for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove foil a few minutes before pie is done. Serves 6 to 8 slices.
Notes
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This recipe traces back to a Jersey County community cookbook created in the spirit of sharing, service and local connection. If you’d like to carry that spirit forward, consider supporting the Jersey County Historical Society and its work preserving local history for future generations.
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