Cranberry Mousse Pie

Cranberry mousse pie is a bright and cheery addition to a drab dessert table (looking at you apple and pumpkin pies). The texture is light and fluffy, the flavor is tart and tangy, and the gingersnap crumb crust ties it all together with a pop of holiday spice.

This no bake pie follows in a line of other light as air mousse pies from the archives…

• No Bake Pumpkin Mousse Pie
• Dreamy Nutella Mousse Pie!
• Peanut Butter Pie
• (Almost) No-Bake Chocolate Mousse Pie

cranberry mousse pie ingredients

• fresh or frozen cranberries
• sugar
• brick style cream cheese
• vanilla
• whipped topping
  • your choice, but I like Cool Whip Extra Creamy. And yes, you can use sweetened whipped cream instead. I found the cool whip extra creamy has a nice stable texture and nice flavor ~ who knew??

gingersnap crust

• gingersnap crumbs
• butter

how to make cranberry mousse pie step by step

See the recipe card for specific amounts and directions.

1. Cook the cranberries, sugar, and a splash of water in a saucepan until thick. Puree and chill.
2. Toss the gingersnap crumbs with the melted butter and pat into a buttered pie plate.
3. Cream the cranberries with the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until completely smooth and lump free. I do this in my food processor ~ you can even start with cold cream cheese this way! You can do it in a stand mixer or with electric beaters but in that case you need to soften your cream cheese first.
4. Fold in the whipped topping until no streaks remain.
5. Spread into your crumb crust.
6. Chill to set the pie and make it more sliceable.
7. Garnish with whipped topping (or whipped cream) and dig in!

how to decorate your pie

You can use whipped topping or whipped cream to garnish your pie. I load the whipped topping in a piping bag fitted with a large tip and pipe around the edges. You can also spoon it across the center of the pie in one single swoop.

I like to decorate my cranberry mousse pie with sugared cranberries and fresh mint.

how to make sugared cranberries the easy way

This is my go-to method for sugaring cranberries without egg whites or sugar syrup. They are purely for decoration and will be too tart to eat.

1. Rinse the Cranberries: Start by rinsing the cranberries under cold water and drain. The goal is to have the cranberries damp, not soaking wet.
2. Coat with Sugar: Roll the damp cranberries in granulated sugar until they are well-coated. You can do this in small batches to ensure an even coating. I use a spoon to toss them with sugar.
3. Let Them Dry: Gently place the sugared cranberries on a plate to dry, without disturbing them.
4. They can sit at room temperature for up to a day ahead.

cranberry mousse pie Q&A

Sue ~ I’m surprised you’re sharing a recipe that includes whipped topping!

• I’m surprised too, but I discovered the extra creamy Cool Whip recently and I actually like it for certain uses. In a mousse pie like this is holds up better than whipped cream. The texture is really nice when you need a quick garnish on a dessert, too. The flavor is nice and natural (has it improved over the years??) so I think it’s useful for the occasional recipe. But if you prefer all natural ingredients, use sweetened whipped cream, it will de delicious.

Can I make this pie ahead?

• Yes, it’s a good choice for making ahead since it should be served chilled. Cover with foil or plastic and refrigerate for up to a day ahead. A plastic pie cover comes in so handy for this.

Can I use canned cranberry sauce?

• You could. I’d recommend a whole berry sauce (that you’ll puree.) Stonewall Kitchen makes nice jarred sauces, too.

Do I have to use gingersnaps?

• Graham crackers will work, and chocolate wafers would be stunning. Nabisco has discontinued their Famous Chocolate Wafers, but there are others on the market, and you can also use Oreos.

How do I make a vegan cranberry mousse pie?

• You’ll need vegan butter or coconut oil for the crust, a plant based cream cheese, and a product like Coco Whip (by SoDelicious) instead of the regular whipped topping.

Can I freeze this pie?

• You could freeze it for an hour or so before serving, but I don’t recommend freezing for longer term storage, the texture of the mousse can deteriorate.