This Cranberry Pumpkin Tart features a silky pumpkin custard and a cranberry-pecan crumble topping. It’s a beautiful alternative to pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving and can be baked ahead of time.
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Skip the Pumpkin Pie and Make This Pumpkin Tart Instead
This spiced pumpkin tart with a cranberry-pecan crumble is one of my favorite fall desserts, especially for Thanksgiving. It’s like a cross between a velvet-smooth pumpkin custard and a pecan-topped pumpkin pie.
The balance of flavors and textures—tender pumpkin, warming spices, bright cranberries, and toasted pecans—elevates this tart above a plain pumpkin pie.
Why this cranberry pumpkin tart deserves a place on your dessert table:
✔ Bold fall flavor: Pumpkin, warm spices, fresh cranberries, and toasted pecans combine for a classic autumn profile.
✔ More interesting than pie: The tart blends sour, sweet, spiced, and nutty elements for contrast and depth.
✔ Make-ahead friendly: The tart needs at least 3 hours of chilling after baking, making it ideal for holiday prep.
I first shared this recipe in 2010 and have updated it since: I now use a simple pâte sucrée for the crust, adjusted the filling for a creamier custard texture, and changed the topping to a dense, buttery crumble.
Enjoy!
-Katie
Tools You’ll Need
Having the right tools makes this tart much easier to prepare. Here are the basics I recommend:
- Pastry cutter — for cutting cold butter into the flour. A fork will work in a pinch.
- Silicone pastry mat or lightly floured surface — to roll out the dough.
- Rolling pin — to roll the crust evenly.
- 12-inch tart pan with removable bottom — makes unmolding much simpler.
- Wire rack — for cooling the tart after baking.
Pan smaller than 12 inches? You may have a bit more filling and topping than the pan holds. Fill the crust to about ¼ inch below the rim to avoid overflow and soft edges.
The Main Ingredients
Below are key ingredients that shape this tart. For exact amounts and the full ingredient list, see the recipe card further down.
- All-purpose flour — the pâte sucrée crust is a simple sweet pastry made from flour, sugar, butter, and egg yolks.
- Cold butter — use refrigerator-cold butter for a tender, flaky crust.
- Eggs — you’ll separate several eggs for the crust and filling.
- Sugars — a mix of granulated and brown sugar adds sweetness and caramel notes.
- Heavy cream — essential for a silky, custardy pumpkin filling; don’t substitute with milk.
- Pumpkin puree — canned puree is convenient, but homemade works too.
- Pecans — toasting pecans enhances their flavor and texture.
- Warm spices — a blend of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom seasons the custard.
How to Make This Pumpkin Tart in 5 Basic Steps
- Make the pâte sucrée and blind-bake it. After rolling, let the dough rest briefly to relax the gluten and reduce shrinkage.
- Prepare the pumpkin filling. Whisk the filling ingredients together until smooth.
- Partially bake the filled tart. Bake just until the edges begin to set and the center still wobbles slightly.
- Make the cranberry-pecan crumble. Cut butter into flour and sugars to form pea-sized crumb clusters, then fold in cranberries and toasted pecans.
- Add the topping and finish baking. Leave a border of exposed pumpkin around the edge for a clean, attractive slice.
This summary is a quick overview. Refer to the full recipe card below for detailed measurements and step-by-step instructions.
Katie’s Tips for Making This Recipe
- Chill the dough: Refrigerate the pâte sucrée at least 1 hour to prevent shrinkage and create a shortbread-like texture.
- Two-stage blind bake: Bake once with weights, then briefly without weights to crisp the crust.
- Keep large crumble clusters: Aim for pea-sized crumbs so they crisp on the outside and stay tender inside.
- Leave a visible border: Leaving about an inch of pumpkin around the edge improves presentation and balance.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can prepare components ahead or fully assemble and bake in advance.
- Crust dough: Make, shape into a disk, wrap, and chill up to 2 days.
- Topping: Prepare the dry crumble up to 2 days ahead; add cranberries and pecans just before using.
- Finished tart: Refrigerate the baked tart up to 3 days before serving.
More Thanksgiving Pumpkin Desserts
No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Jars
Homemade Pumpkin Cobbler
Pumpkin Molasses Cookies
Pumpkin Bundt Cake
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Cranberry Pecan Pumpkin Tart Recipe
10 to 12
1 hour 10 minutes
50 minutes
3 hours
5 hours
This cranberry pecan pumpkin tart combines a silky pumpkin custard with a cranberry-pecan crumble topping. It’s a striking Thanksgiving dessert that can be made ahead.
Ingredients
Pâte Sucrée (Crust)*
- 1 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons (200 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (150 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large egg yolks (about 36 g)
- 1–2 tablespoon ice water, as needed
- 1 egg white, whisked
Pumpkin Custard Filling
- 19 oz (540 g) canned pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
- 4 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3–4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup (135 g) packed brown sugar
- 5 ½ tablespoons (41 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon cardamom
Cranberry Pecan Topping
- 6 oz (170 g) fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (27 g) all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 cup (120 g) medium-chopped pecans, toasted and cooled
- 5½ tablespoons (75 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
- ⅜ tsp kosher salt
- Zest of ½ orange
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Instructions
- Whisk together 200 g (1 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons) flour, 65 g (⅓ cup) sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Add 150 g (⅔ cup) cold butter cubes and cut in until coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces remain.
- Stir in 2 egg yolks until the dough looks shaggy.
- Add 1 tablespoon ice water and mix gently, adding up to 1 more tablespoon only if needed. Dough should be barely damp.
- Turn onto a floured surface, knead 2–3 times, shape into a disk, wrap, and chill at least 1 hour (up to 2 days).
- Roll dough to about 1/8-inch thick and fit into a 12-inch tart pan. Trim edges, dock the bottom, and freeze 15 minutes. Let the rolled dough rest 5–10 minutes before fitting to reduce shrinkage.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line with parchment, fill with pie weights or beans, and bake 15 minutes.
- Remove weights and bake 5–7 minutes more until lightly golden.
- Brush warm crust with beaten egg white and bake 2 minutes more. Cool slightly before filling.
- Whisk together 3–4 tablespoons granulated sugar, ⅔ cup (135 g) brown sugar, 5 ½ tablespoons (41 g) flour, ½ teaspoon orange zest, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon allspice, and ⅛ teaspoon cloves and cardamom.
- In another bowl, whisk 540 g pumpkin, 4 eggs + 1 yolk, ⅔ cup heavy cream, and 2 teaspoons vanilla until smooth.
- Fold the dry mixture into the wet just until combined.
- Pour the pumpkin custard into the blind-baked crust to about ¼ inch below the rim.
- Place the tart on a baking sheet to catch any spills.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are just set and the center still has a slight wobble.
- Toss 6 oz chopped cranberries with 1 teaspoon flour to prevent bleeding.
- Combine 75 g brown sugar, 25 g granulated sugar, the remaining flour (about 24 g), ⅜ teaspoon kosher salt, and the zest of ½ orange.
- Add 42 g cold butter cubes and rub with fingertips or a pastry blender until pea-sized clusters form.
- If the topping seems dry, squeeze a handful— it should hold together then crumble easily.
- Gently fold in the cranberries and pecans, then chill the topping in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm the butter.
- Remove the tart from the oven and sprinkle the topping evenly over the custard, leaving a 1 ½-inch border around the edge.
- Scatter a few extra cranberries on top for color and lightly press a few clusters into the custard so the topping anchors.
- Return to the 375°F oven for 35–40 minutes, until the filling is set, the topping is golden and crisp, and the crust is deep golden brown. The center should barely jiggle when nudged.
- Cool completely on a rack and rest at least 2 hours before chilling to avoid condensation under the topping.
- Chill at least 3 hours for clean slices. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Garnish with lightly sweetened whipped cream if desired.
Make the Pâte Sucrée
Roll & Blind Bake the Crust
Make the Pumpkin Custard Filling
First Bake (Filling Only)
Make the Cranberry Pecan Topping
Finish Baking (with Topping)
Chill and Serve
Notes
Tart pans vary in depth. If you have extra custard, pour it into a buttered ramekin and bake it alongside the tart until set—this makes a lovely individual pumpkin custard cup.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 656Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 210mgSodium: 307mgCarbohydrates: 85gFiber: 4gSugar: 74gProtein: 8g
Nutrition information is an estimate provided for convenience.
Try Making a Pumpkin Tart This Thanksgiving!
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