This beautifully bejeweled-looking cranberry frangipane tart combines sweet, buttery almond cream and tart, juicy cranberries, all atop a toasty almond crust. Sugared cranberries add a decorative touch, and we all loved this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Each bite is so soft, so moist, and so delicious that no one will realize it’s naturally gluten free!
To be honest, my pie dishes get a lot more regular use than my tart pan, but I absolutely love a good tart recipe. And this is a good tart recipe. I don’t mean “good for a gluten-free dessert”—I mean, just plain good… just like my gluten free apple crisp.
Juicy, tangy cranberries contrast beautifully with the flavor and texture of the sweet almond crust and filling, and they add a bold pop of color, too! Festive and tasty—this cranberry tart definitely deserves a spot on your Thanksgiving pie recipes shortlist.
In addition to a tart pan (my team and I tested this cranberry frangipane tart recipe in both a 9-inch tart pan and a 10-inch tart pan, and it works in either), you’ll need a food processor for the crust, and an electric mixer for the filling. Beyond all that, this is a pretty easy gourmet-looking dessert to make!
What Is Frangipane?
Frangipane is most commonly used in tarts, like a classic Bakewell tart, or piped inside croissants for an extra-special pastry treat. I also love it in a galette, like this blueberry peach frangipane galette.
Grab These Ingredients:
Notice there is no all-purpose flour: Some frangipane recipes use all-purpose flour to smooth the frangipane out. I skipped that here, so the filling stays gluten free. If desired, feel free to replace 3 Tablespoons of the almond flour with all-purpose flour.
Here’s the almond frangipane. You’ll use an electric mixer to prepare it:
Gluten Free Almond Crust
Next, spread the filling into the warm pre-baked crust. A small offset spatula is helpful for this step.. LOL.
Add the Cranberries Last
Dot them on top, and give them a very light press into the filling. It will look like polka dot pie at this point, but the frangipane rises a bit as the tart bakes, so you can see the beautiful sweet almond cream between all the fruit.
This is totally optional, but while testing this recipe, I sprinkled the cranberries with coarse sparkling sugar. I loved the extra crunch and glitz! Again, it’s optional.
Here is the cranberry frangipane tart before & after baking:
This sparkly cranberry frangipane tart is wonderful all on its own, but I recommend you try it warm with a scoop of ice cream. Yes, you can slice into it while it’s still warm! I know we all appreciate desserts that can be enjoyed right away. Reserve your patience for cheesecake and pumpkin pie. 😉
Cranberry Frangipane Tart Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Using a food processor, pulse the almonds, almond flour, sugar, and salt together until almonds are finely chopped. Add the melted butter. Pulse/process until the mixture is combined and crumbly.
- Press the dough evenly into a 9-inch tart pan or 10-inch tart pan. Mixture will be crumbly at first, so press it in with medium pressure so it stays together.
- Bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for a few minutes as you prepare the filling.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until combined and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs and beat until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. The mixture will look separated and chunky at this point—that’s ok. Add the almond flour, salt, vanilla and almond extracts, and lemon juice and zest, and beat on medium speed until combined. Spread the frangipane into the slightly warm crust. A small offset spatula is helpful for this.
- Dot the filling with the cranberries, lightly pressing them into the frangipane. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar, if desired.
- Bake for 38–40 mins, or until the edges of the filling are lightly browned and the cranberries look juicy. During bake time, if the tart is browning too quickly on top and around the edges, tent with aluminum foil.
- Carefully remove the tart from the oven and let cool for at least 20 minutes before removing the rim of the pan. I like to garnish the tart with sugared cranberries, but this is optional. Slice and serve while the tart is still warm or wait for it to cool completely at room temperature.
- Cover and store leftover tart at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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