How to Make Cranberry Orange Linzer Tart at Home Recipe for Holidays

Cranberry Orange Linzer Tart is a delightful dessert inspired by the traditional Austrian Linzer tart, known for its buttery crust and beautiful lattice top. This version features a bright and flavorful filling made with tart cranberries and fragrant orange zest, creating a perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors. The crust is typically made with a mixture of flour, butter, sugar, and ground nuts such as almonds or hazelnuts, which add a rich, nutty taste and tender texture. Once the dough is prepared, it is pressed into a tart pan and filled with the cranberry-orange mixture. Thin strips of dough are then arranged in a classic lattice pattern on top, giving the tart its signature elegant appearance. As it bakes, the crust becomes golden and crisp while the filling thickens into a vibrant, jewel-colored layer.

What makes Cranberry Orange Linzer Tart especially appealing is its festive flavor and beautiful presentation, making it a perfect dessert for holidays, gatherings, and special occasions. The natural tartness of cranberries is softened by the citrusy brightness of orange, creating a refreshing flavor that pairs wonderfully with the rich pastry crust. After baking, the tart is often finished with a light dusting of powdered sugar, adding a delicate sweetness and enhancing its visual appeal. Despite its elegant look, this tart is surprisingly approachable to make and offers a wonderful way to showcase seasonal ingredients. 

Cranberry Orange Linzer Tart Recipe by Best Ever Desserts

Ingredients: serve 12
FILLING:
1 (12 ounce) package fresh or frozen cranberries
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup orange juice
¼ cup seedless raspberry fruit spread
2 tablespoons orange flavored liqueur or 1 tablespoon orange extract
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger


PASTRY DOUGH:
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
¼ cup sliced blanched almonds
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest(about 2 lemons)
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
About 5 tablespoons ice water
1 tablespoon low fat(1%) milk


Procedures:
Preheat the oven to 400oF

To make the filling, combine the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, fruit spread, liqueur, and ginger in a medium saucepan and set over medium high heat, bring to a boil. Cook stirring occasionally, until the liquid is almost evaporated and the mixture is thick, about 15 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, to make the pastry dough, put the flour, almonds, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, the lemon zest, cinnamon, allspice and salt in a food processor; pulse until blended. Add the oil and butter; pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour the water through the feed tube, pulsing just until a dough forms. Shape the dough into 2 disks, one slightly larger than the other. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger out the larger dish into a 12 inch round; ease into a 9 inch removable bottom tart pan, pressing the dough against the side of the pan. Trim the dough edge, leaving a ½ inch overhang; crimp the edge. Roll out the remaining dish of dough to a 7 x 9 ½ inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise into ½ inch wide strips.

Spread the cranberry mixture evenly in the tart shell. Place half of the dough strips on top of the filling place the remaining strips on top, at a right angel to the first set of strips, to form a crisscross pattern, waving them, if desired. Trim all the strips and press them against the inside of the shell.

Brush the pastry strips and rim with the milk and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is slightly bubbly, 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack end.