PieDay Friday-Cranberry Cream Cheese Pie

I've had this recipe tucked in my recipe box for a while now but have been waiting until Fall to whip it out. Even though November might be a more appropriate month for it, I just couldn't wait any longer!
Using a can of whole berry cranberry sauce and gelatin for the top layer and a homemade cream cheese layer for the bottom, this sweet-tart of a pie is perfect for an easy Autumn dessert.


Tips:

• In lieu of cranberry or raspberry jello, you can also use cherry or even grape.
• The apple juice can be substituted for water, orange juice, cranberry juice, cran-raspberry juice or almost anything else you wish.
• If you make a cranberry sauce or relish from scratch, use about 1 1/4 cup of that instead of the canned version. This pie is a great way to use up leftover cranberry sauce after Thanksgiving or Christmas.
• Grated lemon, lime or orange peel would make a beautiful garnish for the pie...I wish I had thought of that before I took the picture!

Cranberry Cream Cheese Pie

1 9 inch graham cracker pie crust

8oz package cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup apple juice, boiling

1 package cranberry or raspberry gelatin, 3oz

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce, 14 oz

In a medium mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar. Spoon mixture into Graham cracker crust. Set aside. Using a whisk, blend the gelatin and boiling apple juice together in a medium or large mixing bowl. Add cranberry sauce. Using the whisk, break apart the cranberry sauce (leaving the cranberries whole) and whisk into gelatin mixture. Slowly pour over cream cheese mixture. You may have some left over, don't overfill the crust. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until gelatin mixture has set up before serving.


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