Christmas Eve Custard Pie (Printable view)
Velvety cinnamon-vanilla custard baked in a flaky 9-inch crust, chilled for clean slices and festive serving.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pie Crust
01 - 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
→ Custard Filling
02 - 1 cup whole milk
03 - 1 cup heavy cream
04 - 3 large eggs
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
→ Topping
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Place unbaked pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan and trim or crimp the edges as desired.
02 - Combine whole milk and heavy cream in a medium saucepan. Warm over medium heat until steaming but not boiling, then remove from heat.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and fine sea salt until smooth.
04 - Gradually pour the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling and ensure full incorporation.
05 - Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to achieve a silky texture.
06 - Pour custard filling into the prepared pie shell. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until the center is set with a slight wobble. Shield crust edges with foil if browning too rapidly.
07 - Remove from oven and cool pie on a wire rack. Custard will finish setting as it cools.
08 - Sprinkle ground cinnamon and optional powdered sugar over the pie before serving. Refrigerate at least 2 hours prior to slicing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- This pie comes together with almost no fuss, yet tastes like something you fussed over for hours.
- The true magic is in the way each slice wraps you in warmth — the cinnamon and vanilla make even an ordinary winter night feel like a celebration.
02 -
- Once, eager to take a shortcut, I added the eggs to hot milk instead of tempering and ended up with sweet scrambled eggs.
- Straining the custard before baking is a tiny step that makes each bite scandalously smooth; don’t skip it.
03 -
- Don’t rush the chilling time; a fully set custard slices cleanly and tastes even better on day two.
- Using a glass pie plate helps you spot when the crust is just golden enough, saving you from a soggy bottom.