Description
Make the perfect Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Creamy Custard Pie with this easy recipe. Silky smooth custard with warm holiday spices in a flaky crust – make-ahead friendly!
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (store-bought’s fine, don’t stress!)
Custard Filling:
- 3 big eggs (room temp if you remember)
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups whole milk, warmed up
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla (the real stuff)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the top:
- Whipped cream
- Extra cinnamon or nutmeg for sprinkling
Instructions
Crank your oven to 350°F. Get that pie crust settled into your 9-inch pan and crimp those edges however makes you happy – nobody’s judging your crimping skills here!
Grab your big bowl and whisk together eggs, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. The smell hits you right away – that’s when you know something good’s happening.
This part matters – heat up your milk and cream until it’s hot but not bubbling like crazy. Now comes the tricky bit – pour that hot milk into your egg mixture SLOWLY while whisking like your life depends on it. Rush this and you’ll have scrambled eggs floating in your pie.
Dump everything back in the pan and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly for about 5-7 minutes. You want it thick enough to coat your spoon but still pourable. Don’t walk away during this part!
Pour that gorgeous custard into your crust and smooth the top with your spatula.
Bake 40-45 minutes until the middle barely jiggles when you shake the pan. It’ll keep cooking while it cools, so don’t overdo it.
Let it cool completely then stick it in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Overnight’s even better if you can wait.
Serve with whipped cream and a little sprinkle of cinnamon on top. Watch people’s faces light up!
Notes
Leave your eggs on the counter for 30 minutes before you start – room temp eggs mix way better
That gentle shake test is everything – center should wiggle like jello, not slosh around like soup
Better to underbake custard than overdo it – cracks mean you went too far
Brush your crust with beaten egg white first if you’re worried about soggy bottoms
Get all your stuff measured out before you start cooking – this moves fast once you’re going
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American