Christmas Eve Custard Pie (Printable)
Velvety custard spiced with cinnamon and vanilla in a flaky crust — a festive, make-ahead dessert for holiday gatherings.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pie Crust
01 - 1 (9-inch) unbaked 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)
# How-to Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the unbaked pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan and crimp or trim the edges as preferred.
02 - Gently warm whole milk and heavy cream together in a medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming, ensuring the mixture does not boil. Remove from heat once steaming.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, granulated sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and sea salt until completely smooth.
04 - Slowly pour the warm milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper and fully combine.
05 - Pass the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl for a silky finish. Pour the strained custard into the prepared pie crust.
06 - Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the center is just set yet slightly wobbly. Shield the pie crust edges with foil if they brown too rapidly.
07 - Place the pie on a wire rack to cool. The custard will continue to firm up during cooling.
08 - Dust the surface with ground cinnamon and, if desired, a light sprinkling of powdered sugar. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- The vanilla and cinnamon make this custard taste like the holidays distilled into every creamy bite.
- It always turns out impressively smooth, even when I rush things a bit on a busy night.
02 -
- If you rush chilling, the custard won't hold its shape and you’ll end up with pudding instead of pie.
- Straining the filling felt fussy at first, but it transforms the texture—don't skip it.
03 -
- Tenting the crust edges with foil mid-bake saves them from burning without overbaking the filling.
- A splash of bourbon or a few extra pinches of cinnamon gives authentic holiday depth for grown-up palates.