Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Custard Pie – Creamy Holiday Dessert Magic Recipe
A creamy and festive Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Custard Pie featuring a flaky pie crust filled with a smooth custard infused with warm cinnamon and vanilla flavors, perfect for holiday celebrations.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust
- 1 pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
For the Custard Filling
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon (or 1 cinnamon stick, steeped)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla bean, scraped)
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- Optional: 1 tsp orange zest for holiday flair
Instructions
- Pre-bake the Crust: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll out the pie crust and place it in a 9-inch pie dish. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with baking weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment, then bake for another 5 minutes until the crust is lightly golden. Allow to cool slightly.
- Prepare Custard Base: In a saucepan, heat the milk and heavy cream with cinnamon and vanilla until steaming but not boiling. If using a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean, steep for 10 minutes then remove.
- Whisk Eggs & Sugar: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt until the mixture is smooth and pale in color.
- Temper & Combine: Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly to temper the eggs and prevent curdling. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve for extra smoothness.
- Fill & Bake: Lower the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Pour the custard mixture into the pre-baked pie crust. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly.
- Cool & Chill: Let the pie cool at room temperature. Then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving to allow the custard to fully set.
Notes
- Using a cinnamon stick and vanilla bean provides a deeper flavor, but ground cinnamon and vanilla extract work well for convenience.
- To prevent a soggy crust, ensure the crust is fully pre-baked and slightly cooled before adding the custard filling.
- Straining the custard mixture ensures a silky smooth texture without any lumps.
- The pie is best served chilled, so plan ahead to refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Optional nutmeg and orange zest enhance the festive aroma and taste of the pie.
