Christmas Eve Cinnamon Vanilla Custard Pie Recipe
This Christmas Eve Cinnamon Vanilla Custard Pie features a perfectly flaky pre-baked pie crust filled with a luscious, creamy cinnamon and vanilla-infused custard. Warm spices like cinnamon and optional nutmeg combined with smooth vanilla create a festive, comforting dessert that sets beautifully after baking and chilling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 65 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- 1 pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
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 your oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll out the pie crust and place it into a 9-inch pie dish. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with baking weights or dried beans to prevent bubbling. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment, then bake for an additional 5 minutes until the crust becomes lightly golden. Let it cool slightly before filling.
- Prepare Custard Base: In a saucepan, combine the whole milk and heavy cream along with the ground cinnamon and vanilla extract (or cinnamon stick and vanilla bean). Heat the mixture until steaming but do not let it boil. If using a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean, steep for 10 minutes to infuse flavors, then remove them.
- Whisk Eggs & Sugar: In a separate mixing bowl, vigorously 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 and cream mixture into the eggs while continuously whisking to temper the eggs and prevent curdling. After mixing, strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure an ultra-smooth texture.
- Fill & Bake: Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Pour the custard filling into the pre-baked pie crust. Bake the pie for 35 to 40 minutes until the edges are fully set but the center still jiggles slightly when gently shaken—this indicates a creamy custard texture.
- Cool & Chill: Allow the pie to cool at room temperature before transferring it to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 2 hours to fully set the custard, making it easier to slice and serve.
Notes
- Pre-baking the crust prevents sogginess and ensures a crisp bottom for the custard pie.
- Tempering the eggs with the warm milk mixture helps avoid scrambled egg bits in your custard.
- For additional festive flavor, add optional ground nutmeg and orange zest to the custard.
- Use fresh, high-quality vanilla for the best aroma and taste.
- Chill the pie thoroughly before slicing to get clean slices and perfect texture.
Keywords: custard pie, cinnamon vanilla pie, Christmas dessert, holiday pie, creamy custard, baked custard pie
