Description
This Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Custard Pie offers a creamy, comforting holiday dessert that combines warm cinnamon and fragrant vanilla in a smooth custard filling baked to perfection in a flaky pie crust.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
- 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
- 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 or dried beans to prevent puffing. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment paper, then bake for an additional 5 minutes until the crust is lightly golden. Let it cool slightly.
- In a saucepan, combine the whole milk and heavy cream with ground cinnamon and vanilla extract. Heat the mixture gently over medium heat until it is steaming but not boiling. If using a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean, steep them for 10 minutes before removing.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt until the mixture is smooth and pale in color, ensuring the sugar is dissolved well.
- Slowly pour the hot milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs and prevent curdling. Once combined, strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve to eliminate any lumps and achieve a silky smooth texture.
- Lower the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Pour the custard filling into the pre-baked pie crust. Bake for 35–40 minutes until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly when shaken gently.
- Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature. After cooling, refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours to fully set the custard before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Perfect for festive gatherings.
- Features rich dairy and aromatic spices.
- Can be served with whipped cream or fresh fruit.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 100mg