Description

This Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Custard Pie is a creamy and comforting holiday dessert that combines warm cinnamon and fragrant vanilla flavors in a smooth custard filling baked in a flaky pie crust. Perfect for festive gatherings, this pie offers a delicate balance of sweet and spicy notes with a luscious texture that’s sure to delight your loved ones during the holiday season.

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 your pie crust and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill it with baking weights to prevent bubbling. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment paper and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the crust is lightly golden. Allow it to cool slightly before filling.
Prepare Custard Base: In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the whole milk and heavy cream with ground cinnamon and vanilla extract until steaming but not boiling. If using a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean, steep for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors, then remove before proceeding.
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, indicating the sugar has been well incorporated.
Temper & Combine: Gradually pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs and prevent curdling. For an extra smooth custard, strain the combined mixture through a fine-mesh sieve.
Fill & Bake: Lower the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Pour the custard mixture carefully into the pre-baked pie crust. Bake the pie for 35 to 40 minutes until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly when nudged.
Cool & Chill: Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours to fully set before slicing and serving.

Notes

You can use either ground cinnamon or a cinnamon stick for different intensity and flavor profiles.
Vanilla bean adds a more aromatic flavor compared to vanilla extract.
Optional nutmeg and orange zest add extra holiday flair working wonderfully with cinnamon and vanilla.
Ensure not to boil the milk and cream to avoid curdling and achieve a smooth custard.
Cooling and chilling the pie completely sets the custard for perfect slicing.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Christmas pie, cinnamon custard pie, vanilla custard, holiday dessert, creamy pie, festive dessert