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Cinnamon Vanilla Custard Pie Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.6 from 131 reviews
  • Author: Emily
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 7 hours 10 minutes (including 7 hours cooling time)
  • Yield: 8 slices 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Custard Pie offers a comforting blend of warm spices and creamy custard nestled in a perfectly baked pie crust. Infused with cinnamon and vanilla, this pie is an elegant yet simple dessert perfect for holiday gatherings. The custard is gently steeped with cinnamon and baked until just set, creating a smooth, flavorful finish to your festive meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Pie Crust

  • 1 pie crust (homemade or store bought)

Custard Filling

  • 4 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 and 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick for steeping
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or seeds from one vanilla bean
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Blind Bake Crust: Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Fit the pie crust into a nine-inch pie dish, trim the edges, and crimp the rim. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights to prevent bubbling. Blind bake for 10 minutes to set the crust.
  2. Warm Milk and Cream with Cinnamon: In a medium saucepan, gently warm the whole milk and heavy cream with a cinnamon stick if using. Heat until bubbles appear at the edges but do not boil. Remove from heat and let the mixture steep for 15 minutes to infuse flavor.
  3. Mix Eggs and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and granulated sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth, creating a light base for the custard.
  4. Add Flavorings: Add the vanilla extract or vanilla bean seeds, ground cinnamon if not using a stick, a pinch of salt, nutmeg, and orange zest if using. Whisk these ingredients until fully combined, enhancing the custard’s aroma.
  5. Combine Milk Mixture with Eggs: Slowly pour the warm milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture while whisking steadily to prevent curdling. Strain the combined custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps for a silky smooth texture.
  6. Reduce Oven Temperature and Bake: Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour the custard filling into the partially baked crust. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the center is just set but still slightly jiggly, indicating a perfectly cooked custard.

Notes

  • Allow the pie to cool fully at room temperature before refrigerating to prevent the custard from becoming watery when sliced.
  • You can substitute ground cinnamon for the cinnamon stick if preferred, but steeping with the stick provides a more subtle flavor.
  • Optional nutmeg and orange zest add depth but can be omitted for a classic taste.
  • Blind baking the crust prevents sogginess from the custard filling.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of pie)
  • Calories: 280
  • Sugar: 20g
  • Sodium: 100mg
  • Fat: 15g
  • Saturated Fat: 9g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 5g
  • Trans Fat: 0.2g
  • Carbohydrates: 30g
  • Fiber: 0.5g
  • Protein: 5g
  • Cholesterol: 140mg

Find it online: https://emilyquickdinners.com/cinnamon-vanilla-custard-pie-recipe/