Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Custard Pie – Creamy Holiday Dessert Magic Recipe
This Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Custard Pie is a creamy, comforting holiday dessert featuring a perfectly baked pie crust filled with a smooth custard infused with warm cinnamon and fragrant vanilla. Enhanced with optional nutmeg and orange zest, this pie delivers festive flavors and a luscious texture that will delight your guests.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 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
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 it with baking weights. Bake for 15 minutes to set the crust. Remove the weights and parchment paper, then bake for an additional 5 minutes until the crust turns lightly golden. Allow it to cool slightly.
- Prepare Custard Base: In a saucepan, gently heat the whole milk and heavy cream together with the cinnamon and vanilla until just steaming; do not allow it to boil. If using a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean, steep it in the hot milk mixture for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors, then remove.
- Whisk Eggs & Sugar: In a mixing bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt until the mixture is smooth and pale in color, ensuring the custard will have a silky texture.
- Temper & Combine: Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling. Once combined, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to achieve an extra smooth custard filling.
- Fill & Bake: Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Pour the custard mixture carefully into the pre-baked pie crust. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly when moved, indicating the perfect custard consistency.
- Cool & Chill: Allow the pie to cool at room temperature. After cooling, refrigerate the custard pie for at least 2 hours before slicing to let it fully set and develop flavors.
Notes
- Using a cinnamon stick and vanilla bean instead of ground cinnamon and extract intensifies the flavor of the custard.
- Ensure not to boil the milk mixture to prevent curdling the eggs during tempering.
- Straining the custard before baking yields a smoother texture.
- Chilling the pie thoroughly is essential for clean slices and the best texture.
- Optional nutmeg and orange zest provide a festive twist but can be omitted if preferred.
Keywords: Christmas pie, custard pie, cinnamon pie, vanilla pie, holiday dessert, creamy custard, festive pie recipe
