Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Custard Pie – Creamy Holiday Dessert Magic Recipe
This Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Custard Pie is a creamy and festive holiday dessert that combines warm spices with a smooth custard filling nestled in a flaky pie crust. Perfect for holiday gatherings, this pie offers a comforting blend of cinnamon, vanilla, and subtle hints of nutmeg and orange zest for a magical Christmas treat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust
- 1 pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
For the 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 the oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll out the pie crust and fit 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 paper, bake for another 5 minutes until the crust is lightly golden. Allow it to cool slightly.
- Prepare Custard Base: In a saucepan, gently heat the milk and heavy cream along with cinnamon and vanilla until the mixture is steaming but not boiling. If using a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean, steep them in the warm milk mixture for 10 minutes, then remove.
- Whisk Eggs & Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt together until the mixture is smooth and pale in color.
- Temper & Combine: Slowly pour the hot milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs and prevent them from scrambling. 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 filling into the pre-baked pie crust. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly.
- Cool & Chill: Let the pie cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing to allow the custard to fully set and develop flavor.
Notes
- Use either ground cinnamon or a cinnamon stick depending on your preference for intensity.
- Steeping the vanilla bean and/or cinnamon stick in the milk mixture adds deeper flavor.
- Tempering the eggs is crucial to prevent curdling and ensure a smooth custard.
- Chilling the pie for at least 2 hours helps achieve a firm texture that slices nicely.
- Optional nutmeg and orange zest provide additional festive flavor notes but can be omitted if preferred.
Keywords: Christmas custard pie, cinnamon vanilla pie, holiday dessert, custard pie recipe, Christmas Eve dessert
