Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Custard Pie – Creamy Holiday Dessert Magic Recipe
This Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Custard Pie is a creamy and comforting holiday dessert that combines the warm spices of cinnamon and a hint of vanilla in a smooth custard filling set in a flaky pie crust. Perfect for festive gatherings, this pie blends traditional flavors with a rich, velvety texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 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 for holiday flair
Instructions
- Pre-bake the Crust: Preheat your 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 add baking weights to prevent bubbling. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment paper and 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 whole milk and heavy cream along with the cinnamon and vanilla until the mixture is steaming but not boiling. If using a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean, let it steep for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors, then remove.
- 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 it is well combined and aerated.
- Temper & Combine: Slowly pour the hot milk and cream 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 filling into the pre-baked pie crust. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, checking to ensure the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle, which means it’s perfectly creamy inside.
- Cool & Chill: Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool at room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours to allow the custard to fully set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- You can use either ground cinnamon or a cinnamon stick to infuse the milk and cream for a more robust cinnamon flavor.
- Adding a pinch of ground nutmeg or a teaspoon of orange zest can enhance the holiday flavors and add depth.
- Tempering the eggs with the hot milk mixture is crucial to prevent the eggs from scrambling and ensures a silky custard.
- Letting the pie chill thoroughly improves the texture and makes slicing easier.
- Use a sharp knife to cleanly cut the custard pie without cracking the crust.
Keywords: Christmas pie, cinnamon custard pie, vanilla custard dessert, holiday dessert, creamy custard pie
