Description
A festive dessert with creamy texture and delightful spices, perfect for Christmas Eve dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
- 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, 1 tsp orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat the 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, fill it with baking weights, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment, then bake for another 5 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool slightly.
- In a saucepan, heat the milk and cream with cinnamon and vanilla until it’s steaming but not boiling. If using a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean, steep for 10 minutes and then remove it.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and a pinch of salt until smooth and pale.
- Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure it’s extra smooth.
- Lower the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Pour the custard into the pre-baked pie crust. Bake for 35–40 minutes until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly.
- Allow the pie to cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing.
Notes
Serve chilled. Garnish with ground nutmeg or orange zest for an extra touch. Pairs well with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: custard pie, Christmas dessert, holiday pie, cinnamon, vanilla, festive recipe