Description
This Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Creamy Custard Pie is a comforting and festive dessert featuring a flaky homemade crust filled with a smooth, cinnamon-spiced vanilla custard. Perfectly baked to a creamy finish, it’s ideal for holiday gatherings, topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon for extra warmth and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 2-3 tablespoons ice water
For the Filling
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For Serving
- Whipped cream
- Ground cinnamon for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pie Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch pie dish or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Make the Pie Crust: In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and cold cubed unsalted butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to blend the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add 2 to 3 tablespoons of ice water and mix until the dough comes together into a ball.
- Roll Out and Pre-Bake Crust: Lightly flour a surface and roll out the dough to fit your pie dish. Press the dough evenly into the dish, trim the excess, and crimp the edges decoratively. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork to prevent bubbling. Bake the crust for 10 minutes to pre-bake it.
- Prepare Custard Filling: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Slowly pour in the warmed whole milk while whisking continually to combine the mixture evenly.
- Fill Pie and Bake: Pour the prepared custard mixture into your pre-baked pie crust. Return the pie to the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the center is set and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool and Chill: Allow the pie to cool to room temperature after baking, then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours to ensure the custard sets firmly.
- Serve: Just before serving, top the pie with whipped cream and a light dusting of ground cinnamon for extra holiday flair and flavor.
Notes
- Be sure the butter for the crust is very cold to achieve a flaky texture.
- Warming the milk helps to prevent curdling when mixing it with eggs.
- Chilling the pie before serving enhances the custard’s firmness and flavor.
- You can substitute whole milk with half-and-half for a richer custard.
- Use fresh ground cinnamon for the best aromatic flavor.
