Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Custard Pie – Creamy Holiday Dessert Magic Recipe
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4.5 from 66 reviews
A creamy and comforting Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Custard Pie featuring a flaky pie crust filled with a smooth custard infused with warm cinnamon and pure vanilla, perfect for holiday dessert celebrations.
2 tsp pure vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla bean, scraped)
Pinch of salt
Optional: 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Optional: 1 tsp orange zest
Instructions
Pre-bake the Crust: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out the pie crust and carefully place it into a 9-inch pie dish. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with baking weights or dried beans to prevent puffing. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the crust is lightly golden. Allow it to cool slightly.
Prepare Custard Base: In a saucepan, combine whole milk and heavy cream with cinnamon (ground or stick) and vanilla extract (or scraped vanilla bean). Heat the mixture until it is steaming but not boiling. If using cinnamon sticks or vanilla beans, steep for 10 minutes, then remove them.
Whisk Eggs & Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt 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 curdling. Once combined, strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into another bowl to ensure it is extra smooth.
Fill & Bake: Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour the custard filling into the pre-baked pie crust. Bake for 40 minutes or until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly when gently shaken.
Cool & Chill: Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours to fully set before slicing and serving.
Notes
Use a store-bought crust for convenience or homemade for extra flavor and flakiness.
If you don't have a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean, ground cinnamon and vanilla extract work perfectly.
Tempering the eggs is crucial to prevent scrambled eggs in the custard.
Straining the custard before baking ensures an ultra-smooth texture.
Do not overbake; the center should remain slightly jiggly to maintain creaminess after chilling.
Optional nutmeg and orange zest add a subtle holiday flair to the custard.
Allow the pie to chill thoroughly for clean slicing and optimal flavor.
