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Cinnamon-Vanilla Custard Pie: Easy Holiday Dessert Recipe

Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Custard Pie

A silky, aromatic custard pie infused with warm cinnamon and fragrant vanilla—simple, cozy, and perfect for a magical Christmas Eve dessert.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 slices
Course: Dessert, Holiday
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Crust
  • 1 pie crust homemade or store-bought
For the Custard Filling
  • 4 large eggs
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean
  • salt pinch
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg optional
  • 1 tsp orange zest optional

Method
 

  1. Pre-bake the crust: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place crust in a 9-inch pie dish. Line with parchment and fill with weights. Bake 15 minutes, remove weights, and bake 5 more minutes. Cool slightly.
  2. Prepare custard base: Heat milk and cream in a saucepan with cinnamon and vanilla until steaming. Do not boil. Steep 10 minutes if using whole spices, then remove.
  3. Whisk eggs & sugar: In a bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, and salt until smooth and pale.
  4. Temper mixture: Slowly pour hot milk mixture into eggs while whisking constantly. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve for an extra silky custard.
  5. Fill & bake: Reduce oven to 325°F (160°C). Pour custard into the pre-baked crust. Bake 35–40 minutes until edges are set and the center jiggles slightly.
  6. Cool & chill: Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours before slicing.

Notes

For deeper holiday flavor, steep a cinnamon stick and a split vanilla bean in the warm milk mixture for 10–15 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or dusted cinnamon sugar.