Description
Sweet holiday magic meets comfort in this Christmas Eve Cinnamon-Vanilla Creamy Custard Pie, a festive dessert that whispers memories of family gatherings. Warm spices and silky custard invite you to savor each heavenly slice, making seasonal celebrations deliciously unforgettable.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients (Dairy and Eggs):
- 2 ½ cups (600 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 3 large eggs
Sweeteners:
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
Pie Crust Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 34 tablespoons ice water
Flavoring and Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of salt
Optional Toppings:
- Cinnamon sugar
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare the pie dish with either a store-bought or homemade crust, ensuring edges are neatly trimmed and optional pre-baking occurs to prevent moisture absorption.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, vigorously whisk eggs and sugar until achieving a smooth, pale consistency that indicates thorough integration.
- Gradually incorporate heavy cream, ground cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, and a delicate pinch of salt into the egg mixture, whisking continuously to create a harmonious, fragrant custard base.
- Gently transfer the silky custard mixture into the prepared pie crust, ensuring an even distribution and minimizing potential air bubbles.
- Carefully slide the pie into the preheated oven, allowing it to bake for 40-45 minutes until the center appears set and a clean knife insertion reveals a pristine, firm texture.
- Remove the pie from the oven and permit it to cool completely at room temperature, which allows the custard to stabilize and develop deeper flavor profiles.
- Refrigerate the pie for a minimum of 2 hours to enhance flavor melding and achieve optimal custard consistency.
- Before serving, optionally dust the surface with a delicate sprinkle of ground cinnamon or powdered sugar to create an elegant, festive presentation.
Notes
- Keep crust edges protected with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning during extended baking time.
- Choose full-fat heavy cream for richer, silkier custard texture that maintains smooth consistency.
- Temper eggs gently by slowly adding hot cream to prevent scrambling and ensure ultra-creamy filling.
- For gluten-free adaptation, replace traditional pie crust with almond flour or gluten-free graham cracker crust alternative.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg