77 Easy Recipes Old Fashioned Custard Pie

August 01, 2022 Post a Comment

This recipe for an old-fashioned egg custard pie will knock your socks off. This simple but delicious pie is made with a few ingredients to make the most creamy custard filling against a nice pie crust. Step-by-step photos show you how to bake this egg custard pie recipe.

When I used to work in the restaurant industry I often worked with people who worked at multiple restaurants. One of the guys I worked with also worked at a pie place and sometimes he'd bring in a pie for us, he sure knew how to win me over LOL. But one of our favorites was when he brought in egg custard pie, so creamy, simple, and delicious. You find yourself always going back for more.

I love it chilled in the fridge and also at room temperature. With a cuppa tea too, ugh dreams. Simple, delicious comfort food with the best creamy texture.

Ingredients

For this simple pie recipe all you will need is:

Unbaked Pie Crust. You can totally make your own homemade pie crust, I have a recipe for a brown butter pie crust that would be fabulous. But if I am honest I often just use a premade frozen pie crust for ease!! Even better if you're buying a pie shell already inside a pie tin!
Whole Milk. I like to use whole milk when making custard because we want the richness that whole milk provides.
Heavy Whipping Cream. I like to use a combination of cream and milk so that you get the thickness and richness but not overly thick.
Eggs. We will use 4 whole eggs and 1 additional egg yolk. I love to use an additional egg yolk in lots of recipes. The egg yolk provides the luscious yellow color to the custard as well as a bit more richness. Trust me, I've tried the pie with and without the extra egg yolk and I truly believe the extra egg yolk makes all the difference!
Granulated Sugar. We've got to sweeten this baby up! Just good old white granulated sugar does the trick. One of the beautiful things about egg custard pie is that it's not overly sweet.
Vanilla Bean Paste. You could use vanilla extract as well. I have tested it both ways, in the photos I used vanilla extract but I find I like the look of the vanilla bean flecks in the custard. Don't skimp on good vanilla, it gives great flavor!
Salt. You may think you should just skip the salt, but don't! Salt is key!
Nutmeg. Traditionally nutmeg is sprinkled on top of the pie, I am not a huge fan of nutmeg so I skip this step but if you like that warm spice try it! Add as much or as little as you like, to your taste!

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F/205C. Take a piece of parchment paper and crumble it up into a ball then uncrumble. Place pie dough into the pie plate and design as you wish.

pie dough in a glass pie dish unbaked on a grey surface next to a pink linen

Place the uncrumbled piece of parchment inside the dish to cover the pie dough completely, you want the pie crust covered too. Add pie weights or dried beans or rice to help weigh down the pie crust. Once the oven is properly preheated place the pie dish on a baking sheet and par-bake for 8 minutes.

parchment paper and pie weights lining a pie plate sitting on a grey surface

Pre baking the pie crust helps ensure no soggy bottom!

While the pie crust is baking prepare the filling. In a large pot over low-medium heat warm the milk and cream until just before boiling.

heavy cream and milk warmed in a large saucepan on a grey surface

In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla bean paste, and salt, stir it all for a minute or two to ensure everything is fully combined.

sugar, vanilla, eggs, and salt in a large glass bowl on a grey surface with a pink linen

egg mixture whisked together in a glass bowl on a grey surface

When the milk mixture is warmed slowly add a little bit of the hot milk into the egg mixture and whisk immediately, then slowly add a little bit more. This is tempering the eggs to ensure that they do not end up scrambling. Slowly add all of the milk mixture, mix until everything is combined.

warmed milk added to egg mixture in a glass bowl with a wire whisk on a grey surface

When the crust is done par-baking carefully remove the parchment paper and weights. Using a fine-mesh sieve -pour the custard into the pie dish and use a pastry brush to use the remaining bit of custard in the bowl to "egg-wash" the pie dough to create a golden brown sheen on the crust. You could use the leftover egg white for this as well.

egg custard mixture added to pie crust sitting on a metal sheet pan on a grey surface (1 of 1)

Bake for 30 minutes - 40 minutes, you want the outer part of the custard to be set but the center couple inches to still be wobbly, you are looking fora slow wobble not a fast juggle.

I use my Thermapen MK4 internal thermometer to check for 170F/77C- 175F/80C to know the pie is baked fully.

Let the pie cool on a wire rack for one hour then gently wrap in plastic wrap, ensuring the plastic wrap does not touch the pie. The plastic wrap would just pull the "skin" off of the custard so it wouldn't be as pretty looking .

Chill the pie in the refrigerator for 3 hours. If desired sprinkle ground nutmeg on top of the pie. Any leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, keep in mind the crust will lose some of its crunch the longer it sits.

There you have it a simple classic dessert! I hope you love this egg custard recipe!

cut open egg custard pie on a wire rack on a grey surface with a cup of tea, plates and forks, slice of pie on a white plate and a navy blue linen with a knife

Can you freeze

I do not recommend freezing anything that is custard based. The custard texture is not ideal for freezing and thawing.

More pie recipes

My all-time favorite baked pie is this Fruits of the Forest Pie Recipe, it's full of a bunch of berries, apples, and rhubarb it is sooooo delicious!

If you're looking for something chocolatey you gotta try this Chocolate Mousse Pie Recipe from one of my favorite people, Ari!

Another delicious pie is pumpkin pie, often served only in the fall/ autumn months I think this pie is delicious all year round!

★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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Recipe Card

cut open egg custard pie on a wire rack on a grey surface with a cup of tea, plates and forks, slice of pie on a white plate and a navy blue linen with a knife

1 Unbaked 9-inch Pie Crust, homemade or store-bought
10 oz (1 ¼ Cup) Whole Milk
8 oz (1 Cup) Heavy Whipping Cream
4 Large Whole Eggs + 1 Large Egg Yolk
200 grams (1 Cup) Granulated Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon-1 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 400F/205C. Take a piece of parchment paper and crumble it up into a ball then uncrumble. Place pie dough into the pie dish and design as you wish. Place the uncrumbled piece of parchment inside the dish to cover the pie dough completely, you want the pie crust covered too. Add pie weights or dried beans or rice to help weigh down the pie crust. Once the oven is properly preheated place the pie dish on a baking sheet and par-bake for 8 minutes.
While the pie crust is baking prepare the filling. In a large pot over low-medium heat warm the milk and cream until just before boiling.
In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla bean paste, and salt, mix it all for a minute or two to ensure everything is fully combined.
When the milk mixture is warmed slowly add a little bit into the egg mixture and whisk immediately, then slowly add a little bit more. This is tempering the eggs to ensure that they do not end up scrambling. Slowly add all of the milk mixture, mix until everything is combined.
When the crust is done par-baking carefully remove the parchment paper and weights. Using a strainer -pour the custard into the pie dish and use a pastry brush to use the remaining bit of custard in the bowl to "egg-wash" the pie dough to create a golden brown sheen on the crust.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, you want the outer part of the custard to be set but the center couple inches to still be wobbly, you are looking fora slow wobble not a fast juggle. If you use an internal thermometer check for 170F/77C- 175F/80C. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for one hour then gently wrap in plastic wrap, ensuring the plastic wrap does not touch the pie. Chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours. If desired sprinkle ground nutmeg on top of the pie. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, keep in mind the crust will lose some of its crunch the longer it sits.

Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 48
Category: Dessert
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American