This is the best ever custard pie ever because it has the most amazing vanilla custard filling along with a buttery crust! Plus, you only need 9 ingredients to make this unforgettable egg custard pie.
I am going to share with you in this blog post how to make this old fashioned egg custard pie. I will answer some questions like, “How do you know when custard pie is done?” and “Why does my custard get watery?” You will also find a video for your convenience as well as lots of helpful photos.
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Why this custard pie recipe works:
- Custard pie makes a wonderful holiday pie recipe.
- You can make it any time of year.
- All you need is 9 ingredients to make this custard pie recipe.
- Egg custard pie is so creamy and elegant.
- How To Make Custard Pie
- Baker’s Tips
- Substitutions
- Can I Substitute Gluten-Free Flour For Regular Flour?
- Is There Something I Can Use Instead Of Nutmeg?
- Frequently Asked Questions And Answers
- How Do You Know If Custard Pie Is Done?
- Why Is My Custard Watery?
- How Long Can Custard Pie Sit Out?
- How Long Does Egg Custard Pie Last And How To Store It?
- Can I Freeze This Old Fashioned Egg Custard Pie?
- Recipe Video
How To Make Custard Pie
FIRST STEP: Start by making the pie crust in the food processor. Add in the salt, flour, sugar, and butter then pulse until it forms into pea-sized flakes. Slowly add water one tablespoon at a time and pulse until the dough clumps.
NOTE: Don’t worry if you don’t have a food processor. You can also use a pastry cutter or two forks. You will need to start by mixing the flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl then carefully add in the butter. It should look like coarse meal and have some pea-sized flakes. Add little bits of water until it clumps.
SECOND STEP: Form the dough into a 1 – 1.5-inch thick disk, then transfer to plastic wrap. Be careful not to knead the dough. Refrigerate the dough for anywhere from 2 hours up to 2 days.
THIRD STEP: Roll dough on a lightly floured surface until it is a 12-inch circle. Then transfer to a 9-inch pie pan.
FOURTH STEP: Press the dough, so it fits into the dish well, then cut off any edges that hang over. Freeze the crust for 15 minutes.
FIFTH STEP: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove crust from freezer and add parchment paper to the pan. Cover all the edges and crust entirely with parchment paper. Add baking beans, regular beans, or rice to the pan.
The baking beans should be pushed against the sides, so they don’t sink down when baking. Bake for 10 minutes then take out of the oven and remove paper and beans.
SIXTH STEP: Add the eggs, sugar, milk, heavy cream, salt, vanilla, and nutmeg to a bowl and whisk until sugar dissolved entirely. This will take around 3-5 minutes.
SEVENTH STEP: Pour vanilla custard into pie crust. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes. After it bakes for 20 minutes cover with parchment paper, so the top doesn’t cook too fast.
EIGHTH STEP: Let the custard pie cool completely then place in an airtight container.
Baker’s Tips
- Don’t knead the dough at any point. It will not be that flaky, buttery texture if you do.
- Do not overbake the egg custard pie.
- Make sure the custard cools entirely before you refrigerate.
- Don’t skip refrigerating overnight before eating. It needs time to rest.
Substitutions
Can I Substitute Gluten-Free Flour For Regular Flour?
Yes, you can make this holiday pie recipe gluten-free by switching out the regular flour with a gluten-free flour blend. Look over the ingredients in your gluten-free flour blend.
It needs to have xanthan gum for it to work correctly. Otherwise, you will need to add 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum to your flour mixture. The ration for flour vs. gluten-free flour is 1:1.
Is There Something I Can Use Instead Of Nutmeg?
Yes, if you figure out, you have run out of nutmeg or simply aren’t a fan you can substitute other spices instead. Cinnamon, allspice, or ginger would all be acceptable substitutions. Keep in mind if you replace the nutmeg the old fashioned custard pie will have a little bit different flavor. It’s not going to be overly noticeable, but it will be there.
Frequently Asked Questions And Answers
How Do You Know If Custard Pie Is Done?
When the egg custard pie is done cooking, the top is set and it will have a slightly jiggly center.
Why Is My Custard Watery?
If you follow the recipe perfectly there usually isn’t any type of issues when it comes to watery custard. Usually, if you do end up with watery custard, it just means you need to bake it a little bit longer. Trust me it’s worth the wait to bake it long enough that it’s completely done.
How Long Can Custard Pie Sit Out?
You should never let this holiday pie recipe sit out longer than 2 hours at a time. If you know it’s going to be out for 2 hours or more, then make sure to have it on ice. This will keep it cool and safe to eat.
How Long Does Egg Custard Pie Last And How To Store It?
Custard pie should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should be covered and away from moisture, so it doesn’t get soggy. It will last around 3 days in the fridge.
Can I Freeze This Old Fashioned Egg Custard Pie?
Unfortunately, it’s not a great idea to freeze custard pies. They are super creamy, and it causes them to separate. The result is going to be a watery pie instead of delicious leftover. If you want to try it, you sure can, but the results won’t be ideal.
If you make this best ever Custard Pie recipe from scratch, leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo #alsothecrumbsplease on Instagram! Would love to see your snap!
Craving more pie recipes just as tasty as this one
This is the best ever custard pie ever because it has the most amazing vanilla custard filling along with a buttery crust! Plus, you only need 9 ingredients to make this unforgettable egg custard pie.
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (150g)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp granulated white sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold (113g)
- 4-6 tbsp cold water (60-90ml)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar (100g)
- 2 cups milk, room temperature (480ml)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature (120ml)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
Make it with a food processor: Place flour, salt, sugar, and butter in a food processor and pulse 4-5 times. Pea-sized butter flakes should still be visible. Add one tablespoon water after another and pulse 1-2 times after every tablespoon. Stop adding water when the dough starts to clump.
If you don't have a food processor, then make it with a pastry cutter or two forks instead: In this case mix together flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Then add butter and cut it into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal with pea-sized butter flakes. Then add water little by little until the texture starts to clump.
Transfer dough to a plastic wrap and form a 1 - 1.5 inch thick disc without kneading. Cover tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough disc into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish. Press into the bottom and the sides of the pan and trim off any excess crust. Freeze for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line chilled crust with parchment paper and push it lightly against the bottom and the sides of your crust. Make sure that the parchment paper covers the edges of your crust completely to prevent it from heavy browning. Then heavy it down with baking beans (or beans or rice). Also, make sure that your baking beans push against the sides as well to prevent them from sinking down to the bottom. Transfer to the preheated oven and place a piece of parchment paper underneath the baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the paper and the baking beans and let cool as you prepare the filling.
Whisk eggs, sugar, milk, heavy cream, salt, vanilla, and nutmeg until sugar is completely dissolved about 3-5 minutes. You can either use a whisk or an electric mixer. Pour into pie crust.
Bake for about 40-45 minutes until the custard pie is just set with a slight wobble in the center. Cover after 20 minutes with parchment paper loosely to prevent it from heavy browning if needed.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge overnight. Your Custard Pie will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Recipe Video
Recommendations
- Don't knead the dough at any point. It will not be that flaky buttery texture if you do.
- Do not overbake the egg custard pie.
- Make sure the custard cools completely before you refrigerate.
- Don't skip refrigerating overnight before eating. It needs time to rest.
Substitutions
GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR
You can make this holiday pie recipe gluten-free by switching out the regular flour with a gluten-free flour blend. Look over the ingredients in your gluten-free flour blend. It needs to have xanthan gum for it to work properly. Otherwise, you will need to add 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum to your flour mixture. The ration for flour vs gluten-free flour is 1:1.
NUTMEG
If you figure out you have run out of nutmeg or simply aren't a fan you can substitute other spices instead. Cinnamon, allspice, or ginger would all be acceptable substitutions. Keep in mind if you replace the nutmeg the old fashioned custard pie will have a little bit different flavor. It's not going to be overly noticeable, but it will be there.
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