This Old-Fashioned Egg Custard Pie (Easy Custard Pie Recipe) is the kind of dessert I like when I want something simple and familiar. The filling is smooth, lightly sweet, and flavored with vanilla and nutmeg, while the homemade crust gives you that buttery, flaky base that makes custard pie so good.
This is the best ever custard pie ever because it has the most amazing custard filling along with a buttery crust! Plus, you only need 9 ingredients to make this unforgettable egg custard pie. If you like creamy pies, try my Banana Cream Pie, too. Keep reading because I’ll go through the crust, how to tell when the custard is set, and why the pie needs that overnight chill before serving.
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Try This Old-Fashioned Egg Custard Pie
If you grew up eating old-fashioned custard pie, this homemade custard pie version is so worth making, and is a popular choice on Pinterest. The filling is smooth and creamy with vanilla and a little nutmeg, and the buttery crust gives it just enough texture underneath.
The custard filling is my favorite part. It’s simple, not overly sweet, and once it has chilled properly, it slices nicely without losing that soft, creamy texture.
Why You’ll Love It
- It uses simple ingredients: There’s nothing complicated in the filling, prep time is minimal, , and most of the ingredients are probably already available in your pantry.
- The custard is smooth and creamy: Milk, cream, eggs, and vanilla give the filling that classic custard texture.
- The crust is homemade: I like the contrast between the soft filling and the flaky, buttery crust.
- It’s not too sweet: The filling only uses ½ cup sugar, so vanilla and nutmeg still come through.
- It can be made ahead: The pie needs to chill overnight anyway, which makes it useful when you’re planning dessert for a family gathering ahead of time.
Ingredients
- Eggs: Four large eggs are what set the filling and give it that classic custard texture. I use them at room temperature so they mix more evenly with the milk and cream.
- Milk: Two cups make up most of the liquid in the filling. It keeps the custard light enough without making it too rich.
- Heavy cream: The ½ cup of cream adds a little more richness and helps give the filling a smoother texture.
- Vanilla extract: I use 2 teaspoons because vanilla is one of the main flavors here. There aren’t lots of extra ingredients covering it up, so you really notice it.
How to Make Old-Fashioned Egg Custard Pie
1. Add the flour, salt, sugar, and cold butter to a food processor. Pulse 4-5 times, leaving visible pea-sized pieces of butter. Add the cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing 1-2 times after each addition. Stop when the dough begins to clump.
TIP: If you don’t have a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture looks coarse and still has pea-sized pieces of butter. Add the water a little at a time until the dough starts to clump.
2. Transfer the dough to plastic wrap and shape it into a 1-1½-inch-thick disc without kneading it. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
3. Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish, press it into the bottom and sides, and trim away any extra dough. Freeze the crust for 15 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Line the chilled crust with parchment paper, making sure the paper covers the edges as well.
5. Fill the pie crust with baking beans, regular dried beans, or rice, pushing the weights against the sides too. Place another sheet of parchment underneath the pie dish and bake the crust for 10 minutes.
6. Remove the crust from the oven and carefully take out the parchment paper and weights. Let the crust cool while you make the filling.
7. Add the eggs, sugar, milk, heavy cream, salt, vanilla, and ground nutmeg to a medium bowl. Whisk for 3-5 minutes, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
8. Pour the custard filling into the crust and bake for 40-45 minutes. The top should be set, but the center should still have a slight wobble. After about 20 minutes, loosely cover the pie with parchment paper if the top is browning too quickly.
9. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely on a cooling rack. Once cool, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight before slicing with a knife and serving.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t knead the crust dough. I only bring it together enough to form the disc because overworking it can make the crust tougher instead of flaky.
- Keep the butter cold while making the crust. Those small pieces of butter help create the flaky texture.
- Add the water slowly. You may not need all 6 tablespoons.
- Don’t skip the 2-hour chill for the dough. It needs time to firm up before rolling.
- Freezing the shaped crust for 15 minutes helps it hold its shape better during blind baking.
- Make sure the pie weights press against the sides as well as the bottom. This helps stop the crust from slipping down while it bakes.
- Whisk the filling until the sugar is fully dissolved. If it isn’t, the custard can end up watery.
- Don’t bake until the middle is completely firm. A slight wobble in the center is what you want.
- Let the pie cool completely before refrigerating it.
- Give it the overnight chill. The filling needs that time to fully set before slicing.
What Can You Serve With This?
- Whipped cream
- Fresh berries
- Sliced strawberries
- Raspberries
- Coffee
- Tea
- A light dusting of nutmeg
FAQs
The two most likely reasons are underbaking or sugar that wasn’t fully dissolved. Whisk the filling for the full 3-5 minutes and make sure the custard has set around the edges before taking it out.
Yes, I recommend it. The pie needs time to cool and set properly, and the texture is much better once it has been refrigerated overnight.
I don’t recommend it. Custard filling can separate after freezing and thawing, which can leave the pie watery.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
It shouldn’t be left out for more than 2 hours at a time. If you know it will be sitting out longer, keep it chilled over ice.
Recipe
Old-Fashioned Egg Custard Pie (Easy Custard Pie Recipe)
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon granulated white sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold
- 4-6 tablespoon cold water
Filling
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 2 cups milk, room temperature
- ½ cup heavy cream, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
Crust
- 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.
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 top is 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. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Cooking Time and Temperature
Blind bake the crust at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes, then bake the filled pie for another 40-45 minutes. The top should be set with a slight wobble in the center. Cover loosely with parchment after 20 minutes if the top is browning too much.Taste & Texture
This pie has a smooth, soft custard filling with vanilla and a little nutmeg. The filling is lightly sweet rather than sugary, and the buttery crust gives each slice some contrast.Storage, Freezing & Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Room temperature: Don’t leave the pie out for more than 2 hours at a time.
- Freezer: Freezing isn’t recommended because the custard can separate and become watery after thawing.
- Reheating: This pie is best served chilled, so there’s no need to reheat it.
Serving Recommendations
I like this pie served cold once it has had time to set overnight. It doesn’t really need much with it, but a little whipped cream or some fresh berries are good if I want to dress it up. A light sprinkle of nutmeg on top also works well because it brings out the nutmeg already in the filling without changing the pie too much.Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Nutmeg: Keep the ⅛ teaspoon in the filling, or add a very light extra sprinkle on top before serving.
- Crust: You can make the crust with a food processor, pastry cutter, or two forks.
- Pie weights: Baking beans, dried beans, or rice can all be used for blind baking.
- Vanilla: The recipe uses 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. I wouldn’t reduce it because vanilla is one of the main flavors in the custard.
- Cream: Keep the heavy cream in the filling if you want the same richness and texture as the original recipe.
Proper Storage Tips
- Let the pie cool completely before covering and refrigerating it.
- Store it in an airtight container so the crust doesn’t pick up moisture and become soggy.
- Keep it refrigerated except when serving.
- Don’t leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- If you’re taking it somewhere and it will be out for a while, keep it chilled over ice.
- Avoid freezing it because the filling doesn’t hold up well after thawing.
Pro Tips
- Keep the butter cold while making the crust.
- Stop adding water as soon as the dough starts to clump.
- Don’t knead the dough when shaping it into a disc.
- Chill the dough for at least 2 hours before rolling.
- Roll it to about 12 inches so it fits a 9-inch pie dish properly.
- Freeze the shaped crust for 15 minutes before blind baking.
- Push the pie weights against the sides, not only across the bottom.
- Whisk the custard for 3-5 minutes so the sugar fully dissolves.
- Look for a slight wobble in the middle rather than a completely firm center.
- Cool the pie fully before refrigerating it.
- Leave it in the refrigerator overnight before cutting into it.
Video
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Shayla
This is the easiest custard pie I've ever made. Super tasty too. I make it every year for thanksgiving and everyone always raves about it. Thanks for a great recipe!
Laura Schisler
I would love to make this custard pie , however , it does not show the ingredients/measurements for the recipe . Only pictures and general instructions ..
Sabine
Thank you so much for telling me. I saw that there was a technical glitch. Fortunately, I could solve it quickly and the recipe card including ingredients and instructions are visible at the bottom of the post.