Easy Homemade Cinnamon Vanilla Creamy Custard Pie

Meta: A cozy, easy-to-make Cinnamon Vanilla Creamy Custard Pie — a traditional, homemade dessert that’s perfect for weeknights, Sunday family meals, and holidays. Learn how to make a silky, spiced custard with a buttery crust, plus healthy swaps and storage tips.

Introduction — a cozy memory

The first time I baked this Cinnamon Vanilla Creamy Custard Pie, the whole house smelled like a warm hug: cinnamon, sweet vanilla, and butter on the oven air. Cinnamon Vanilla Creamy Custard Pie is the kind of dessert that quietly wins hearts — not flashy, but comfortingly perfect. It’s wonderful after a simple weeknight dinner, star-worthy at a Sunday family meal, and heartwarming on holiday dessert tables when you want something traditional and gently nostalgic.

This recipe is easy enough for a weekday treat but refined enough to bring to a potluck. Let me walk you through the simple steps, share my best tips, and how to tweak it if you want it healthier or vegan.

🧂 Ingredients:

• For the crust (9-inch pie dish):

  • 1 1/4 cups (155 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 3–4 tbsp ice water

• For the cinnamon vanilla custard filling:

  • 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk or half-and-half (see swaps below)
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch (for extra silkiness and stability)
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (plus extra for dusting)
  • Pinch of fine salt
  • Freshly grated nutmeg (optional, for topping)

• Optional garnish:

  • Whipped cream or lightly sweetened Greek yogurt
  • Toasted pecans or sliced almonds
  • Thin apple slices or caramel drizzle

👩‍🍳 Directions:

1. Make the crust: In a bowl, whisk 1 1/4 cups flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Cut in 1/2 cup cold butter with a pastry cutter or fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice water 1 tbsp at a time until dough just holds together. Form into a disk, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven: Heat oven to 375°F (190°C).
3. Roll and blind bake: Roll chilled dough on a floured surface into a 10–11 inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch pie dish, trim edges. Line crust with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans. Blind bake at 375°F (190°C) for 12 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, bake 5 more minutes until lightly golden. Let cool slightly.
4. Warm the milk: In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups milk over medium heat until it’s warm and steaming but not boiling (about 170°F / 77°C). Remove from heat.
5. Whisk the custard base: In a large bowl, whisk 3 eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Slowly whisk in the warm milk a little at a time to temper the eggs (this prevents scrambling). Add 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
6. Thicken the custard: Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook on low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon — about 5–8 minutes. If you have a thermometer, it will thicken around 170–175°F (77–80°C). Optional: strain through a fine-mesh sieve for extra-silky texture.
7. Fill the crust: Pour the warm custard into the pre-baked crust, smoothing the top with a spatula.
8. Bake to set: Lower oven to 325°F (160°C). Bake the filled pie for 35–40 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is slightly wobbly (it will continue to set while cooling).
9. Cool and chill: Cool the pie on a wire rack for 30–60 minutes, then refrigerate at least 2 hours (best chilled 4 hours) before serving. Dust with extra cinnamon and a little nutmeg just before serving.
10. Serve: Slice with a sharp knife (wipe between cuts for clean slices). Top with whipped cream, toasted nuts, or fruit if you like. Enjoy!

Total active hands-on time: ~40–50 minutes. Total time including chilling: ~4–5 hours.

💡 Tips & Variations:

• For a silkier custard: Strain the cooked custard through a fine-mesh sieve before filling the crust.
• Don’t overbake: The center should be slightly jiggly; it firms as it cools. Overbaking makes a grainy texture.
• Use a thermometer: Target 170–175°F (77–80°C) when thickening custard for reliable results.
• Blind-bake tip: Poke a few holes in the crust bottom with a fork after blind-baking to prevent a soggy base.
• Make-ahead: Bake and fill the pie a day ahead. Keep covered in the fridge up to 3 days for best texture.
• Freezing: Custard texture changes after freezing. Freeze the unfilled crust or frozen slices only if needed (wrap tightly), but expect slight texture shifts.
• Healthy swaps:
  • Lower-fat: Use 2% milk or a mix of milk and light cream (custard will be lighter).
  • Gluten-free: Use a store-bought gluten-free pie crust or make one with 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
  • Low-carb/keto: Swap crust for an almond flour crust (1 1/2 cups almond flour + 3 tbsp melted butter + 1 tbsp erythritol) and replace sugar with a granular erythritol/monk fruit blend (adjust to taste). Use heavy cream and almond milk for the custard base. Add xanthan gum (1/4 tsp) if needed to help texture.
  • Vegan: Make a vegan custard with 14 oz (400 g) silken tofu blended smooth + 1 cup full-fat coconut milk + 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave, 2 tbsp tapioca starch or arrowroot for thickening, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon; bake in crust at 325°F (160°C) for ~30–35 minutes until set. Use a vegan butter crust or premade vegan crust.
• Flavor variations: Add a teaspoon of orange zest for brightness, or fold in 1/2 cup cooked diced apples for a cinnamon apple twist.
• Serving ideas: Pair with espresso, chai, or a bright winter tea. A dollop of lightly sweetened Greek yogurt adds tang and protein.

🩺 Health & Lifestyle Tie-in (Optional)
This Cinnamon Vanilla Creamy Custard Pie is comforting and, with a few smart swaps, can be adapted for many diets. Eggs provide high-quality protein and essential vitamins; cinnamon is rich in antioxidants and may help with blood sugar balance when used moderately. Choosing lower-fat dairy or plant-based milks can reduce saturated fat. Eating nourishing homemade meals often supports better long-term health — small choices today can save on healthcare costs later, and sharing a homemade pie is a wonderful way to invest in relationships and wellbeing.

If you’re into kitchen tools, I love using a glass 9-inch pie dish, silicone pie weights, and a Microplane grater for fresh nutmeg — (affiliate picks: silicone pie weights, glass pie dish, Microplane) — they make the process easier and more reliable.

Conclusion
If you make this Cinnamon Vanilla Creamy Custard Pie, let me know in the comments or tag me on social — I’d love to see your version and any tasty twists you try. Warm crumbs and cozy spice to you — happy baking!

Cinnamon Vanilla Creamy Custard Pie

A cozy, easy-to-make Cinnamon Vanilla Creamy Custard Pie, perfect for weeknights and family meals, with a buttery crust and silky custard filling.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 50 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 5 hours hrs

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dessert, Pie

Cuisine: American

Calories: 320

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the crust

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 3–4 tbsp ice water

For the custard filling

• 2 cups whole milk or half-and-half see swaps below
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch for extra silkiness and stability
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon plus extra for dusting
• 1 pinch fine salt
• Freshly grated nutmeg (optional, for topping)

Optional garnish

• Whipped cream or lightly sweetened Greek yogurt
• Toasted pecans or sliced almonds
• Thin apple slices or caramel drizzle

Method

 

Make the crust

1. In a bowl, whisk together flour and salt, then cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Add ice water 1 tbsp at a time until dough just holds together. Form into a disk, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven

1. Heat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Roll and blind bake

1. Roll the chilled dough on a floured surface into a 10–11 inch circle.
2. Fit into a 9-inch pie dish, trim edges, line the crust with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans.
3. Blind bake at 375°F (190°C) for 12 minutes, then remove weights and parchment, and bake for an additional 5 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool slightly.

Warm the milk

1. In a medium saucepan, heat milk over medium heat until it's warm and steaming but not boiling (about 170°F / 77°C). Remove from heat.

Whisk the custard base

1. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt until smooth.
2. Slowly whisk in the warm milk a little at a time to temper the eggs and prevent scrambling. Stir in vanilla extract.

Thicken the custard

1. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook on low-medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon (about 5–8 minutes). Optionally strain through a fine-mesh sieve for extra-silky texture.

Fill the crust

1. Pour the warm custard into the pre-baked crust, smoothing the top with a spatula.

Bake to set

1. Lower oven to 325°F (160°C). Bake the filled pie for 35–40 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is slightly wobbly.

Cool and chill

1. Cool the pie on a wire rack for 30–60 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours (best if chilled for 4 hours) before serving.

Serve

1. Slice with a sharp knife (wipe between cuts for clean slices). Top with whipped cream, toasted nuts, or fruit if desired.

Notes

For a silkier custard, strain it before filling the crust. Don't overbake; the center should be slightly jiggly. Use a thermometer for reliable results. You can make it healthy by using lower-fat dairy, gluten-free crust, or vegan alternatives.