Custard Pie looks simple but is surprisingly tricky to get right. This recipe shows you exactly how to make a classic custard pie that is silky, creamy, and sets perfectly every time.
Custard Pie Recipe Snapshot
What it is: Silky egg custard baked until just set inside a flaky pie crust and topped with ground nutmeg.
Why you'll love it: All the flavor of Grandma's old-fashioned pie, but with modern, detailed instructions so it sets perfectly.
How to make it: Blind bake the pie crust, then make the custard base on the stovetop to scald the milk. Pour into the crust and bake gently until almost set.
Custard pie is a nostalgic classic that everyone loves, but there are a few small details in the process where home bakers either nail it or end up with sweet scrambled eggs in a shell.
I spent three days researching custard science, testing oven temps, and watching for the exact moment when liquid turns into that perfect silky set. My husband ate six different versions without complaint (he's a custard fiend), but I wanted to create a recipe that fully explains the visual cues, the timing, and the why behind each step.
This is the custard pie recipe that works every single time.
Reader Review:
Thank you for your recipe for custard pie! It was absolutely the BEST I have ever had! And your instructions are wonderful!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Louise
Ingredients
Custard Pie requires fairly simple ingredients. After testing various ratios of milk to cream, this is the combination that I found makes the most creamy, flavorful filling.
- Eggs - Use large eggs in the US, or medium eggs in the UK. We need mostly whole eggs and one egg yolk.
- Milk - For a lovely creamy custard, you should use whole milk. I don't recommend any other kind of milk here.
- Heavy Cream - Use heavy cream, heavy whipping cream, or double cream. Anything with less fat content will not have the right texture.
- Sugar - Regular white sugar, preferably superfine (caster sugar).
- Vanilla - I like to use vanilla bean paste in any custard recipe, but a high-quality vanilla extract is great too.
- Nutmeg - Freshly grated nutmeg will give the best flavor, but ground nutmeg will still taste great.
- Pie Dough - Use my flaky pie dough recipe, or if you don't feel like making the dough from scratch, you can buy an unbaked pie crust.
See the recipe card for the full recipe and measurements in both cups and grams.
Things You'll Need
- Deep Dish Pie Plate - 9-inches
- Rolling Pin
- Pie Weights - Ceramic baking beans or uncooked rice
- Pastry Brush
- Large Bowl
Reader Review:
Came out perfect! Amazing recipe, very clear, produces a lovely silky textured custard pie.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Eleanor
How to Make Custard Pie
Though this is a simple pie, there are a few little things that can take this from a good custard pie to an exceptional one. I recommend following each of these steps for the best results.
Par-bake Pie Crust
Blind bake your pie crust until it is par-baked. I have a whole post about how to blind bake a pie crust if this is your first time.
Once you are ready to start the custard filling, preheat the oven to 325°F / 160°C (140° fan).
Whisk Eggs and Sugar
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, and sugar until combined. Don't whisk too vigorously; we don't want to incorporate any air into it.
Don't let the eggs and sugar sit without whisking them, as the sugar can actually burn the egg yolks and create coagulated lumps.
Scald the Milk
Add the milk, heavy cream, and vanilla to a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk slowly until it is 'scalding'. This means that you can see steam rising from it, and there are tiny bubbles starting to appear on the surface.
Do not let it boil.
See the section below on why you shouldn't skip scalding the milk.
Temper the Eggs
Drizzle a little of the milk mixture into the egg mixture and whisk to incorporate it. Keep doing this, very gradually, until all the hot milk is incorporated.
It is vital to do this slowly to avoid scrambling the eggs.
Strain
Pour the custard mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl to remove any lumps of coagulated egg.
If you have a bowl with a spout on it, it makes the next step a lot easier!
Fill the Pie
Pour the custard filling into the par-baked crust.
Sprinkle nutmeg all over the top of the pie.
Brush the exposed edges of the crust with a little bit of egg wash.
Bake
Slowly move your custard pie into the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes. It should be set around the outer edge, but still quite jiggly in the middle. It will continue to bake as it cools.
Let the custard pie cool to room temperature before covering it with plastic wrap and transferring it to the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours.
How To Know When Custard Pie Is Done
Custard pies are like Goldilocks, you have to get the baking time juuuust right. If you over-bake it, the pie will come out rubbery, and the custard may curdle. If you under-bake it, then it won't set up properly, and you won't be able to cut a slice out of it.
The challenge here is that custard continues to bake as the pie cools, so if you wait until it is fully baked to take it out of the oven, you will end up with an over-baked pie.
The trick is to take it out when it is just the right level of baked so that when it has cooled, it will be perfectly set with a beautiful, silky texture.
Baking time can vary massively, so it's best to learn the visual cues that it's ready, rather than relying on recipe times. And that is where 'the jiggle test' comes in!
The Jiggle Test
5 minutes before the end of the minimum bake time, gently tap the side of the pie plate to check for doneness. Do not take the pie out of the oven to do this.
Needs Longer - If the whole of the filling still looks liquid, the pie isn't ready yet and needs longer to bake.
Just Right - You'll know the custard pie is ready to come out when the outer 1-2 inches are firm and do not move, but the middle of the pie is still very jiggly.
Overbaked - If the whole pie is completely set and doesn't move when you tap it, it has been in for too long and will likely be over-baked.
Most Common Mistakes
- Custard has curdled: If the custard isn't silky smooth and instead feels rubbery or like scrambled eggs, it has been overbaked. Make sure you temper the eggs gradually and see the section above on how to tell when custard pies are done baking.
- Filling didn't set: If you slice into the pie and your filling isn't set, it was either underbaked or it wasn't allowed enough time to cool before slicing.
- Filling tastes eggy: If your pie tastes very eggy, it was probably overbaked, and the eggs have scrambled. Tempering the eggs with scalded milk helps to prevent this.
- Custard is cracked: If the top of the pie cracks while it cools, then it was either baked for too long or the oven was too hot. Try checking your oven temperature to make sure it is heating accurately.
- The pastry is soggy: If the pastry is soggy, then either it wasn't blind-baked for long enough, or there was a hole in the pastry, and some of the liquid custard filling seeped into it. Make sure to seal any holes in the pastry with egg wash to keep it dry.
- Edges are browning: If the edges of your pie crust are browning too much before the pie is ready, you can put a pie shield on top, or just gently wrap the edges in aluminum foil.
Variations
Though classic custard pie may be the perfect dessert to serve after Thanksgiving dinner, here are some ideas for ways to easily change it up.
- Eggnog Pie - To make this into an indulgent Christmas dessert, add a dash of your favorite tipple - the filling tastes just like eggnog!
- Coconut Custard Pie - I have had so many people asking me for a coconut version of this egg custard pie! I have finally made one! Check out my coconut custard pie recipe.
- Creme Brulee Pie - For a topping that is more exciting than a dash of nutmeg, sprinkle the cooled pie with a thin layer of sugar and torch it with a kitchen torch for a crackly bruleed finish.
- Chocolate Custard Pie - Feeling decadent? Why not make a chocolate custard pie instead?
- Different Pie Crust - If flaky pie dough is not your thing, try this custard pie with my shortcrust pastry recipe instead.
How To Serve
Custard pie needs to be chilled, but for the best results, take it out of the refrigerator 20-30 minutes before serving - this allows the custard to warm up just enough to release more flavor and be soft and silky on the tongue.
Old-fashioned custard pie is absolutely delicious on its own, but for a little something extra, try serving it with a swirl of homemade whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Storage
Custard pie keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store it in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap (not touching the surface, as it can peel the top off of the pie).
The crust may go a little soggy in the refrigerator after a day or two, so it's better to eat it sooner than later.
Custard does not like the freezer, so I don't recommend trying to freeze this pie as the texture of the custard filling may break down.
FAQs
If you have a question about this custard pie recipe that isn't answered here, please write it in the comment section, and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
While I always think that homemade pie crusts are better, you can make this custard pie recipe with a store-bought pie crust.
A homemade crust will be more flaky and have better flavor, but a grocery store one will still do the job and the custard filling is really the star of the show here.
Make sure you get a 9-inch, deep dish pie crust. This recipe makes quite a thick pie so you need to make sure the crust is deep enough to hold all the filling.
The best temperature to make custard pie is 325°F / 160°C (140° fan-assisted).
Many recipes will have a hotter oven than this, but for a smooth, creamy baked custard it is best to bake low and slow.
There are a lot of recipes that tell you to skip this step. Let me tell you why you shouldn't:
Originally, old-fashioned custard pie recipes would scald the milk to kill off bacteria and make it safe to consume. These days, our milk is pasteurized so the danger is removed, which is why modern recipes sometimes say you don't have to do it.
From a safety perspective, that is true, but there are multiple other benefits of scalding the milk that will make your custard pie so much better:
Texture - Using the hot milk to temper the eggs (gradually bringing them up in temperature) stops them from being shocked by the hot oven and prevents curdling (scrambled eggs).
Also, heat denatures the whey protein in the milk, which thickens the custard. Both of these things help to create a super silky, smooth texture in the finished pie.
Flavor - This recipe infuses the vanilla into the custard as it warms, which draws out and deepens the vanilla flavor in the custard.
Appearance - Because the custard has already started to warm up and thicken before it goes into the oven, it needs less time and a lower temperature to bake, which means that the top of the pie will be smoother and lighter, and the pastry won't brown too much before the custard is baked.
,This is why good recipes for pastry cream and creme brulee all use this method.
If you really don't want to do it, you can skip scalding the milk, but for the best custard pie, I highly recommend taking the extra time for this simple step.
This recipe has the classic flavor of egg custard pie that you know and love, but with a few science-backed tricks to make sure it is the best custard pie it could possibly be.
More Custard Desserts
I have a lot of delicious custard dessert recipes on my site. If you love custard, try some of these recipes:
Recipe
Custard Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- Homemade Pie Dough Use my Flaky Pie Crust recipe or a storebought pie crust*
- Egg wash (1 egg + a splash of milk, lightly beaten)
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- 300 ml (1¼ cups) Heavy Cream (double cream)
- 300 ml (1¼ cups) Whole Milk
- 150 g (¾ cup) Granulated Sugar (caster sugar)
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste or vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg ground or freshly grated
Equipment
- 9-inch Pie Dish deep dish
- Baking Beans or rice
Instructions
- Make the pie dough ahead of time so it has time to rest for at least 2 hours, but ideally overnight, then shape it into the pie dish at least 30 minutes before baking. Full instructions in my Flaky Pie Crust post. Alternatively, you can use a store-bought pie crust.Homemade Pie Dough
- Cover the inside of the pie with parchment paper and fill with baking beans and/or rice. Make sure you fill it all the way up the sides of the pie crust to stop the edges from shrinking.
- Keep the pie crust in the fridge, or if there is space, pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes while you preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C (200°C fan assisted).
- Put the pie crust into the oven on the middle rack and bake for 15-18 minutes or until the edges are starting to turn golden brown.
- Take the pie out of the oven and turn the temperature down to 375°F / 190°C (170°C fan assisted). Carefully lift out the parchment paper and baking beans.
- Brush a layer of egg wash on the bottom of the pie, it should be a thin layer, but thick enough to seal any docking holes. Return the pie crust to the oven for a further 5-7 minutes, or until the inside looks dry and light golden brown.Egg wash
- Remove from the oven and let the pie crust cool while you make the custard filling.
- Set the oven temperature to 325°F / 160°C (140° fan-assisted).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, sugar, and salt. Whisk gently just until combined - don't try to incorporate any air into the mixture.4 Large Eggs, 1 Large Egg Yolk, 150 g (¾ cup) Granulated Sugar, ¼ tsp Salt
- To a saucepan, add the heavy cream, milk, and vanilla, whisk together, and warm over medium-low heat until it is scalding. (This means there is steam coming from it and you can see a few tiny bubbles starting to form on the surface. Don't let it boil.300 ml (1¼ cups) Heavy Cream, 300 ml (1¼ cups) Whole Milk, 2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
- Slowly drizzle a tiny amount of the scalded milk/cream into the egg mixture and whisk it in. Keep adding it, a little at a time, until it is all incorporated.It is vital to do this gradually to slowly bring up the temperature of the eggs so that they don't scramble.
- Pour the custard mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl to remove any lumps of coagulated egg. Tip: If you have a bowl with a spout on it, it makes the next step a lot easier!
- Pour the custard filling into your par-baked pie crust and sprinkle with nutmeg. If you would like, brush the edges of the pie crust with a little of the eggwash.¼ tsp Nutmeg
- Carefully transfer the custard pie to the middle rack of your oven and bake for 40- 50 minutes. If the pastry starts to brown too much but the pie isn't ready, you can add a pie shield to stop it from browning further.
- Bake time will vary massively depending on a variety of factors, so it's best to know the signs of when it is done. Tap or move the pie dish very slightly. When custard pie is properly baked, the outer 1-2 inches of pie will be set and firm, but the middle will still jiggle. See the post above for more details.
- Remove the custard pie from the oven and let it cool to room temperature before transferring it to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours - preferably overnight.
Joella wall
I love custard pies, but never good at making them. Thank you for your detailed instructions.
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Joella,
I'm so glad you like the custard pie recipe! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
Jules
Lisa
Will this work without the crust? Maybe in ramekins? Would any changes be necessary?
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Lisa,
Yes you can definitely make this in ramekins instead. No need to change the recipe but the bake time will be a lot less, depending on the size of your ramekins. Keep the oven temperature the same and read the section in the post above about how to tell when custard pie is baked to look for signs of when to take them out of the oven.
Happy baking!
Jules
JN
Great recipe Just like my grandmother's
Jules Grasekamp
Hi JN,
Wow what a compliment! Thank you so much! I'm so happy you love the custard pie 🙂
Jules
MsB
I am so excited to make this today for Christmas. Since I do not have any beans, can I just prick the crust and pre-bake it?
Jules Grasekamp
Hi MsB,
Sorry I didn't get to this question in time, how did your custard pie turn out?
For future reference, you don't have to use beans, you can also just use rice! If you don't use something to weigh it down the risk is that the pastry will puff up and when the bubbles deflate it will cause tears in the crust, which means the liquid filling will leak underneath and make your pie have a soggy bottom.
If you do just prick it, make sure you seal any holes or tears very well with egg wash to stop the custard from leaking through. I have more details on this in the post.
Jules
Tamarius M Smithey
Ive never tried to make a custard pie like my mother did. Every single pie and crust was homemade and TBH it scares me. A lot. Your complete explanation of everything makes me want to try. Thank you.
Jules Grasekamp
You are so kind for saying this, thank you so much!
I'm so happy you feel inspired to give it a go, let me know if you have any questions or I can help in any way.
You have made my day with this comment 🙂
Jules
Richard
My grandma had the same recipe and it was delicious. Right now I've no place so I am waiting until some apartments are available.
Jules Grasekamp
I hope when you do get to try the recipe that you love it and it brings back all those lovely memories! 🙂
Jules
Richard
Custard pie
Cynthia Hoover
I have a favorite custard pie I remember as a child. It was coconut custard. When I took a bite of this pie and I was thrilled!!! Absolutely delicious. I'm going to make again and try adding coconut. Thank you so much!!!
Jules Grasekamp
This makes me so happy to hear Cynthia! I'm so glad you love the custard pie and it brought back those childhood memories!
Coconut sounds delicious with it - enjoy!
Jules
Deb
If I use a refrigerated store bought crust, should I still need to par cook it first?
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Deb,
If it's a pre-baked crust then no you don't need to bake it. If it is a raw, unbaked crust then yes you should still par-bake it first. This just helps to make sure you don't end up with a soggy crust because the custard is liquid.
Enjoy!
Jules
Mikaela
The ads on this site are simply abysmal. My phone kept reloading again and again as some useless advert took over the screen. I’ve been trying to actually read the recipe for like 4 hours and I give up. It’s terrible how many food bloggers have their recipes held hostage by such shitty websites.
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Mikaela,
Thank you for your comment. I'm really sorry you feel that way, that is definitely not how I want readers to experience my site!
If I may offer a bit of an explanation? We don't have our sites held hostage by the ads, but the ads are how we are able to provide the recipes to people free of charge. It takes a lot of time and investment to produce a site like this and if we didn't have ads, users would be forced to pay for recipes, rather than enjoying them for free. I never want to have to charge for my recipes so, while the ads are annoying, I appreciate that they allow me to run this site.
Having said that, what you described shouldn't be happening. A lot of ads ramp up this time of year in the run up to black friday, and it sounds like they have gotten a bit out of hand. I will be contacting my ad network today to address the issue you raised, as that does sound extremely annoying! I'm sorry you had this experience, and hope I have explained a little.
Thank you and have a great day 🙂
Jules
G
Why would you give a one star rating to a recipe when you dislike the website? Your opinion of a "site" affects the rating of the recipe, which most of use to search through the thousands of junk recipes to find great ones like this. If you have a complaint about the site, contact the moderator or author of the article.
Kimberly
This looks amazing! Thanks for sharing. I'm wondering if you would ever use the above recipe for coconut custard pie? How would you modify the recipe if i wanted to do that?
Jules Grasekamp
Thanks Kimberly!
I haven't tested it, but if I were going to turn this into a coconut custard pie I would replace the heavy cream with an equal amount of coconut cream (not coconut milk), then I would add about a cup of shredded coconut to the custard before pouring it into the pie crust (and a little bit sprinkled on top).
Like I said I haven't tested this, but that's what I would try first. Maybe I will make a coconut version and test it out, because that sounds delicious!
Karen
Yes please! My mother use to make a coconut custard and I miss that so much.
Hers wasn’t very high and the top would brown nice and golden.
But I think I would like it deeper dish , like yours.
Thank you for your time and energy sharing great recipes!
Susan
Thanks for this suggestion. My grandmother made coconut custard pie also, and I haven't found a good recipe for it. I tried one and was underwhelmed by the coconut flavor (lack thereof), so maybe the coconut cream would help.
Jules Grasekamp
I hope it turns out great for you!
I have had a lot of requests for a coconut custard pie recipe so I may add it to my list this year and make a dedicated recipe for it!
Jules
Kimberly
The custard pie was amazing! Since it was so good I decided to try adding the coconut as you suggested. The taste was fabulous but I think I'll put the coconut only on the top instead of mixing it in the custard next time. The texture was off a little!
Jules Grasekamp
Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out Kimberley!
I have had quite a few requests for coconut custard pie now, so I am thinking about developing a recipe specifically for this. I'll keep your feedback in mind!
Thank you,
Jules
Jess Burns
Absolutely love this recipe! Thank you so much as always, I was so proud to share this beautiful pie with my family!
Chris Radwanski
I absolutely love custard pie and hands down, this is the best darn custard pie I have ever eaten! I love all your custard recipes, so keep them coming!
LEWIS DICKSON
Absolutely perfect pastry recipient it came out amazingly!
Laura Calrise
Superb recipe - can’t wait to try it! Thanks ☺️
Von
This looks delicious. Do you have a modified recipe for sweet potato custard pie?
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Von,
Thank you, I'm glad you think so!
I'm sorry, I don't have a sweet potato version yet - that sounds delicious though!
Jules
Kate
Crust is raw in your pics
PETRO THEUNISSEN
It is Petro Theunissen from South Africa again : you claim to have 'develloped' this specific recipe and did'nt think of the crust for some time, while we have the exact recipies for both, beiing in our families for Generations.
We call it MELKTERT in AFRIKAANS (Milktart in English).
It can be made with either cream or milk(cheaper and every household has got milk). We top it of with Cinnamon.
You just name your 'creation' differently ..
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Petro,
Thank you for your comment. I'm not claiming to have invented custard pie, it is a very common, popular dessert in the US and a classic option for Thanksgiving. There are a lot of different ways to make custard pie, with milk or cream or a combination of both. I tested different versions and I found that I got the best results from this specific combination of the ingredients.
It's always lovely to hear of how desserts are enjoyed and adapted in different parts of the world, so thank you for sharing this with me, it's lovely to hear.
Also I think maybe you misunderstood what I was saying about the crust, I was saying that for years I found it difficult to get pie crusts right and so I have been practicing and researching the science behind them to try to master it. I wasn't implying that I suddenly thought of inventing pie crust.
Thank you for your comment and I hope you enjoy your lovely custard pie 🙂
Tamarius M Smithey
Did that make you feel better? She showed the steps on how to make the homemade crust from the beginning til it was par-cooked. This blogger did GREAT in both descriptions and explanations. And as for being from South Africa im sure your phone has auto correct. Maybe not punctuation but definitely proofread your comment before posting. TIA!
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Kate,
I know I am gutted that the day I was taking pictures for this post was the day that I learned why it is important to seal up the docking holes with egg wash! I got a hole in my pastry and the custard leaked underneath. I only had one day to photograph and wanted to get this recipe up before Thanksgiving, but the recipe itself is good and the flaky pie crust post has updated pictures in it. I will be reshooting the custard pie when the madness of the holidays dies down!
Even though the picture is unfortunate, the recipe itself is good and I have included every trick I learned to stop this from happening!
Thanks for your comment 🙂
Jules
Nancy
It continues to amaze me how people choose to tear others down with negative comments rather than build people with positive uplifting comments.
This custard pie is delicious and personally I prefer an undercooked crust to an overcooked pie crust.
Regardless of the state of crust, this pie looks amazing and tastes heavenly!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe, I will be making this again and again!
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Nancy,
Thank you so much for your kind words, you have brightened my day!
I'm so happy you love the custard pie and thank you for spreading positivity in the world.
I hope you have a wonderful day 🙂
Jules
Kate
You can get sick from undercooked flour dumbass. If she cant take even slight criticism especially when there's a chance she can get people seriously ill, then she shouldnt be running a food blog.
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Kate,
Thank you for being here, I'd like to address a few points:
Firstly I'd like to keep this site a place of kindness. Most people come here looking for recipes to learn new skills and build their confidence in the kitchen, so I'd appreciate if you could keep that in mind before calling people names, you never know how it could impact someone.
Secondly, I am not getting anyone sick, I don't sell baked goods, I am teaching people how to make the desserts properly and how to check for doneness. To clarify, my pie was not underbaked, I tore my pastry and the filling leaked, making the base a little soggy. But quite aside from that, the only people that ate that pie were me and my husband. Last I checked, you can't get sick from looking at a photo of a pie? I could have scrapped it and made a new one, but I actually think that it is important for people to know that even a professional baker has things go wrong in the kitchen sometimes.
Lastly, nobody is getting offended, and as far as I'm aware nobody was actually criticising until you came into the chat. I very happily run this successful food blog because I love helping people to master baking - even if it means I have to deal with a few nasty people hiding behind their keyboards.
You can criticise me til the cows come home and call me any names you like - but I won't tolerate you tearing down my readers who are here to build their confidence.
If you can't be nice, please go and spend your time insulting strangers on another site.
Thank you,
Jules
Nancy
Kate, I forgive you for such a hateful unnecessary comment. Every response from Jules has been a positive and thankful response. As for my comment I merely offered my opinion on likely something underdone via overcooked. My opinion to which I am entitled to. I truly hope you find happiness and learn that name calling shows your character. I forgive you.
Jules Grasekamp
Nancy,
What a kind and thoughtful comment in response to totally unnecessary rudeness - you are a ray of sunshine and I feel so grateful to have readers like you on this site. Please never stop being your wonderful self!
I appreciate you.
Jules