Old-Fashioned Christmas Custard Pie
Ingredients
- 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour (or 2 tbsp cornstarch for silkier texture)
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup evaporated milk (or extra whole milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
- pinch of salt
- 1–2 tsp granulated sugar to sprinkle on top (optional)
Directions
- Preheat: Oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare the 9-inch pie shell in a pie dish.
- Dry mix: Whisk sugar, flour (or cornstarch) and salt in a bowl.
- Wet mix: In another bowl whisk eggs, melted butter, whole milk, evaporated milk, vanilla and lemon (if using) until smooth.
- Combine: Gradually whisk the dry mix into the wet until smooth and pourable.
- Fill: Pour custard into the pie shell. Sprinkle 1–2 tsp sugar on top if desired.
- Bake: 40–50 minutes in center of oven. Center should be mostly set but slightly jiggly; edges golden.
- Cool & chill: Cool on a rack, then refrigerate at least 2 hours (overnight best) before slicing.
- Serve: Slice cold. Optional: top with whipped cream, cinnamon or berries.
Tips & Notes
- Edge protection: If crust browns too fast, cover edges with foil after ~25 minutes.
- Silky texture: Use cornstarch (1 tbsp) instead of flour for a smoother custard.
- Richer filling: Swap the whole milk for ¾ cup milk + ¼ cup heavy cream.
- Do not overbake: Slight jiggle in center is good — it finishes setting while cooling.
- Make ahead: Bake a day ahead and refrigerate; flavor and texture improve after chilling.
