Grandma's Old Fashioned Custard Pie

Top view of a pie with a big pile of whipped cream in the center.

Grandma's Old Fashioned Custard Pie

My Grandma's Old Fashioned Custard Pie is a simple, easy recipe passed down from my grandmother. Rich and creamy nutmeg scented custard nestled inside a flaky buttermilk pie crust. Our Thanksgiving table wouldn't be complete without it!

5 from 4 votes

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Course: pie

Cuisine: American

Keyword: buttermilk, custard, dessert, easy, nutmeg, pie, thanksgiving

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 1 10

Total Time: 1 55

Servings: servings

Calories: 248kcal

Author: Nicole Gaffney (ColeyCooks.com)

Ingredients

1 disc of Foolproof Flaky Pie Dough or a good quality store bought pie dough
4 large eggs
½ cup sugar increase to ⅔ for a sweeter pie
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
1 ½ cups milk
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
fresh whipped cream for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Dust a rolling pin with flour and roll out the pie dough so that it's about 3 inches larger than your pie plate. If the dough does not roll out perfectly round, use a knife or a pizza cutter to trim the edges and even it out.
Gently roll the dough onto the rolling pin and carefully transfer it to the pie plate. Press it in to fit, then tuck the loose pieces under and use your fingers or a fork to crimp the edges. Place in the freezer for at least 15 minutes, or longer if you have time.
Crack the eggs into a medium bowl. Remove the pie crust from the freezer, then dip a pastry brush into the egg whites and brush the pie crust all over. This will create a barrier so the custard doesn't make the crust soggy.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it to make sure the edges don't fall down. If they do, push them back up with the back of a spoon while still hot. Let cool.
Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
Add the sugar, salt, vanilla extract, heavy cream, milk and nutmeg to the eggs. Whisk together until very well combined. There should be no visible bits of egg white or yolk remaining, but be careful not to whip too much air into the mixture.
Place the pie plate on to a foil lined sheet pan to prevent any spills, then pour the mixture into the cooled crust.
Carefully place the pie into the oven and bake for about 1 hour or until the edges are just set but the filling is still a bit wobbly in the center - if it doesn't jiggle, it's overcooked.
Allow the pie to cool to room temperature, then place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Top with whipped cream and more grated nutmeg for garnish if desired. Serve chilled.

Notes

Keep your raw pie crust in the freezer until you're ready to bake. This will help the pie crust hold its shape while baking and turn out nice and flaky.
Do not over whisk the custard, as it can add too much air into the mixture which can alter the texture and cause big air bubbles when baking.
Use caution when transferring the pie to the oven, as the uncooked custard can easily spill out. I like to place the pie plate on a foil-lined sheet pan to catch any potential drips. Also make sure to pour the custard into the crust as close to your oven as possible to minimize the transfer distance.
For an extra smooth filling, strain the custard before adding it to the pie shell.
Make sure the pie crust has cooled completely before adding the custard filling to avoid scrambling the egg mixture.
If the outer crust starts getting too brown before the filling is set around the edges, cover the edges with foil and continue baking until done.
Be careful not to over bake or it could cause the custard to become rubbery rather than creamy. The edges should be just set with a slightly jiggly center.
Custard pie needs to be chilled before serving so the custard can set. I like to do it the day before so it can chill overnight, but be sure to give it at least 6-8 hours to ensure it cools properly.

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