Egg Custard: This recipe for egg custard is a delicious and easy pie that’s perfect for any holiday! It uses basic ingredients which makes a delicious, yet simple dessert, and only takes 35 minutes to bake.
I don’t know about you, but I think pies are the perfect comfort food. Next time you need a pick-me-up dessert, I suggest making one of our favorite pies along with this custard! Peanut butter pie, pecan pie, and mini no-bake pies are great recipes to boost your spirit.
Originally published August 23rd, 2021, and updated April 25th, 2023.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- From Scratch: This classic dessert recipe is so easy to make from scratch. Using only basic ingredients, you can make this great recipe in under an hour!
- Texture: The texture of this egg custard pie recipe is similar to egg custard tarts. It’s a light and creamy texture that will satisfy your sweet tooth but won’t leave you with that heavy feeling.
- Holidays & Parties: Like most pies and cakes, this homemade egg custard is the perfect party dessert or delicious to serve after Thanksgiving dinner especially! You’re able to make a large number of yummy servings in a short amount of time. A win-win!
Jump to:
🧾 Ingredients Needed
Make sure to scroll to the bottom of the post if you’re looking for the recipe card with ingredient measurements and directions for this traditional egg custard!
- Eggs – whole eggs, meaning egg yolks and egg whites, plus one additional egg white is optional – see below.)
- Sugar – white, granulated sugar
- Salt – table salt works for this
- Nutmeg – ground spice that you should be able to find in the spice aisle
- Whole milk – this is preferred over other types of milk. See in the FAQs below.
- Vanilla extract – pure vanilla extract is so much better than imitation vanilla but that will work too.
- Unbaked pie crust – for this recipe, you can make this pie crust recipe or you can buy a storebought pie crust but the sizing works perfectly and is very easy to use. Note: Most store-bought crusts come with two pie crusts, however, you’ll only need to use one for this recipe. You will place one pie crust, in a 9-in pie plate, preferably glass but metal is ok too. You can use the extra crust to make many of these other pie recipes.
- Egg white – this is optional, to brush on the store-bought pie crust (or homemade crust) before filling to help prevent it from getting soggy.
🧑🏻🍳 Step-by-Step Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
- In a large bowl, beat eggs lightly. Add sugar, salt, nutmeg, vanilla, and milk beat well to make custard mixture (See image below). (This mixture is similar to our top favorite recipe, bread pudding.)
- Place raw pie crust in to pie dish (normally a 9-inch pie pan).
- Gently press pie dough in to the pie plate, on the sides, and on the bottom, trying to keep the pie crust centered.
- Take the top edges and gently pinch the edges “up” so it forms a small “lip” to where it can act as a “wall” for the egg custard batter to stay inside. See image below. (Note: it doesn’t have to be perfect.)
- Optional: To help prevent a soggy crust, whisk one egg white in a small bowl and brush on to the sides and bottom of crust. I do this and prefer it.
Blind Bake: You may also choose to blind bake the pie crust but we don’t for this recipe, since it turns out perfect each time without doing so.
- Pour custard filling into pie crust. (See tips below on how to do this step with ease!)
✅ Pro Cooking Tip:
Pouring the custard mixture in to the pie crust can get messy if you pour and walk to the oven. (The batter is very thin so it can swoosh out if not careful.)
To avoid spillage, here are tips for best results:
- Place a rimmed baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven. (This will catch any spills or an accidental overage.)
- Place just the pie crust/pie plate in the oven, on the middle rack.
- Pull the middle rack toward you, just enough for the next step.
- Pour mixture in to a pitcher and pour the batter in to the crust while it’s in the oven.
- Carefully slide the oven rack back in to the oven, being careful not to splash the batter out of the pie shell.
Cooking Time:
- Bake for 35 minutes at 350° or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean, and you see the top slightly golden brown.
- Let the custard cool on a wire wrack.
- When cool, place in refrigerator. Best served chilled.
💡 Expert Tips and FAQs
Yes. This egg custard recipe needs to be refrigerated. In fact, custard-based pies should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. You can store this creamy pie in an airtight container, or cover with plastic wrap, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
It’s actually very simple! This egg custard pie recipe is made from scratch (except the crust) and you only need basic ingredients. There’s nothing better than the satisfaction of making something from scratch… even if it is easy!
Custard pies may become watery if the eggs are not cooked all the way or evenly distributed over the mixture. To prevent this, make sure you beat your egg mixture very well and bake for as long as needed.
Yes! Creamy custard pie tastes best when it’s served cold. Serving this pie at room temperature may cause the texture to change. To keep this pie cold at a summer party, I would recommend putting it on ice.
I recommend using whole milk. Whole milk is thicker and going to add more texture than other types of milk. I would not recommend using a plant-based milk for this egg custard recipe because it may alter the taste.
🍓 What to Serve on Top of Egg Custard
Honestly, we feel this is delicious all by itself, however, if you’re looking to dress it up, or serve something along with it, here are some suggestions that will help:
- whipped cream
- fresh berries
- ice cream
🥧 More Dessert Recipes
As far as dessert recipes go, I have too many favorites. Baking quick but delicious desserts is the best way to do it in my opinion; from homemade pies to brownies, cupcakes, and cookies.
My boys have been loving my strawberry brownies and this peach pie is absolutely amazing but I also love this lemon bundt cake recipe! There are so many options but you can’t go wrong with any of them!
📖 Recipe
Egg Custard
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 ⅔ cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 refrigerated pie crust (Unbaked) Homemade Pie Crust or storebought
- 1 egg white optional but recommended
Instructions
- Pie Crust: Let 1 refrigerated pie crust come to room temperature.
- Prep Oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
- Mix: In a mixing bowl, beat 3 eggs lightly. Add 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 & 2/3 cups milk, and beat well.
- Pie Crust Placement: Unroll pie crust and place in a 9-inch pie plate (glass pie plate recommended). Press sides and bottom so it fits nicely in to the pie plate. Try to make the pie crust even and form the rim of the pie crust "up" to almost create small sides so egg custard does not overflow.
- Optional but recommended: take the whites of an egg, and put in a small bowl. Gently whisk with a fork. Using a basting brush, brush on the egg whites on to the pie crust. This will help prevent a soggy crust.
- Pour: Pour egg custard batter in to pie crust. (See notes for tips on how to safely do this for best results.)
- Bake: Bake for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. NOTE: if the pie crust starts to burn, before custard is done, you can cover with aluminum foil to prevent burning. However, this isn't something we've had to do.
- Cool: Let cool on a wire rack and chill in the refrigerator before serving.
Notes
Pouring the egg custard batter in to the pie crust can get messy if you pour and walk to the oven. (The batter is very thin so it can swoosh out if not careful.)
- Place a rimmed cookie sheet on the bottom rack of the oven. (This will catch any spills or an accidental overage.)
- Place just the pie crust/pie plate in the oven, on the middle rack.
- Pull the middle rack toward you, just enough for the next step.
- Pour egg custard batter in to a pitcher and pour the batter in to the crust while it’s in the oven.
- Carefully slide the oven rack back in to the oven, being careful not to splash the batter out of the pie shell.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Annie Hamilton says
Oh my goodness I loved it. I haven’t had it since I was about 10 or 11 years old. I like more nutmeg, so I just add it a little bit more but everything else I followed every bit of the directions and he came out amazing thanks.
Jessica says
I’m so glad that you liked this egg custard, thank you Annie!
Michael B says
It tasted great. I added coconut on top.
Jessica says
Yum! Adding coconut on top of this egg custard, sounds amazing! Thank you so much for sharing!
Toni says
I loved it! So delicious and really easy to make! Thanks for sharing!
Sharina says
My mom loves this egg custard recipe! It was so rich and delicious!
Natalie R says
Just like my grandma made but even better! I am making it for my friends for girls night!
Jess says
It smells delicious but it isn’t getting thicker while cooking at all…. I doubled the recipe and have both pies cooking at the same time but so far, they have cooked for 45 minutes at 350 degrees and it’s like water.
Jessica says
Hello Jess! Hmmm, I’m not sure why it would be so thin and like water. Do you think it’s possible that too much milk was added when doubling?
Lisalia says
This was exactly like I remember my grandma cooking for us. So yummy and simple classic flavors. Thanks for such an easy and yummy recipe full of great memories for me!
Jessica says
Awww, that’s so sweet! Thank you so much for sharing. I’m so glad it reminded you of your grandma!
Donna Batrone says
There’s nothing better than homemade custard! My family devoured this.
Jessica says
I have to agree with you for sure! 🙂 So glad you liked this egg custard too!
Sam says
My egg custard just came out of the oven and WOW! What a delicious recipe. Of course, no one wants for it to cool down so I guess it was a WIN!
Thanks for including step by step instructions too. They were so helpful.
Jessica says
Haha! I actually think it’s good warm too! Haha… but way better cold! 🙂 So glad you liked it, thank you!