Creamy Holiday Eggnog Pie

My First Eggnog Pie

I made my first eggnog pie over forty years ago. My sister brought a bottle of eggnog to our holiday dinner. We had too much. I thought, “This should be a pie.” So I tried. The first one was a bit lumpy. I still laugh at that.

But the flavor was pure magic. It tasted like the holidays in a slice. That’s why this recipe matters. It turns a favorite drink into a special dessert you can share with everyone at the table. What’s your favorite holiday drink? I’d love to hear about it.

Why We Make a Custard

This pie has a custard filling. That means we cook eggs with milk and cream. It gets thick and smooth. You must whisk it the whole time. This is the secret. It keeps the eggs from turning into little lumps.

When you pour it into the warm crust, something wonderful happens. The custard soaks in just a little. This makes every bite perfect. The crust stays crisp. The filling stays creamy. Doesn’t that sound good?

A Little Secret in the Crust

The crust has a fun trick. We grate some of the butter. It goes into the freezer first. Then we mix it in at the end. This makes little flaky pockets in your dough. *Fun fact: This is called “fraisage,” a French trick for extra flaky pastry.*

It might seem like a small step. But it matters. A good crust should have layers. It should almost melt in your mouth. This little trick makes all the difference. Do you like making pie crust, or does it make you nervous? Tell me your story.

The Flavor of Memories

The filling is spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. It smells like Christmas morning. The rum and bourbon are just for flavor. They cook, so the alcohol goes away. What’s left is a warm, cozy taste.

Then we top it with a special whipped cream. We use brown sugar and a touch of bourbon. The sour cream makes it silky. It sits on the pie like a fluffy cloud. I always sneak a spoonful before it goes on the pie. Doesn’t that smell amazing?

Your Turn to Make It

This pie takes time. The dough needs to rest. The custard needs your attention. The pie must cool for hours. This slow process is part of the gift. You are making something with care.

That is the final reason this matters. Food made slowly, with love, tastes better. It feeds more than our stomachs. It feeds our hearts. Will you be making any special pies this season? Share which one is your family’s favorite.

Ingredients:

My Creamiest Holiday Eggnog Pie

This pie tastes like a holiday hug. It is my grandson’s favorite. He asks for it every December. I love making the custard filling. The kitchen smells like nutmeg and joy. Doesn’t that smell amazing?

Making the crust is the first step. Do not be scared of pie dough. My secret is grating some butter. It makes the crust so flaky. I still laugh at that. I learned it from my own grandma.

• Step 1: First, grate two tablespoons of cold butter. Pop it in the freezer. Cut the rest into little cubes. This gives our crust wonderful texture. It will be tender and crisp.
• Step 2: Now, mix the dough in your food processor. Pulse the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cubed butter and process. It will look like a paste. Then add the rest of the flour and pulse.
• Step 3: Dump everything into a bowl. Toss in that grated butter from the freezer. Sprinkle ice water over it. Gently mix it with a spatula. Press it together into a ball. Wrap it up and chill it. (A hard-learned tip: Chill your dough well. A cold dough is much easier to roll out.)
• Step 4: Roll the dough into a big circle. Be gentle and use flour so it does not stick. Carefully lay it in your pie plate. Tuck and crimp the edges pretty. I like a simple pinched edge. Refrigerate it again to keep it firm.
• Step 5: Bake the crust with pie weights first. This is called blind baking. It stops the bottom from getting soggy. Bake until it is golden and crisp. Your kitchen will smell so buttery. Do you know why we use pie weights? Share below!
• Step 6: Time for the creamy filling. Whisk sugar, eggs, and spices together. Heat the milk and cream until it steams. Slowly mix a little hot milk into the eggs. This warms them up slowly. Then pour it all back into the pot.
• Step 7: Cook this custard, whisking all the time. It will get thick like pudding. This takes love and patience. Strain it into a bowl to keep it smooth. Stir in the dark rum for flavor. Pour it right into your warm crust.
• Step 8: Bake the pie just a little more. This sets the custard perfectly. Let it cool completely on the counter. This is the hardest part—waiting! Finally, top it with the special whipped cream. Dust it with a little cinnamon. Then slice and enjoy your masterpiece.

Cook Time: About 1 hour active, plus 4 hours cooling
Total Time: 6 hours (includes chilling)
Yield: 8 generous slices
Category: Dessert, Holiday

Three Fun Twists on the Classic

This pie is wonderful as written. But sometimes, a little change is fun. Here are three ideas from my kitchen. They are all delicious in their own way.

• Coffee Buzz: Add a tablespoon of instant espresso to the custard. It pairs so well with the rum.
• Chocolate Chip: Sprinkle mini chocolate chips in the bottom of the baked crust. Then pour the custard over them.
• Ginger Snap Crust: Use crushed ginger snaps instead of a pastry crust. It adds a lovely spicy crunch.

Which one would you try first? Comment below!

Serving It Up With Style

This pie is rich and special. A thin slice is plenty. I serve it on my grandmother’s china plates. It just feels right. For a pretty plate, add a sprinkle of nutmeg. A tiny mint leaf looks festive too.

What to drink with it? For the grown-ups, a small glass of tawny port is perfect. It is sweet and nutty. For everyone, hot cocoa with a cinnamon stick is my pick. It keeps the cozy feeling going. Which would you choose tonight?

Keeping Your Eggnog Pie Perfect

This pie is a special holiday treat. You will want to keep it fresh. Store any leftovers covered in the fridge. It will stay good for about three days.

The creamy filling does not like the freezer. It can get a bit grainy. I learned this the hard way one Christmas. I wanted to save a slice for my grandson.

Batch cooking is a wonderful idea. You can make the dough disk days ahead. This matters because it spreads out the work. You get to enjoy the fun of baking without the rush.

Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!

Simple Fixes for Common Pie Problems

Sometimes a crust can shrink while baking. To stop this, make sure your dough is very cold. I remember my first pie crust shrank into a little bowl. Chill your dough well before baking.

Your custard might look lumpy. Do not worry. Just push it through a fine strainer. This step matters for a silky smooth texture. No one wants a lumpy pie.

The whipped cream might not get fluffy. Your bowl and cream must be very cold. This matters for creating light, happy clouds on top of your pie. It makes the first bite magical.

Which of these problems have you run into before?

Your Pie Questions, Answered

Q: Can I make this gluten-free? A: Yes! Use your favorite gluten-free flour blend for the crust.

Q: Can I make parts ahead? A: Absolutely. The dough and whipped cream base can be made two days early.

Q: What if I don’t have rum or bourbon? A: You can skip them. Use a teaspoon of vanilla extract instead for flavor.

Q: Can I make a smaller pie? A: You can halve the recipe. Use a smaller pie dish for a cute mini pie.

Q: Any special tip? A: A fun fact: letting the cream mixture chill for hours before whipping makes it extra stable and rich.

Which tip will you try first?

From My Kitchen to Yours

I hope you love making this pie. It is full of cozy holiday spirit. Baking is about sharing joy and making memories.

I would love to hear about your baking adventure. Tell me about your family’s reaction. Your stories are my favorite thing to read.

Have you tried this recipe? Give your experience in the comments.

Happy cooking! —Grace Ellington.

Creamy Holiday Eggnog Pie

Author: Grace Ellington Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:American Courses:Dessert

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 45 minutesCook time:1 hour Rest time:4 hours Total time:5 hours 45 minutesServings:10 servingsCalories:480 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

A festive and decadent Holiday Eggnog Custard Pie with a flaky crust and a rich, spiced filling, topped with Brown Sugar and Bourbon Whipped Cream.

Ingredients

Dough:

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, divided
• 1 ½ cups (6¼ ounces/177 grams) all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon table salt
• ¼ cup ice water, divided

Filling:

• ¾ cup (4⅔ ounces/132 grams) sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon table salt
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons dark rum

Brown Sugar and Bourbon Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon table salt
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons bourbon

Instructions

1. For the dough: Grate 2 tablespoons butter on large holes of box grater and place in freezer. Cut remaining 8 tablespoons butter into ½-inch cubes. Pulse ¾ cup flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, 2 pulses. Add cubed butter and process until homogeneous paste forms, about 30 seconds. Using your hands, carefully break paste into 2-inch chunks and redistribute evenly around processor blade. Add remaining ½ cup flour and pulse until mixture is broken into pieces no larger than 1 inch (most pieces will be much smaller), 4 to 5 pulses. Transfer mixture to bowl. Add grated butter and toss until butter pieces are separated and coated with flour. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons ice water over mixture. Toss with rubber spatula until mixture is evenly moistened. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons ice water over mixture and toss to combine. Press dough with spatula until dough sticks together. Transfer dough to sheet of plastic wrap. Draw edges of plastic over dough and press firmly on sides and top to form compact, fissure-free mass. Wrap in plastic and form into 5-inch disk. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Let chilled dough sit on counter to soften slightly, about 10 minutes, before rolling.
2. For the pie: Roll dough into 12-inch circle on floured counter. Loosely roll dough around rolling pin and gently unroll it onto 9-inch pie plate, letting excess dough hang over edge. Ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with your hand while pressing into plate bottom with your other hand. Trim overhang to ½ inch beyond lip of plate. Tuck overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of plate. Crimp dough evenly around edge of plate. Wrap dough-lined plate loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Line chilled pie shell with double layer of aluminum foil, covering edges to prevent burning, and fill with pie weights. Bake on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet until edges are set and just beginning to turn golden, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Remove foil and weights, rotate sheet, and continue to bake crust until golden brown and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Transfer sheet to wire rack. (Crust must still be warm when filling is added.)
4. While crust bakes, whisk sugar, eggs, cornstarch, ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in bowl. Bring milk and cream to simmer in large saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk 1 cup of hot milk mixture into egg mixture to temper, then slowly whisk tempered egg mixture into remaining milk in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened, bubbling, and registers 180 degrees, 30 to 90 seconds (custard should have consistency of thick pudding). Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer into clean bowl, then stir in rum.
5. With pie still on sheet, pour custard into warm crust, smoothing top with clean spatula into even layer. Bake until center of pie registers 160 degrees, 14 to 18 minutes. Let pie cool completely on wire rack, about 4 hours.
6. For the whipped cream: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl of stand mixer, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Whisk to combine before whipping.
7. Spread whipped cream attractively over cooled pie and dust with remaining ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon. Serve.

Notes

Nutritional information is estimated per serving. For best results, ensure all ingredients for the crust and whipped cream are well chilled.

Keywords:Eggnog, Pie, Custard, Holiday, Christmas, Dessert