Eggnog Custard Pie

Eggnog is a natural fit for a custard pie recipe because eggnog is custard to begin with. Eggnog is a drink that traditionally made by combining milk, sugar and eggs with a splash of liquor and a bit of nutmeg. The most traditional recipes are uncooked (for which you should use pasteurized eggs) but most modern eggnog recipes are cooked to make them safer to eat, resulting in a drink that is rich and custardy. All of the elements that make eggnog are already in a basic custard pie – milk, eggs and sugar – and it is not a stretch to incorporate some eggnog into the recipe to make a whole new way to enjoy the seasonal holiday drink.

This custard pie uses both milk and eggnog as its base. I added some vanilla and nutmeg to enhance the eggy flavor of the ‘nog. I omitted alcohol entirely, but if you prefer a little kick from your eggnog, add in a 1/2 teaspoon or so of run extract to give it a hint of a boozy flavor. I used prepared eggnog for this recipe, but if you have a batch of homemade eggnog in the refrigerator already, you will be able to use it without a problem.

The finished pie is silky smooth, a delicate custard that seems to melt in your mouth. It has a really nice eggnog flavor to it, but at its core this is simply a nice custard pie with a bit of vanilla and nutmeg added in to it. You can use either a pastry crust or a crumb crust for this pie; both work well. If you are going to take the crumb crust route, use either a shortbread crust or make one from gingersnaps to add even more holiday flavor.

Eggnog Custard Pie
4 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups eggnog
9-inch pie crust, unbaked pastry crust or crumb crust

Preheat oven to 425F.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar vanilla, nutmeg and salt until well combined. Whisk in milk and eggnog until mixture is smooth, trying not to whip up too much froth.
Place prepared pie crust on a baking sheet and pour eggnog mixture into the pie.
Bake for 15 minutes at 425F. Turn oven down to 325F and bake for 30-40 minutes, until pie is set and just jiggles slightly when agitated.
Cool pie to room temperature before refrigerating. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, or overnight.

Serves 8.

*Note: You should have enough custard for a deep dish 9-inch pie. If you have a fairly shallow 9-inch pie crust (i.e. a store bought crumb crust), you might end up with a little excess custard. If so, just fill the pie crust up to the top and discard the extra, or bake it off in a little ramekin for a single serving.