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Fail-Proof Old-Fashioned Baked Egg Custard

A perfect slice of creamy egg custard dessert dusted with cinnamon on a white plate.
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A simple recipe for a creamy, traditional baked egg custard that works well as a standalone dessert or as a pie filling.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a 9-inch pie plate or individual ramekins in a large baking pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs lightly. Do not over-whisk; you want to avoid incorporating too much air.
  3. Add the sugar, salt, and vanilla extract to the eggs. Whisk until just combined.
  4. Slowly pour in the milk while gently stirring the mixture. Stir until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
  5. Strain the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl or measuring cup. This step helps ensure a smooth texture.
  6. Pour the strained custard mixture into the prepared pie plate or ramekins.
  7. Sprinkle the top evenly with the ground nutmeg.
  8. Carefully pour hot water into the large baking pan until the water reaches halfway up the sides of the pie plate or ramekins. This creates a water bath (bain-marie).
  9. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the edge comes out clean. The center should still have a slight jiggle.
  10. Remove the custard from the water bath immediately. Let it cool completely on a wire rack before chilling in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

Notes

  • If you are using this as a pie filling, line a pie crust with parchment paper and pie weights, blind bake it for 15 minutes, remove the weights, and then pour the custard in before baking in the water bath.
  • For a richer flavor, you can substitute 1/2 cup of the milk with heavy cream.
  • If you prefer a less firm custard, reduce the baking time by 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://sundayflavor.com/easy-egg-custard-fail-proof-recipe/