Turn a classic holiday drink into a creamy, dreamy dessert with this easy eggnog pie recipe! Perfect for your Christmas dessert table or when you need something special for a holiday potluck.
My grandma made this pie every holiday season, and I’ve always loved how it captures the essence of eggnog in cream pie form. The warm notes of nutmeg and vanilla create that classic eggnog flavor, while the texture is soft and silky.
If you’re worried about making cream pies, I get it. They can be fussy and prone to disaster. But this recipe is practically foolproof. There is no water bath, no thermometer, and no crossing your fingers in the hope that it sets properly.
The filling comes together in one bowl with ingredients you already have on hand for holiday baking. To make the recipe even easier, I usually use a store-bought crust!
The flavor is rich without being heavy, with that distinctive eggnog warmth from the nutmeg and the (optional) rum. It’s like enjoying a glass of eggnog – but even better because, well, it’s pie!
Let me guide you through the simple steps to create this festive dessert, along with my best tips and tricks. It’s a show-stopping holiday dessert that doesn’t require hours in the kitchen.
Looking for more holiday dessert ideas? Try red velvet loaf, mini gingerbread cheesecake, or black tie mousse cake.
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Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Pie crust: While a store-bought refrigerated crust works great when you’re short on time, you can use my homemade pie crust recipe for an extra special touch. Either way works beautifully.
- Eggnog: Use store-bought eggnog or make my homemade sous vide eggnog.
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Evaporated milk
- Water
- Salt, cinnamon, nutmeg
- Spiced rum: This is optional, but it adds fabulous flavor.
How to Make Eggnog Custard Pie
- Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll your pie crust (whether store-bought or homemade) and gently press it into a 9-inch pie plate. Prick the bottom with a fork – this prevents bubbles from forming while it bakes.
- Bake the crust in the oven for 20 minutes. This step, called blind baking, ensures your bottom crust won’t get soggy from the custard filling.
- While the crust bakes, grab your mixer and cream together the sugar and eggs on medium speed. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes until they’re well combined and slightly fluffy.
- Add your evaporated milk, eggnog, water, rum (if using), and salt. Mix everything on low speed until it’s just combined. Don’t overmix here.
- Pour your custard mixture into the pre-baked crust. Give it a light dusting of ground nutmeg and cinnamon.
- Bake for about an hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The custard should be set but might still have a slight wobble.
- Let your pie cool completely before serving.
Serving Ideas
Eggnog pie makes a delicious holiday dessert, for Christmas or Thanksgiving. While it’s absolutely delicious on its own, I love to dress it up a bit.
The classic way to serve this pie is with a generous dollop of whipped cream on top. I like to add a light dusting of nutmeg over the whipped cream to bring out those holiday flavors.
You can also serve it with vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of caramel sauce, or a side of sugared cranberries.
How to Store
Since this is a custard-based pie, it should be kept refrigerated. Let it cool at room temperature, then cover it loosely and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Don’t leave the pie at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If you are covering it with plastic wrap, try to avoid letting it touch the surface of the custard to prevent condensation from forming.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Custard pies can be picky about baking times. Keep an eye on it during the last 15 minutes of baking, and don’t worry if you need to add a few extra minutes – every oven is different!
- Make sure you poke those little holes in the bottom of the pie crust before blind baking it, or the crust will puff up.
- For the smoothest custard filling, have your eggs and eggnog at room temperature before mixing. This helps everything blend perfectly without any lumps. I usually set these ingredients out about 30 minutes before I start baking.
- Allowing the pie to cool properly will yield cleaner slices. I like to let it cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating.
Reader Questions
Absolutely! This is one of my go-to make-ahead desserts. You can prepare it up to 2 days in advance of serving. Just store it covered in the refrigerator.
Most store-bought eggnog works well in this recipe. I typically use full-fat eggnog for the most decadent flavor, but light eggnog works just as well. Avoid using non-dairy versions, as they may affect the custard’s texture.
Of course! The rum is entirely optional. If you want that extra flavor without the alcohol, try adding ½ teaspoon of rum extract instead.
Cracks usually happen when the pie is overbaked or cooled too quickly. To prevent this, make sure you follow the baking time closely and let the pie cool at room temperature rather than placing it directly in the fridge.
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Eggnog Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated pie crust
- 1 ¼ cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 can can evaporated milk 12 ounces
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup eggnog
- 2 tablespoons spiced rum optional
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Unroll pie crust dough and press the dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Poke holes in the bottom with a fork so it cooks without puffing up.1 refrigerated pie crust
- Bake for 20 minutes and then remove from oven.
- Using a mixer, cream sugar and eggs on a medium speed until well combined.1 ¼ cup sugar, 4 eggs
- Add evaporated milk, eggnog, water, rum and salt. Mix on a low speed until combined.1 can can evaporated milk, ½ cup water, ½ cup eggnog, 2 tablespoons spiced rum, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Poor mixture into the pie crust and lightly sprinkle the ground nutmeg and cinnamon over the top.⅛ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Baked for 1 hour, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Serve warm or chilled, accompanied by whipped cream.
Notes
- Custard pies can be finicky about baking times. Keep an eye on it during the last 15 minutes of baking, and don’t worry if you need to add a few extra minutes – every oven is different!
- Make sure you poke those little holes in the bottom of the pie crust before blind baking it, or the crust will puff up.
- Let the pie cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating.
- The rum is completely optional.
- Skip the store-bought pie crust and use my easy pie crust recipe instead!
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
