Pioneer Woman’s Egg Custard Pie

You won’t believe the simplicity of Pioneer Woman’s Egg Custard Pie recipe. This simple but delicious pie is made with only a few ingredients and it has the most creamy custard filling and deliciously flaky crust.

What is Pioneer Woman’s Egg Custard Pie?

In general, pies include pastry shells filled with any filling you can imagine. The shells are covered with thin pastry dough and baked until the filling is cooked. Interestingly, the different types of custard dishes we see today, which use eggs, were originally made by the ancient Romans.

Pioneer Woman’s Egg Custard Pie is a variation of this ancient recipe. The filling is comparable to that of a delicious flan, but the pastry is flaky and buttery.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• All the ingredients are probably in your kitchen right now.
• Both children and adults love it.
• It has old-fashioned flavors you know and love.
• It’s very easy to make.

Ingredients That You’ll Need:

• Pie Crust – I know pie crust isn’t everyone’s favorite thing to make. If you’re pressed for time or want a shortcut, you can use a store-bought frozen crust for this recipe. You will need to thaw the crust according to the packaging instructions, prick the bottom with a fork, and blind bake the pie according to the instructions.
• Whole Milk – The best filling comes from thick, rich milk. Use fresh, high-quality milk for the best taste.
• Salted Butter – Salted butter encourages a more balanced result by balancing out sugar.
• Eggs – Pioneer Woman’s Egg Custard Pie calls for fresh eggs and bright yellowish yolks are the best.
• Granulated Sugar – Despite its sweetness, Pioneer Woman’s Egg Custard Pie is not overly sweet. With just the right amount of sugar, it boasts just the right level of sweetness.
• All-Purpose Flour – All-purpose flour helps thicken the custard so that it isn’t runny.
• Vanilla – Vanilla’s woodsy, floral, and sweet flavor enhances the flavor of this recipe. As a bonus, it makes the kitchen smell divine.
• Ground Nutmeg – A spice with a distinctive aroma that is both nutty and slightly sweet, nutmeg is an intense spice.

Note: When I’m feeling fancy, I’ll serve a spoonful of whipped cream on top of my egg pie. It’s that extra bit of decadence that takes this dessert over the top!

Can I Use Evaporated Milk?

To achieve a smooth and creamy texture, you can substitute whole milk with any of the following:

• Evaporated milk
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Half and half
• Cream

Pro Cooking Tip: While it is not necessary to scald any of these before adding them to the eggs, it is very helpful to warm them at least to room temperature or above before making the custard.

Why is Scalded Milk Used in Some Recipes?

People scalded milk in the days before pasteurization to help eliminate any nasty bacteria that might have been in it. Despite the fact that today’s milk is pasteurized, scalding milk before baking with it can be beneficial in some recipes.

Scalding milk with vanilla beans, cinnamon, mint leaves, and many other common baking ingredients can help infuse flavor into baked recipes. Scalding milk also helps yeast to rise in some recipes like homemade bread.

Why is My Pioneer Woman’s Egg Custard Pie Watery?

The key to avoiding watery Pioneer Woman’s Egg Custard Pie is to ensure the pie bakes for the proper amount of time. The pie should jiggle slightly when done baking, and it will firm up as it cools. You should also ensure that all of the ingredients are combined well so that the milk and eggs do not separate.

How to Make Lard Pie Crust

Note: Here is another way to make pie crust for Pioneer Woman’s Egg Custard Pie, however, feel free to choose between both of the crusts or just use a store-bought one.

If you make homemade pie dough, lard is a great choice because it is healthier (less saturated fat than butter) and gluten-free. Even though lard is rendered pig fat, it actually has no effect on the flavor of baked goods like pie crusts.

Additionally, baking with lard helps pie crust maintain consistency in flavor and texture. Pie crust made with lard is flaky like what you can expect from a bakery. The dough is easier to work with as well.

You only need a few common ingredients to make a lard crust.

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting the counters)
• 1/2 cup lard
• 1 pinch of salt
• 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
• 1 egg white

Instructions:

1. Place the flour, lard, salt, and 1 tablespoon of ice water into a bowl.
2. Using floured hands, work the dough until it is soft and not sticky, adding more water if needed. If time permits, refrigerate the dough for 1 hour to make it easier to roll out.
3. Roll out the pie crust and place it in a pie plate; flute the edges of the pie crush.
4. Brush the crust with egg white.

How to Make Pioneer Woman’s Egg Custard Pie

For the Crust:

1. Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a medium-sized bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Add the butter cubes to the flour and, using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is crumbly.
3. Stir the cold water into the flour until a ball of dough forms. Start with 1/4 cup of water and add more if needed.
4. Take the dough out of the bowl and shape it into a ball. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 45 to 55 minutes.

For the Filling:

1. Combine the milk and butter in a medium pot set over medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted, allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar, flour, vanilla, and nutmeg and set aside. Whisk in the milk/butter mixture until smooth.

To Assemble:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. After you have removed the dough from the fridge, add a little flour to a working surface or clean the counter and place it on it. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness and arrange it in a pie plate.
3. Line the crust with parchment paper and place pie weights on top. Bake for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the pie crust from the oven and reduce the heat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Pour the filling into the pie crust. Brush the crust with an egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 teaspoon water) and bake for about 45 to 55 minutes or until the pie jiggles slightly. In case the crust browns too quickly, add foil or a pie shield to prevent it from browning further.
6. Sprinkle with additional nutmeg and serve.

How to Serve Pioneer Woman’s Egg Custard Pie

Homemade pies are so much better than store-bought and Pioneer Woman’s Egg Custard Pie is no exception. Its light texture and yellow color make this pie an ideal summer dessert. Add some whipped cream on top of the pie along with some fresh berries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side if you like.

Recipe Tips

• If possible, use freshly grated nutmeg! Freshly grated nutmeg has an undeniably rich aroma and taste.
• Pour the egg mixture carefully onto the pie crust. Avoid dumping the mixture in to eliminate the chance of splashes or air pockets.
• It’s important not to overbake the pie! Before removing the pie, gently shake the pan to determine if it is baked correctly. The center of the pie should be somewhat jiggly when baked.
• You shouldn’t slice the pie before chilling. I know, it is hard to wait to eat after all this hard work. But, this pie tastes and cuts best once chilled.

FAQ Section

Pioneer Woman’s Egg Custard Pie

Erin Table for Seven

You won’t believe the simplicity of Pioneer Woman’s Egg Custard Pie recipe. This simple but delicious pie is made with only a few ingredients and it has the most creamy custard filling and deliciously flaky crust.

4 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 371 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the Crust:

• 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup very cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
• ¼ to ⅓ cup cold water

For the Egg Custard Filling:

• 1 cup whole milk at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons salted butter
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour for thickening
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg plus more for garnish

Instructions

 

For the Crust:

• Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a medium-sized bowl and whisk to combine.
• Add the butter cubes to the flour and, using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is crumbly.
• Stir the cold water into the flour until a ball of dough forms. Start with 1/4 cup of water and add more if needed.
• Take the dough out of the bowl and shape it into a ball. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 45 to 55 minutes.

For the Filling:

• Combine the milk and butter in a medium pot set over medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted, allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
• In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar, flour, vanilla, and nutmeg and set aside. Whisk in the milk/butter mixture until smooth.

To Assemble:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
• After you have removed the dough from the fridge, add a little flour to a working surface or clean the counter and place it on it. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness and arrange it in a pie plate.
• Line the crust with parchment paper and place pie weights on top. Bake for 10 minutes.
• Pour the filling into the pie crust. Brush the crust with an egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 teaspoon water) and bake for about 45 to 55 minutes or until the pie jiggles slightly. In case the crust browns too quickly, add foil or a pie shield to prevent it from browning further.
• Sprinkle with additional nutmeg and serve.

Notes

• If possible, use freshly grated nutmeg! Freshly grated nutmeg has an undeniably rich aroma and taste.
• Pour the egg mixture carefully onto the pie crust. Avoid dumping the mixture in to eliminate the chance of splashes or air pockets.
• It’s important not to overbake the pie! Before removing the pie, gently shake the pan to determine if it is baked correctly. The center of the pie should be somewhat jiggly when baked.
• You shouldn’t slice the pie before chilling. I know, it is hard to wait to eat after all this hard work. But, this pie tastes and cuts best once chilled.

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 5gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 318mgPotassium: 98mgFiber: 1gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 668IUVitamin C: 0.001mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 1mg

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