Learn how to make my mom’s favorite recipe for old-fashioned baked custard that’s silky smooth, creamy, and topped with a dash of nutmeg. Whip up this easy homemade dessert in 10 minutes or less with simple pantry ingredients. This simple custard is quick to make when you’re short on time, yet special enough for holiday parties, potlucks and any other large gathering.
Growing up, my mom would make this baked custard all the time, probably more than any other dessert that I can remember. Thinking back, I think it’s probably because she was craving a sweet treat, and she didn’t have the time to make anything all that fancy. Sometimes she’d make it a custard pie by baking it in a pie crust.
Some of my earliest memories are coming inside on a cold day and seeing her pull this easy dessert out of the oven. It always gave me such a comforting, cozy feeling. Mama was a pretty good baker; she made the best cutout sugar cookies, and she made the best baked egg custard, hands down.
What Makes an Egg Custard Different From a Pudding?
The main difference is that a baked egg custard uses whole eggs for its classic rich and silky smooth texture; pudding relies on cornstarch as a thickening agent. I also bake my custard low and slow in a water bath in the oven, because the extra moisture helps to prevent cracking. In contrast, traditional pudding is usually cooked on the stovetop.
Truth be told, there are so many different variants of custard. Some are cooked, while some, like this one and also creme brulee, are baked. If you’d like to know more, here’s a comprehensive guide on all of the different types of custard.
Ingredients & Substitutions Notes
This recipe uses simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen pantry…
- Milk – I’ve only ever used whole milk for this recipe. If you’re looking to make this recipe lower fat, you can also use 2% milk or even skim milk; just keep in mind that it won’t be quite as rich.
- Eggs – This simple baked custard recipe uses whole eggs.
- Sugar – You can use any kind of granulated sugar– I just use cane sugar.
- Vanilla – This Mexican vanilla is my favorite, but any vanilla extract will do.
- Nutmeg – You’ll need ground nutmeg for sprinkling on top.
How to Make Mama’s Old Fashioned Baked Custard
Before getting started, preheat your oven to 350º F. You’ll need to bake the custard in a 7×9 baking dish, and then you’re also going to need a baking dish that’s just a little bit larger for the water bath. Alternatively, you can divide it up into little personal-sized ramekins, but you’ll still need a larger dish for the water bath.
Mixing Up a Simple Baked Custard
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk over low heat ’til small bubbles form around the edges of the pan, stirring constantly. Just don’t bring it to a boil. This is called scalding milk. Remove the milk from the heat, and set aside for now.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs just ’til the yolks and whites are blended. An electric hand mixer makes this step easier.
- Whisk the sugar, salt, and vanilla extract into the eggs.
- Very slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mixture, a little bit at a time so you don’t cook the eggs, whisking the entire time, only ’til the milk and egg mixture are well blended.
Be careful not to whisk it too much, or else you might end up with a lot of foam on top. If this happens, no worries; just skim that foam off with a spoon and carry on with the recipe as usual.
How to Bake an Egg Custard in the Oven
- Pour the custard mixture into an un-greased 7×9 (or 1 1/2 quart) baking dish. You can also use little personal-sized ramekins, if desired. Then sprinkle the nutmeg over the top of the entire custard.
- Place the custard pan in a larger baking pan with sides, and pour hot water in the pan, a little more than halfway up the sides of the custard pan. Just be careful not to get any water in the actual custard. This creates a hot water bath, a lot like when we bake a cheesecake, and helps prevent cracking.
- Bake at 350° F for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
How to Serve Baked Custard
You can serve homemade egg custard warm or cold, with fresh fruit like strawberries or raspberries, if desired. Top it off with caramel syrup or maple syrup! My family likes it best after it’s chilled overnight in the refrigerator.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s
This is probably because it was baked too long and/or at too high of a temperature, which can cause the eggs to curdle or sort of scramble. The key is to bake it low and slow, and I’ve found that a water bath is essential in making this recipe, because the extra moisture keeps it from cracking.
It will store for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
I don’t recommend it. It will totally change the texture, making it grainy and watery. Fortunately, this baked custard is so quick to make that it’s not really necessary to make it ahead of time.
Optional Add-Ins & Variations
- Bake it in a pastry shell/pie crust to make the best baked custard pie.
- Once chilled, top it with sugar, and place it back in the oven under the broiler to caramelize the sugar. You have effectively made a creme brulee. How fancy!
- Replace the vanilla extract with about 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to make an almond-flavored custard.
- Or you can add a teaspoon of caramel extract to make it a baked caramel custard! Be creative.
More Family Favorite Desserts and Recipes
I love it when recipes have been passed down through the family. Some of these truly time-tested desserts bring back so many memories from when I was a kid, baking with my Grandma.
- Aunt Jennie’s Sweet Potato Pie
- Baked Cinnamon Apples– I learned how to make this from my grandma when I was a kid, and I’ve made it ever since.
- Grandma’s Pumpkin Pie
- Grandma’s Chocolate Whoopie Pies– The story goes that this family recipe came to Missouri by covered wagon.
- Chocolate Meringue Pie
- Classic Pecan Pie
- Grandma’s Homemade Yeast Rolls– I learned how to make these from my mom, who learned how to make them from her mom, who learned how to make them from the owner of a little restaurant establishment that they took over for extra income. This recipe has been a family favorite ever since.
Baked Custard
Equipment
- Hand Mixer optional
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup cane sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350° F.
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk over low heat 'til small bubbles form around the edges of the pan, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. Just don't bring it to a boil. This is called scalding milk. Remove the milk from the heat, and set aside for now.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs just 'til the yolks and whites are blended. An electric hand mixer makes this step easier.
- Whisk the sugar, salt, and vanilla extract into the eggs.
- Very slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mixture, a little bit at a time so you don't cook the eggs, whisking the entire time 'til the milk and egg mixture are well blended.*
- Pour the custard mixture into an un-greased 7×9 (or 1 1/2 quart) baking dish.
- Sprinkle the nutmeg over the entire custard in the pan.
- Place the custard pan in a larger baking pan with sides, and pour hot water in the pan, a little more than halfway up the sides of the custard pan. Just be careful not to get any water in the actual custard. This creates a hot water bath, a lot like when we bake a cheesecake, and helps prevent cracking.
- Bake at 350° F for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Serve warm or cold, with fresh fruit if desired. My family likes it best after it's chilled overnight.
Just like I remember my mom making for us
So yummy
Great flavor but ended up with a lot of watery liquid once I cut into it and took some out.
This is “exactly” like the custard that my Grandma made just for her & me!
Made the custard today I use monk fruit sugar and was delicious. Will make it again