This homemade pear custard pie recipe is a real showstopper, with fresh (or canned) pears prepared in a homemade custard and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar before baking. It’s the perfect blend of sweet and fruity flavors, all tucked into a flaky pie crust.
If you’re looking for a unique pie that’s delicious, easy to make, and ideal for dinner parties, this custard pear pie is ideal. It combines lusciously sweet pears with a creamy, custard-like filling for a simple, yet elegant pie.
If you love a good fruit pie, you’ll want to try my blueberry pie or apple pie. They’re all classic recipes that are going to satisfy your sweet tooth.
This recipe comes from my sister-in-law. She makes this pie often for family events. Before she married my brother I had neve had pear pie – now it’s one of my favorites!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: This recipe is seriously easy to make. Unlike cherry pie which requires cooking the pie filling, this recipe is more like Dutch apple pie where you simply add and mix!
- Classic Flavors: The combination of pears, cinnamon, and sugar creates a flavor profile that’s both comforting and delicious, making it a perfect dessert for any occasion.
- Family Favorite: This pie is a hit with both kids and adults, making it a family favorite. Plus, it’s a great way to use up any extra pears you may have on hand.
- Impressive Results: Despite its simplicity, this pie looks and tastes like it came from a fancy bakery. It’s guaranteed to impress your guests!
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Key Ingredients
- 9-inch Unbaked Pie Crust: The best pies are made with homemade pie crusts. There is no substitute! If you’re intimidated by homemade pie, don’t be. But you can use store-bought crust in a pinch!
- All-Purpose Flour: The flour will help thicken the custard filling, giving it a smooth and creamy texture.
- Granulated Sugar: This sweetener will add a touch of sweetness to the pie, balancing the tartness of the pears.
- Evaporated Milk: This type of milk has a more caramelized flavor because 60% of the water from traditional milk has been removed. Don’t skip this ingredient. Also, make sure only to use one cup, as the canned evaporated milk comes in a larger quantity.
- Lemon Juice: The lemon juice will not only add a tangy flavor to the pie but also help the pears keep their color and shape.
- Fresh or Canned Pears: The star of the show! For this recipe, I used Bartlett pears from a reputable company that specializes in canned fruit to make sure they were high quality. The quality of your pears will directly impact the flavor and texture of this pie. You can also use anjou pears or bosc pears.
- Ground Cinnamon: This spice will add a warm, comforting flavor to the pie, complimenting the sweetness of the pears.
Equipment
- Large Bowl – This is essential for mixing the flour, sugar, evaporated milk, and lemon juice to make the creamy custard filling. You’ll also gently fold in the pears in this bowl.
- Pie Plate – You’ll need this to press the pie dough into and to pour the pear filling, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, before baking.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons – These are necessary to measure the ingredients such as flour, sugar, evaporated milk, lemon juice, and cinnamon accurately for the best results.
How to Make Pear Custard Pie
Preparation
Start by preheating your oven to 400˚ F. Then, make your pie dough and press it into a pie plate.
Step 1 – Prepare the Pie Filling
In a large bowl, whisk together flour and 3/4 cup of sugar. Next, add evaporated milk and lemon juice. Whisk these ingredients together until they are creamy. Gently fold in the pears.
Step 2 – Assemble the Pie
Pour the pear filling into the unbaked pie shell. Then, sprinkle the filling with cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Step 3 – Bake the Pie
Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake it at 400˚ for 45-50 minutes. After baking, let the pie cool for 2 hours before serving.
Expert Tip
To avoid burned edges around your pie, I highly recommend investing in a good pie shield like this one. I add it about halfway through the baking process. This helps to keep the outer crust from burning while the rest of the pie bakes.
Recipe Variations
- Use Different Pears: This recipe calls for Bartlett pears, but you can also use Anjou pears or Bosch pears for a different texture after baking.
- Add Nuts: For an extra crunch, sprinkle chopped walnuts or pecans over the top of the pie before baking.
- Spices: While this recipe uses cinnamon, feel free to experiment with other spices like nutmeg or cardamom for a different flavor profile.
What to Serve With
- For a delicious brunch, serve this pear custard pie with a side of your favorite breakfast casserole and a hot cup of coffee.
- If you’re hosting a tea party, this pie pairs perfectly with a selection of finger sandwiches and a pot of Earl Grey tea.
- For a cozy dessert, serve this pie warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Recipe FAQs
In this recipe, I used Bartlett pears (red or green). However, Anjou pears (red or green) and Bosch pears will also give you a good pear texture after baking.
I highly recommend investing in a good pie shield. I add it about halfway through the baking process. This helps to keep the outer crust from burning while the rest of the pie bakes.
Keep an eye on your pie, as each oven is unique. I usually set my timer to 10 minutes before the end of the bake time and check it. You’ll know your pie is done when the bottom of the crust is a nice golden brown.
Pies do best when they have plenty of time to cool. For this custard pear pie, I recommend waiting at least two hours before slicing.
When you first pour the pie filling into your pie shell, you will want to spread the pie filling around, so the pears are evenly distributed. Do this carefully, as overflowing the filling will lead to it burning around the edges.
Storing and Reheating
- Storing: After slicing into the pie and allowing it to cool completely, store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This pear custard pie will keep well for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Unfortunately, this pie does not freeze well due to the custard and pear texture.
- Reheating: If you’d like to enjoy a warm slice of pear custard pie, simply reheat it in the oven at 350˚F for about 10-15 minutes.
More Homemade Pie Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Serving Size
- What to Expect: This pear custard pie recipe yields one 9-inch pie with 8 slices.
- How to Scale: If you want to make more than one pie, you can double the recipe and follow the instructions as directed. Make sure to use a larger bowl to whisk together the ingredients and a larger pie plate to accommodate the increased quantity.
Custard Pear Pie
Ingredients
- 1 9 inch unbaked pie crust
- 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 Cup granulated sugar
- 1 Cup evaporated milk
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 16 oz fresh or canned pears drained
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚ F. Make pie dough and press it into a pie plate.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour and 3/4 cup sugar. Add evaporated milk and lemon juice. Whisk together until creamy. Gently fold in pears.
- Pour pear filling into an unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle with cinnamon and 1 Tablespoon of sugar.
- Bake at 400˚ for 45-50 minutes. Let cool for 2 hours before serving.
Excited to make this for a Fall cooking group. Do the fresh pears need to be peeled?
Yes! Peel your pears for the best texture. 🙂
Would it work to only put in 1/4 cup of sugar. it seemed very sweet.
I can only recommend the recipe as is – that’s the way I’ve tested it and how my family has made it for years. If you alter it, let me know what you think!
This is our family’s secret recipe except ours uses heavy whipping cream or non dairy options depending on who is coming over. Everyone who tries it loves it. It’s better after it’s been refrigerated – sets up better. It’s so good. Thanks for sharing – glad others have enjoyed this little known pie recipe too!
Thanks for sharing Jen! It is a unique pie that is delicious!
A lovely alternative to apple pie. I substitute allspice for the cinnamon since we have family members who cannot have the cinnamon.
Hi, I have some fresh Asian pears which are typically a really hard pear. Do you think I should pre-cook the pears so they are as soft as the canned pears?
Hello! I have seen some recipes say that the pear skin can be left on. Do the skins need to be taken off or can they be left on? Can’t wait to try!!
Good morning! Just a quick question. I wanted to make this pear custard pie but, after reading the ingredients, I saw that egg(s) we’re not mentioned. You don’t need eggs to make a custard set? I honestly don’t know. I do want to make this recipe but wanted to know for sure first. It sounds delicious!! Thanx!☺️
Excuse my typos, my phone has a mind of its own sometimes!
Hi! This recipe is an old-fashioned recipe passed down through the generations and for some reason does not have eggs. It is what it is – but the pie does set!
I took the pie out at 45 minutes, inserted a knife in the middle and saw that it was watery. I put it back in for 10 minutes. Any suggestions? Will it dry up when cooling?
Hi! All pies are not set when you take them out of the oven. It takes at least 3 hours for them to cool and be ready to slice. Inserting a knife works for a cake, but not for pies. Hope it cools and works out for you!