Easy Old-Fashioned Baked Custard

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/15/24
Tested by
Danielle Centoni
Danielle Centoni
Tested by Danielle Centoni

Danielle is a James Beard Award-winning food writer and editor based in Portland, Oregon.

Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Baked egg custard is a comforting recipe that has been around for generations. It requires few ingredients and is easy to put together, making for the ideal last-minute dessert idea. This version is made with the classic sprinkling of grated nutmeg, adding a nice bit of color and a hint of spice.

Topped with a few berries and a sprig of mint, this simple recipe takes on an elegant appearance. Serve hot, cold, or room temperature.

Baked custard with nutmeg topping in fluted ramekins and garnished with raspberries and mint leaves

The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo
what you'll need to make this old-fashioned baked custard recipe
A Nice Set of Ramekins
A Handy Dandy Microplane
A Good Baking Dish

"This silky custard has the lovely texture of flan, but without the burnt sugar syrup. It’s lightly sweetened, almost like French toast without the toast. I could see having this for breakfast or dessert. It took no time to whisk it up and pop in the oven and the nutmeg makes it extra comforting." —Danielle Centoni

Easy Old Fashioned Baked Custard Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 cups milk

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • Pinch of nutmeg, freshly grated if possible

  • Hot water, for baking custards

  • Fresh raspberries, garnish

  • Mint leaves, garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for baked custard with nutmeg topping recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

  2. Heat the oven to 325 F. Place four 6-ounce custard cups (ramekins) in a large baking pan. 

    Four ramekins placed in a large baking pan

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, salt, and sugar.

    Milk and eggs whisked until smooth and foamy in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

  4. Divide the custard mixture evenly among the custard cups.

    Custard mixture evenly distributed among four ramekins

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

  5. Fill the pan with hot water to a depth almost even to the top of the custard cups. Sprinkle each serving with nutmeg.

    Custard in ramekins sprinkled with nutmeg and surrounded by hot water

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 55 minutes (depending on the depth of the baking dish), or until the custard is set. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean, and the custard should still have a slight jiggle in the center.

    Lightly browned baked custard in ramekins on a baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

  7. Garnish with raspberries and mint, if desired. Serve immediately or chill until cold. Enjoy.

    Baked custard topped with nutmeg and garnished with raspberries and mint

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

Tips

  • Don't skip the step of cooking this custard in a bain marie; it creates a gentle heat around the custards and results in a uniform cooking process, preventing the eggs from curdling.
  • If you want a thicker custard, you can use 3 eggs instead of 2.
  • Some recipes call for warming or scalding the milk before adding it to the other ingredients, which makes for a smoother texture. If you do this, slowly add just 1 cup of the hot milk to the eggs to temper the mixture and prevent the eggs from cooking.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
154 Calories
5g Fat
21g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 154
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 103mg 34%
Sodium 167mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 21g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 5mg 23%
Calcium 175mg 13%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 237mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)