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Walnut Cream Pie

Walnut Cream Pie

A silky brown sugar custard loaded with toasted walnuts, poured into a buttery graham cracker crust and chilled until sliceable.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 slices

Ingredients
  

Graham Cracker Crust

  • 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs about 11 full sheets
  • 3 tbsp light brown sugar packed
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • ⅛ tsp fine sea salt

Walnut Cream Filling

  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • ⅓ cup cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 4 large egg yolks lightly beaten
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter cut into pieces
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups walnuts toasted and roughly chopped, divided

Instructions
 

Crust

  • Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 7 to 9 minutes, until fragrant. Cool completely, then chop roughly and set aside.
  • Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter until the mixture holds together when squeezed. Press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate, using a flat-bottomed glass to compact it. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, then cool completely on a rack.

Filling

  • In a medium saucepan off the heat, whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt until no lumps remain. Slowly whisk in about 1/2 cup of the milk to make a smooth paste, then whisk in the remaining milk.
  • Set over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly and scraping the corners of the pan, until the mixture comes to a full bubble and thickens noticeably, 8 to 10 minutes. Let it bubble for 1 full minute to cook out the starch.
  • Place the beaten yolks in a bowl. Slowly drizzle in about 1 cup of the hot mixture while whisking hard, then pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking, for 2 more minutes until thick and glossy.
  • Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla until smooth. Fold in 1 1/4 cups of the toasted walnuts, reserving the rest for the top.

Chill and Serve

  • Pour the warm filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Scatter the reserved walnuts over the surface.
  • Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface if you want to avoid a skin, or leave it uncovered for a soft matte top. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until fully set. Slice with a warm, dry knife.

Notes

Toasting the walnuts is not optional if you want real walnut flavor — raw walnuts turn soft and taste flat once they sit in the custard.
If your filling looks lumpy after cooking, push it through a fine-mesh sieve before folding in the nuts.
Keyword no bake cream pie, walnut cream pie, walnut pie
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