Cinnamon Pie
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Nov 4, 2024 
A Perfect Cinnamon Pie Recipe for the holidays with a creamy spiced filling and golden crust! Cream cheese gives this pie amazingly silky texture, while cinnamon and nutmeg create bold and warm flavors.
Why We Love This Cinnamon Pie Recipe
Holiday pies are something I look forward to each and every year. Pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple pie, chocolate pie… I seriously cannot get enough of them!
However, this year I wanted to try a new (at least new to me) pie variety for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. Not that there’s anything wrong at all with the classics; but sometimes you just want to mix it up, right? Right.
I was recently listening to an old Paul Simon album and stopped in my tracks when I heard the line She was baking a Cinnamon Pie in the song “Hurricane Eye.”
Cinnamon Pie? Never heard of it.
Don’t get me wrong… I have eaten more than my fair share of cinnamon rolls, cinnamon cookies, cinnamon cake, cinnamon cornbread, and cinnamon bread over the years. Yet, I had never ever tried Cinnamon Pie.
Paul Simon, challenge accepted!
The Best Cinnamon Pie Recipe
After hunting down multiple recipes, I noticed quite a large discrepancy in what is considered a “Cinnamon Pie.” Some were gooey and gelatinous, some were like a cinnamon cake baked inside a pie crust, some were double-crusted, and some were chunky. There just didn’t seem to be a set standard.
The recipes that stood out to me as the most appealing were the smooth creamy pie recipes.
So I made notes on the the best elements of each recipe, and set off to create my variation of Cinnamon Pie. What I came up with is going to absolutely blow you away, and quickly become your new favorite go-to holiday dessert!
So here it is: Today’s recipe is my version of Cinnamon Pie, inspired by Paul Simon and later “Dual Spires”… If you know, you know.
The filling of this pie is light and silky, with a strong cinnamon flavor and a touch of nutmeg to offset the flavor. Both creamy and spicy, I love that this dessert isn’t too rich, while still satisfying your holiday spice sweet tooth.
It’s divine. Truly. You can make this easy cinnamon pie a day or so before your festivities, and just take it out of the fridge one hour before you’re ready to enjoy!
Ingredients You Need
- Homemade or store-bought buttery pie crust
- Cream cheese
- Brown sugar
- Eggs – you’ll need 2 whole large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- Heavy cream
- Flour
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla
- Salt
- Ground nutmeg
- Powdered sugar – for dusting
- Whipped cream – for serving
How to Make Cinnamon Pie
Not only is this fabulous pie super flavorful, it’s also incredibly easy to make. Once you’ve got your pie dough or pre-made crust ready to go, you just need one large bowl to mix all of your ingredients in to create the creamy cinnamon custard pie filling.
Here’s how to do it:
- Firstly, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. If using homemade pie dough, roll and fit your pie crust into a standard 9-inch pie plate. Crimp the edges, and place the pie crust in the refrigerator.
- Place the cream cheese and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Scrape the bowl with a spatula, then beat in the two eggs plus one egg yolk. Scrape the sides of the bowl again, then set the mixer on low and mix in cream, flour, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and nutmeg. Continue to mix on low until very smooth: You want to make sure the spices are thoroughly and evenly blended in the batter.
- Pour the creamy cinnamon pie filling into the prepared pie pan.
- Bake the pie for 35 minutes, until the center seems set when jiggled, but not totally firm. Bake another 5 minutes if needed.
- Once done, allow the pie to cool completely on a cooling rack. Cover with foil and chill in the fridge.
That’s really all there is to it!
Get the Full (Printable) Cinnamon Pie Recipe + Video Below!
Take the pie out of the refrigerator 1 hour before serving. And I recommend that you lightly dust the top of the pie with powdered sugar: it just makes it so festive!
Your family and friends will absolutely fall in love with this incredibly unique dessert! It’s classified as a holiday recipe, but I guarantee they will be asking you to make this Cinnamon Pie all year long. Try it at your next gathering, and let me know what you think!
Looking for More Festive Dessert Ideas? Be Sure to Try:
- The Best Sweet Potato Pie
- Easy Pumpkin Slab Pie
- Coffee Bread Pudding
- Fresh Strawberry Cream Pie
- Pecan Upside Down Cake
- French Silk Pie Recipe
- Butter Pecan Cake (Brown Butter Cake)
- Apple Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting
- Easy Apple Upside Down Cake
- Pomegranate Cream Tart
- Spice Walnut Pear Cake
- Pecan Praline Pound Cake
- Cinnamon Dolce Cake Latte Cake with Marscapone Frosting
Cinnamon Pie Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 pie crust, homemade or store-bought
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roll and fit a pie crust into a standard 9 inch pie dish. Crimp the edges and place the pie crust in the refrigerator.
- Place the cream cheese and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Scrape the bowl with a spatula, then beat in the eggs. Scrape the bowl again, then set the mixer on low and mix in cream, flour, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and nutmeg until very smooth.
- Pour the cinnamon filling into the prepared pie pan. Bake for 35 minutes, until the center seems set when jiggled, but not totally firm. Bake another 5 minutes if needed. Cool completely. Cover and chill.
- Take out of the refrigerator 1 hour before serving. Dust the top of the pie with powdered sugar. Cut and serve with whipped cream if desired.
A whole teaspoon of salt?? That seems like a lot for a dessert! Is that the correct amount? …I’m making this for Thanksgiving, but now I’m nervous!
It does seem like a lot, but many cake recipes I use also call for a teaspoon of salt. It doesn’t make the dessert salty, it just helps to bring out the flavor.
Hi Tracey,
1 teaspoon is right. When making something this rich and sweet, you need a little extra salt to balance it. Happy Baking!
This takes me back to the first thing I ever cooked without a recipe: Cinnamon “Pie.” I was about five or six, and it was definitely a cake, not a pie, but I insisted. However, it wasn’t really a cake either, but more like cinnamon flavored rubber that I forced my siblings to choke down. I look forward to trying this recipe out, and I’m sure it’ll be much better than my version!
I bought a graham cracker crust to make this today. I notice the recipe suggests an unbaked crust, but…
Will the graham burn if I bake it this way?
I made mine w Graham cracker as well. It makes more sense to me.
Hi Mary,
It should be ok, but maybe wrap the edges of the crust in strips of foil to protect them from turning too dark.
If I bake this tonight will it be ok for thanksgiving
Hi Ally,
Yes! Just refrigerate it the next couple days. :)
Do you cook the pie crust first? Or Use raw pie crust. First time making a pie, and I bought store bought pie crust.
Hi Alicia,
For this pie you pour the filling into an unbaked crust and bake it all at the same time. Happy Baking!
This recipe looks amazing! Could you add some cocoa powder to make it a chocolate cinnamon pie?
Hi Carly,
Absolutely! Just don’t go overboard, or you will end up with a grainy texture. ;)
Let me know how it turns out!
This looks amazing! I love cinnamon flavored desserts. Thank you for sharing. I have to give this a try!
Wishes for tasty dishes,
Linda
I was just watching Psych S5E12 “Duel Spires” in which Shawn and Gus go to a Cinnamon Festival. They are served cinnamon pie that looks a lot like pumpkin pie and it made me want to try it. I’m really excited to find your recipe- it looks just like the one in the show! I can’t wait to surprise the family with a new dessert this Thanksgiving. Thank you!
LOL! I love it. Let me know what you think! :)
Omg I love Psych! That episode also made me want to try Cinnamon Pie! Cant wait to make this!
I just watched that episode too and came looking for cinnamon pie recipes! I’ve got all my ingredients ready for Thursday!
That’s exactly why I’m here 😂
Same. I was binging psych again for the first time in a few years. Started looking and found this recipe that does, indeed, look just like the Psych pies. I’ve had this tab open on my cell phone for a couple of months as I waited for Thanksgiving. Just pulled mine out of the oven.
Ditto here! Had this bookmarked for Thanksgiving ever since.
Hi. This recipe looks amazing!!! I printed it out and noticed the nutritional info: 2975 kcal for 1 slice??? Is anything THAT good? BwAhahahA! I’m still gonna make it!!
Holy moly till I saw your comment I saw it but didn’t see the per slice this pie has to be amazing.
Oh dear! Let me double-check that Julie.
Can the heavy cream be subed with something else? I’m lactose intolerant.
Hi Heather!
You could try thick canned coconut milk. I’ve not made it this way myself, but I think it would work.
This pie is awesome! It’s a great Fall desert.
How could you alter this to add pumpkin pie filling to this recipe?
Hi Renae,
It might be best to go with another recipe that includes pumpkin, cream cheese, and spice. We love this one: https://www.aspicyperspective.com/secret-ingredient-perfect-pumpkin-slab-pie/