Learn how to make this tasty Cinnamon Pie recipe. This quick and easy dessert, as seen at Cracker Barrel, is creamy and delicious pie made with cinnamon filling the whole family will love!
Why This Recipe is the Best
This is the perfect copycat Cracker Barrel pie for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. It's a southern-inspired pie that bakes similar to a With the flavor of cinnamon as the main ingredient, you can't go wrong with the sweet aroma of this homemade pie.
If you're wondering what this pie is like, we've got you! This cinnamon pie has a cheesecake-like texture, and it also resembles a custard pie. You can eat it plain, or we love to top it with whipped cream or even vanilla ice cream. It smells so good made my home smell amazing!
Check out our buttermilk pie or a chess pie. Sweet Potato Pie for more Southern-inspired pies.
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Key Ingredients
Below is a list of ingredients needed for this recipe. Follow our tips on each ingredient for the best results.
- Pie crust- A single pie crust is needed for this recipe. You can use your favorite homemade pie crust or a store-bought one. We use store-bought when we are in a pinch.
- Cream cheese- Make sure the cream cheese is softened so it makes a smooth, chunk-free mixture.
- Eggs- Use large eggs. Also, if you set them out for 30 minutes, until they are room temperature, they help the pie rise better.
- Brown sugar- Unlike white granulated sugar, brown sugar gives a deep caramel taste to the pie. We tried making this with part brown sugar and part white, and it wasn't the same. The depth of flavor is so much better with brown sugar.
- Cinnamon- The main ingredient and main flavor of the pie. We tested this recipe many times with different amounts of cinnamon. 7 out of 8 taste testers agreed that the amount in this pie was perfect. One person liked it with ½ Tablespoon less cinnamon. If you don't like a lot of cinnamon, you might consider trying that option.
- Cardamom- Cardamom is a great complementing spice to cinnamon. If you don't have cardamom, then you can use nutmeg.
- Heavy whipping cream-This gives the pie a creamy base. You need to use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream because you are whipping it up before using.
How to Make Cinnamon Pie
Use these process shots to help get the results you want. The pictures can help with texture and be a visual guide for the best results.
- Beat the cream cheese with a stand mixer or electric hand mixer. Beat until it forms a smooth and creamy mixture.
- Add the eggs and beat until smooth. Then add the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and stir in the whipping cream. Make a smooth mixture.
- Pour the cinnamon colored mixture into a prepared pie crust.
- Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes or until set. Make sure to let it cool for at least 2 hours to set.
Hint: Nutmeg can easily be used if you don't have any cardamom. It's a little spice that serves to enhance the cinnamon flavor.
Common Mistakes
My very first time making this pie I put it in the refrigerator to try to speed up the cooling process. It ruined the pie and made the texture no good. Please allow your pie to cool to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator.
Top tip
Make sure you let the pie cool for at least 2 hours before enjoying. It won't set properly if you eat it too soon!
Recipe
Cinnamon Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust
- 8 ounce cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cardamom or nutmeg
- 1 ¼ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Place pie crust in 9" standard or deep dish pie pan. Shallow, tin pie pans will not be deep enough.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or using an electric mixer and beaters, beat cream cheese on medium high until smooth and creamy. Add eggs and beat on medium until smooth. Add brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg and beat until well combined. Stir in whipping cream and vanilla on low, just until combined.
- Pour batter on top of pie crust and bake for 35-40 minutes. The edges will be set, and the center will have a slight wobble when you bump it.
- Allow to cool on the counter for 2 hours before eating. Do not place in the refrigerator until it has reached room temperature. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Nutmeg can easily be used if you don't have any cardamom. It's a little spice that serves to enhance the cinnamon flavor.
- Beating the cream cheese until perfectly smooth is vital to the texture of this pie. Any lumps will not melt out during baking, you will have a lumpy pie.
- Using cream cheese softened to room temperature helps it beat perfectly smooth.
- We always recommend Philadelphia cream cheese for the smoothest possible texture. Off brands can create a pie that is grainy or lumpy.
- Make sure to allow it to cool for at least 2 hours before enjoying. I like mine cold, so I cool it to room temperature then chill it for a few hours before eating.
Nutrition
Helpful Hints
Make sure to stir in your heavy cream last! If you stir it in sooner, the batter tends to go everywhere. We learned this from a bad experience of a very messy kitchen!
Cardamom is less commonly found in the pantry compared with Nutmeg. While we prefer the taste that cardamom adds to the cinnamon pie, Nutmeg also adds a great flavor.
How To Serve
This is a staple for our Thanksgiving pie menu. It has a great, unique texture and taste, and everyone loves it. It has such a strong flavor that we also prefer serving it with a large helping of whipped cream or Cool Whip, and some of my family even loves it with vanilla ice cream.
Storing Cinnamon Pie
Store cooked pie covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 4 days. You'll want to make sure it's completely cooled before storing it. This pie can be made in advance and then frozen. The texture may vary slightly, but it's a great way to get ahead of the holidays when it gets really busy.
Substitutions
We love switching things up when we're in the kitchen. Try any of these variations for something a little different.
- Chocolate- Make this a chocolate cinnamon pie! Switch 2 Tablespoons flour for 2 Tablespoons cocoa.
- Pecan- Mix in pecans with the cinnamon batter. Add about ½ cup of either whole or chopped pecans at the very end, right before putting in the pie plate. Add more if desired.
- Streusel- Add a streusel to the top of the pie by sprinkling it on top of the pie before baking. Here's a great recipe on how to make streusel.
- Nutmeg- Switch out the cardamom for nutmeg for an easy substitution.
FAQ
Cinnamon pie is a custard-like pie and has a cheesecake-like texture. To make it, you whip cream cheese until it's smooth. Add the flour, eggs, cinnamon, and then heavy cream and mix together. Add the batter to a prepared pie crust and bake for 30 minutes or until the pie is set. Let the pie cool for at least 2 hours.
To heat Cracker Barrel's cinnamon pie to perfection, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove the pie from its packaging and place it on a baking sheet or in an oven-safe dish. If you have a whole pie, you can choose to slice it into individual servings or heat it whole. Cover the pie with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning, and then place it in the preheated oven. Heat for approximately 10-15 minutes, or until the pie is warmed through. Check for the desired temperature, as ovens may vary. Once heated, allow the pie to cool for a few minutes before serving to ensure a delightful, gooey, and aromatic experience. Enjoy your warm and comforting Cracker Barrel cinnamon pie!
Andrea says
This Cinnamon pie was unexpectedly good. I didn't' expect it to have such a cheesecake texture.
Nicole says
This cinnamon pie was exactly what I pictured a cinnamon pie to be like. It was super cinnamon-y, but not too much and had a really creamy texture. yum!
Lindsey says
Excellent pie, will definitely be on regular rotation at my house during the holidays!
Nicole says
Lindsey, we're so glad you loved the Cinnamon Pie as much as we do 🙂