diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2cccfe7..6bdbcd3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -124,6 +124,12 @@ By default, the name of the project folder created will be `pyscript-command-app
 `-o/--output` option can be used with the `-c/--command` option to configure name of the project folder as well
 as the name of the resulting HTML file.
 
+By default, the content of `index.html` will be a copy of `templates/basic.html`, which is a jinja2 template.
+
+`-t/--template` option can be used to configure the name of the template file that will be used. Custom templates may be added to the `templates` folder and referenced using this option.
+
+When creating custom templates, make sure to include the pyscript `core.css` stylesheet and `core.js` module before invoking your python script.
+
 ```shell
 $ pyscript create --wrap -c 'print("Hello World!")' -o <output_filename.html>
 ```
diff --git a/src/pyscript/_generator.py b/src/pyscript/_generator.py
index 0489f84..0bffbfc 100644
--- a/src/pyscript/_generator.py
+++ b/src/pyscript/_generator.py
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ def create_project(
     wrap: bool = False,
     command: Optional[str] = None,
     output: Optional[str] = None,
+    template: Optional[str] = "basic.html",
 ) -> None:
     """
     New files created:
@@ -110,7 +111,7 @@ def create_project(
         pyscript_version = _get_latest_pyscript_version()
 
     if project_type == "app":
-        template = "basic.html"
+        project_template = template or "basic.html"
     else:
         raise ValueError(
             f"Unknown project type: {project_type}. Valid values are: 'app'"
@@ -155,7 +156,7 @@ def create_project(
         config["project_config_filename"],
         output_path,
         pyscript_version=pyscript_version,
-        template=template,
+        template=project_template,
     )
 
 
diff --git a/src/pyscript/plugins/create.py b/src/pyscript/plugins/create.py
index cbc896a..38f9478 100644
--- a/src/pyscript/plugins/create.py
+++ b/src/pyscript/plugins/create.py
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ def create(
         "--output",
         help="""Name of the resulting HTML output file. Meant to be used with `-w/--wrap`""",
     ),
+    template: Optional[str] = typer.Option(
+        "basic.html",
+        "-t",
+        "--template",
+        help="""Name of the Jinja2 template file to use. Meant to be used with `-w/--wrap`""",
+    ),
 ):
     """
     Create a new pyscript project with the passed in name, creating a new
@@ -78,6 +84,7 @@ def create(
             wrap,
             command,
             output,
+            template,
         )
     except FileExistsError:
         raise cli.Abort(
diff --git a/tests/test_generator.py b/tests/test_generator.py
index c9c8c4a..3999e8d 100644
--- a/tests/test_generator.py
+++ b/tests/test_generator.py
@@ -104,6 +104,41 @@ def test_create_project_explicit_toml(
     check_project_manifest(manifest_path, toml, app_name, is_not_none)
 
 
+def test_create_project_explicit_template(
+    tmp_cwd: Path, is_not_none: Any, monkeypatch
+) -> None:
+    app_name = "TEMPLATE_app_name"
+    app_description = "A longer, human friendly, app description."
+
+    # Let's set a custom template to use
+    project_template = "custom_template.html"
+    project_template_content = "dummy text for comparison"
+    project_template_dir = tmp_cwd / "templates"
+    project_template_dir.mkdir()
+    project_template_path = project_template_dir / project_template
+    project_template_path.write_text(project_template_content)
+
+    # Let's monkeypatch the jinja2 template loader to use the temporary templates dir
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        gen._env.loader, "_template_root", str(project_template_dir.resolve())
+    )
+
+    # GIVEN a new project
+    gen.create_project(
+        app_name,
+        app_description,
+        TESTS_AUTHOR_NAME,
+        TESTS_AUTHOR_EMAIL,
+        template=project_template,
+    )
+
+    # get the path where the config file is being created
+    manifest_path = tmp_cwd / app_name / config["project_config_filename"]
+
+    check_project_manifest(manifest_path, toml, app_name, is_not_none)
+    assert (tmp_cwd / app_name / "index.html").read_text() == project_template_content
+
+
 def check_project_manifest(
     config_path: Path,
     serializer: Any,
@@ -237,7 +272,7 @@ def check_plugin_project_files(
         assert dedent(
             f"""        <div>
             <h2> Description </h2>
-            <p>{ plugin_description }</p>
+            <p>{plugin_description}</p>
         </div>"""
         )
         assert f'<py-script src="./{python_file}">' in contents