Buttermilk Pie
5.0
(3)
Some people compare buttermilk pie to chess pie, a similarly versatile and enduring Southern dessert made with cornmeal. But this old-fashioned buttermilk pie has a distinctive sweet, tangy flavor and charm all its own. The creamy custard takes less than 10 minutes prep time and is composed primarily of pantry staples like eggs and melted butter. Vanilla bean paste provides rich flavor to the pie filling and speckles the custard with pretty seeds, but vanilla extract works just fine. One area we don’t recommend skimping on is the titular ingredient: While you can make buttermilk substitutes at home by acidifying milk or swapping in kefir, the flavor of buttermilk is so crucial to this pie that it’s worth seeking out the real thing.
That’s not to say you can’t make buttermilk pie with tweaks or accommodations. Some cooks add fruits or syrups, toss in a handful of toasted pecans, or serve it with a dollop of compote. If you don’t have the time or energy to prepare flaky pie crust from scratch, this easy buttermilk pie can be made using a store-bought pie shell. Spread the unbaked pie crust into a 9" pie plate, trim as needed, and then follow the notes on timing below.
When the pie is done cooking, the filling will be just set and a little jiggly at the center. As with other custard pies, we recommend cooling it in the oven to minimize cracking. Leftover pie can be stored in the refrigerator and brought to room temperature before serving.
Recipe information
Total Time
1½–2 hours, plus cooling
Yield
8–10 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. If using 1 disk of Our Favorite Pie Dough, roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 14" round. Transfer to a 9"-diameter pie dish, then lift edges and allow dough to slump down into dish. Trim dough, leaving about 1" overhang. Fold overhang under and crimp edges. Prick bottom all over with a fork. Freeze 15 minutes.
Step 2
Line pie dough or one 9"-diameter store-bought pie crust with 2 sheets of parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving overhang, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake crust until dry around the edges, 20–25 minutes for homemade and 15–20 minutes for store-bought. Remove parchment and pie weights. Continue to bake crust until surface looks dry and is golden in spots, 10–15 minutes for homemade and about 5 minutes for store-bought. Transfer pie dish to a wire rack and let crust cool slightly while you make the filling.
Step 3
Whisk 1 cup sugar, 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl to combine. Add 3 large eggs, room temperature, 1½ cups buttermilk, room temperature, 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled, 1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest, 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or 1½ tsp. vanilla extract and mix well.
Step 4
Pour filling into blind-baked crust and gently tap on counter to evenly distribute. Depending on the height of your crust, you may have some filling left over. Bake pie until crust is golden brown and filling is just set and golden, 60–70 minutes. Turn off oven, prop door open, and let pie sit in oven 15 minutes. Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool completely.
Do ahead: Pie can be baked 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed in September 2022. Head this way for more of our favorite custard and cream pies →
Leave a Review
Reviews (3)
Back to TopFollow the recipe. My Husband LOVES Buttermilk Pie. He loves the pie produced by this recipe.
MarkandSteve
St Petersburg, FL
12/2/2023
Awesome
Anonymous
California
11/8/2022
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