Buttermilk Pie

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Buttermilk pie is a tangy custard pie that’s easy to make. It’s perfect for holiday celebrations, or any time you want pie!

I’ve been on a mission to make more kinds of pies, especially the classics.

Truth be told I like pie more than cake anyway, whether it’s a summery cherry pie or traditional holiday maple pecan pie.

Buttermilk pie is a luscious, lemony pie that is SO easy to make. Just whisk up a few ingredients and you’re ready!

This custard pie is perfect for when you want a home-baked dessert, but don’t want to fuss with prepping fruit or making a double crust.

Give it a try!

Ingredients for buttermilk pie

You’ll need:

Pie crust – You need one single pie crust to fit a standard 9-inch pie plate. You can make your own or use store bought.

Sugar – Use granulated sugar for this recipe.

Lemon – You will use both the lemon zest and lemon juice in this recipe.

I recommend zesting the lemon, then juicing the lemon into a bowl to measure the right amount of juice. Don’t forget to remove the seeds!

Flour – A bit of flour is used to thicken the custard.

Salt – Just a pinch! I recommend fine sea salt.

Eggs – Use standard large eggs.

Buttermilk – You can make your own buttermilk substitute for this recipe using milk and lemon juice, but it’s so much better with real buttermilk! 

If you have leftover buttermilk, you can use it for buttermilk biscuits, ranch dressing, and more.

Butter – I use unsalted butter in this recipe. It needs to be melted and cooled to room temperature. Cooling prevents the butter from curdling the egg and buttermilk when adding it.

Vanilla – Use pure vanilla extract!

Nutmeg – This is optional, but I add a dusting of freshly grated nutmeg on top of the pie before serving.

How to make this recipe

First, you need to parbake the pie crust. This is known as blind baking. It ensures the crust is fully cooked in custard-based pies.      

Roll out a chilled pie crust to fit your pie plate, crimping edges as desired. Place in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F. 

Once the crust is chilled, remove it from the freezer and line with foil or parchment paper. I like using foil because it can form to the pie.

Add dry beans, pie weights, or sugar on top of the foil. Place the pie crust on a baking sheet.

Bake crust for 18 minutes. Carefully remove foil and beans/weights and let crust cool while you prepare the filling.

In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. 

Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar. This helps unlock the lemon flavor, evenly distribute the zest, and make the whole dish more aromatic.

Whisk in the flour and salt.

Whisk in the eggs until the mixture is smooth and golden in color.

Add the buttermilk, melted and cooled butter, lemon juice, and vanilla. Whisk until blended.

Carefully pour the filling into the pie crust. If you like, you can place a pie shield around the top to prevent the crust edges from browning too much.

Slide the baking sheet carefully into the oven, making sure to not spill any filling.

Bake the pie for about 50 minutes, until golden brown. The pie is done when the outside is set and the center is just barely jiggly, like a pumpkin pie.

Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and let cool completely before serving. 

I prefer to make this pie a day ahead of serving, so it can chill in the refrigerator after cooling.

Just before serving, sprinkle on nutmeg. You can also top with dollops of whipped cream or serve with vanilla ice cream.

Storage tips

I recommend storing buttermilk pie in the refrigerator. This will help keep the custard set, and buttermilk pie is best served chilled.

Cover the pie with a pieces of plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

You can also freeze the pie after baking.

If you want to freeze the pie, bake it in a disposable pie dish, so your pie plate is not stuck in the freezer!

Let the pie cool completely, then wrap it well with plastic wrap. Wrap again with aluminum foil.

Label the pie and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw the pie overnight in the refrigerator.

FAQ

Why is my pie weeping?

Custard pies like buttermilk can “weep,” or shed liquid, as it sits in the refrigerator and forms condensation. 

This can happen if your pie is still warm when you put it in the refrigerator. Try to cool the pie completely before transferring it to chill.

Note that some pie plates will take longer to cool, such as cast iron.

The liquid can simply be wiped away; it is not harmful to you or the pie.

What’s the difference between buttermilk pie and chess pie?

While they are similar, traditional chess pie uses cornmeal instead of flour as a thickening binder.

Buttermilk pie also uses vanilla and lemon for flavoring.

Is buttermilk pie supposed to be runny?

Your buttermilk pie should be set like a pumpkin pie or shoofly pie, though it can be slightly less firm.

When removing from the oven, the pie should be set and just barely jiggly in the middle.

The pie will set more as it cools, so it’s very important to not serve the pie until it is completely cooled.

If you’re looking for a new-to-you pie, give this classic Southern buttermilk pie a try!