Buttermilk Pie
intro
A tangy, creamy custard pie with a flaky buttery crust, this beloved Southern American dessert uses simple pantry staples for a comforting, nostalgic sweet treat.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep crust and oven
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) with a rack positioned in the center. Unroll the chilled 9-inch all-butter pie crust and press it firmly into a 9-inch (23cm) ceramic pie dish, crimping the overhanging edges into a decorative rim as desired. Prick the bottom of the crust every 2.5cm (1 inch) with the tines of a fork, line the crust with a circle of parchment paper, and fill with ceramic pie weights (or dried beans) to cover the bottom. Blind bake for 10 minutes, then carefully lift out the parchment and weights, and bake the crust for 2 additional minutes to set the bottom before removing from the oven.
Mix dry filling ingredients
In a medium glass mixing bowl, whisk together 150 grams (¾ cup) granulated sugar, 16 grams (2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, and ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg for 30 seconds until fully blended, with no visible clumps of flour remaining.
Blend wet egg base
In a large ceramic mixing bowl, whisk 3 room-temperature large eggs for 1 minute until smooth and pale lemon yellow. Slowly stream in 113 grams (½ cup) cooled melted butter while whisking constantly to avoid curdling the eggs, then stir in 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest until evenly distributed.
Incorporate buttermilk
Gradually whisk the dry ingredient blend into the wet egg base until no dry white streaks remain, then slowly pour in 240 ml (1 cup) room-temperature full-fat buttermilk. Whisk gently by hand for 20 seconds until the filling is completely smooth and pourable, taking care not to over-whisk to prevent air bubbles that cause surface cracking during baking.
Bake the custard pie
Pour the filling carefully into the pre-baked pie crust, leaving a 3mm (⅛ inch) gap below the crimped crust edge to avoid overflow. Transfer the pie on its rimmed baking sheet to the preheated center oven rack, and bake for 50 to 55 minutes at 175°C (350°F). The pie is done when the outer 5cm (2 inches) are set and lightly puffed, and the central 5cm (2 inch) circle jiggles softly like set Jell-O with no loose liquid sloshing.
Cool and set the pie
Remove the baked pie from the oven and transfer it to a wire cooling rack to rest at room temperature for 2 hours, then cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 additional hour to let the custard fully set before slicing and serving.
Tips
2.Resist the urge to overbake the pie: the soft jiggle in the center is completely normal, as the custard will continue to cook and set as it cools; overbaking leads to a rubbery texture and deep cracks across the pie surface.
3.For a classic serving, top each slice with a 2-tablespoon dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream and a light grating of fresh nutmeg; avoid serving warm, as the custard will not be fully set.
OMG this buttermilk pie was the star of our Sunday family dinner! My picky 7 year old asked for a second slice before he even finished his first. SO good, I can’t believe how easy it was to throw together even after a long work day. The tangy-sweet balance is *chef’s kiss*.
Brought this to my neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were begging for the recipe before I even set the dish down! I added a tiny dash of nutmeg on top before baking and it was chef’s kiss. Total game changer for easy, crowd-pleasing desserts.
First time making a buttermilk pie and this did not disappoint. Super straightforward, no fancy ingredients, and the texture came out perfectly creamy, no lumps at all. I will say I let it chill a full 4 hours instead of 3 and that worked great for my schedule for meal prep this week.
Tastes exactly like the buttermilk pie my grandma used to make when I was a kid! I was worried no recipe would measure up, but this hit every nostalgia button. The crust held up perfectly, the filling wasn’t too runny, 10/10 will make again for Thanksgiving this year.
Made this for my book club meetup and everyone raved! I live in Arizona so I was worried the heat would make it too soft, but keeping it chilled until right before serving worked perfectly. The tang from the buttermilk cuts the sweetness so it doesn’t feel heavy even in 100 degree weather.
Help! I followed the recipe exactly but my filling came out a little jiggly in the middle even after the full bake time. Did I do something wrong? It tasted amazing but the texture was softer than I expected.
This is so good with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and a drizzle of salted caramel on top! I was skeptical how simple the ingredient list was but the flavor is so complex and cozy, perfect for a rainy weekend treat.
I swapped the regular pie crust for a gluten-free shortbread crust and this recipe worked perfectly! The filling is naturally gluten free so it was such an easy swap for my family’s dietary needs. My kids loved it, they didn’t even notice the crust was different!
Wait, do I really need to use full-fat buttermilk for this? I only have low-fat in my fridge right now and I’m craving pie, ha. Don’t wanna make a run to the grocery store if I don’t have to!
Can I make this a day ahead of time for a holiday dinner? I’m trying to get as much meal prep done the day before Thanksgiving as possible so I don’t stress the day of.
I know this is a classic recipe, but has anyone tried adding a little lemon zest to the filling? I love a bright citrus kick with creamy desserts and I’m curious if that would work here.
Y’all, I’ve never made a pie from scratch before in my LIFE and this turned out perfect?! I was so nervous I’d mess it up but the instructions were so clear, no fancy steps, and my whole roommates devoured half the pie in 10 minutes. Total confidence booster for a new baker!
Made this for my dad’s birthday since buttermilk pie is his all-time favorite dessert, and he said it was better than the one his mom used to make! I did a quick cinnamon-sugar dusting on the crust edge before baking and it added such a nice little crunch. 10/10, will be making this for every family gathering from now on.
How long does this keep in the fridge? I want to slice it up for quick weekday treats for my husband and I to grab after work, but I don’t want it to go bad before we finish it!
Ugh, I overbaked my first attempt by 10 minutes because I got distracted by a work call, and the edges of the filling got a little too brown. It still tasted good, but any tips for preventing that next time? I’m determined to nail this.
Took this to our neighborhood block party last weekend alongside my famous potato salad, and the pie got more compliments than the potato salad! I’m not even mad, it was that good. Even the neighbor who swears he ‘doesn’t like sweet desserts’ had two slices.