Buttermilk pie is one Southern dessert that you need to try! It isn't fancy, but it has all the richness and sweetness you need at the end of a meal. It only takes a few ingredients and a short amount of time to make.
Looking for other tasty desserts? Check out this corn syrup-free pecan pie and this family favorite sour cherry pie.
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About
Buttermilk pie is made from smooth custard baked inside of crisp flaky pastry. It often has a crunchy, sugary layer on top of the custard. This dessert is especially popular in the Southern United States.
This dessert has a smooth, lightly sweet custard filling. The custard browns on top as it bakes, giving it a crunchy sugary topping. You'll notice a slight tang from the buttermilk and a rich flavor from the melted butter.
Contrary to what you might expect, this dessert actually originated in the United Kingdom and made its way to America. It has become a very popular dessert in the South.
Why This Recipe Works
- It's made with quality ingredients. Using full-fat buttermilk and melted butter rather than margarine brings the best flavor. Of course, using homemade pastry brings it up another notch as well.
- It's not too sweet. Especially if you serve this pie warm, it's even less sweet. We actually like it chilled, which makes it taste a little sweeter.
- You won't overbake or underbake it. No more runny pies! Test the center with a toothpick; if it comes out clean, the pie is done. Also check it with a thermometer; it should be around 175°F.
Ingredients
Wondering what ingredients you need to whip up this delicious recipe? There's not a lot that you need to make this Southern dessert. Let's talk about the key ingredients.
- Buttermilk: Make sure to use full-fat buttermilk. You can substitute with whole milk with a touch of white vinegar in a pinch.
- Sugar: This sweetens the filling and can be adjusted depending upon your tastes. Feel free to use monkfruit if you're diabetic.
- Flour: This thickens the filling and helps it set when it's baked. I use all-purpose.
- Eggs: This is another key ingredient to give the filling its custard texture.
- Melted Butter: This adds richness and flavor to the filling.
How to Make
Gather the ingredients for the filling. You'll need eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, flour, sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Whisk together the eggs, sugar, and melted butter until smooth.
- Add the buttermilk, flour, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
3. Pour the filling into an unbaked 9-inch pastry shell. Using homemade pastry will make the pie even better!
4. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cover with foil if it's getting too dark.
5. Let it cool completely on a wire rack, then chill for at least 2 hours.
6. Cut the chilled dessert in slices and enjoy.
Recipe FAQs
They are very similar. Chess pie is thickened with cornmeal, while buttermilk pie is thickened with flour. Chess pie is also made with evaporated milk instead of the buttermilk in buttermilk pie.
Eggs, butter, vanilla, flour, sugar, and buttermilk are the ingredients for the custard filling. The custard is baked inside of a pastry shell.
It's called buttermilk pie because the main ingredient is buttermilk. The custard filling has a slight tang from this fermented dairy product.
It was probably underbaked. You can tell that it's done baking when it has a rich golden brown top. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean, and it should not jiggle when shaken from side to side.
Serve
Serving Temperature: People eat this dessert warm from the oven, at room temperature, or chilled. It's really up to you to decide which way you prefer. Our family enjoys it better once it has been chilled, as it tastes sweeter.
Toppings: It's not traditional to serve buttermilk pie with toppings, but you can try whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if you'd like.
Store
Leftovers: It can keep up to 3 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer. Don't store it at room temperature, as it may spoil.
Reheat: Want to warm up leftover pie? Bake it at 325°F until it's heated through.
Freezing: Seal the baked and cooled dessert in a zip-top freezer bag or wrap it in foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. You can also pre-slice it for ease.
Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for a few hours.
Expert Tips
- Use homemade pastry for the best flavor.
- Use real butter in the custard, not margarine. It's healthier and tastier to use real butter.
- Be sure to whisk the filling until well mixed. Adding the buttermilk after the flour will prevent the filling from separating.
- Be careful not to overbake. The top should be browned and the custard set.
- Chill before eating. This dessert has a better flavor when served cold.
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Recipe
Buttermilk Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ batch flaky shortcrust pastry, chilled
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. (Preheat to 350°F if you're using a metal pie plate.)
- Place the unsalted butter in a small saucepan and set over low heat until the butter has melted. Set aside to cool.
- Roll out the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface until it’s a little less than ⅛ inch thick. Line a 9-inch glass dish with the pastry and trim off the excess pastry. Decoratively crimp the edges as desired.
- Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl, then add the sugar and melted butter. Whisk until everything is thoroughly blended.
- Stir in the flour and vanilla extract until well combined, then mix in the buttermilk and pour into the pastry shell.
- Bake at 325°F for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the top is a rich golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. If the top begins to brown too quickly, cover with aluminum foil. If you're using a metal dish, increase the baking time by 10 minutes.
- Allow the pie to cool completely on a wire rack, then chill for at least 2 hours before serving. This tastes the best when served cold.
Notes
- Use homemade pastry for the best flavor.
- Use real butter in the custard, not margarine. It's healthier and tastier to use real butter.
- Be sure to whisk the filling until well mixed. Adding the buttermilk after the flour will prevent the filling from separating.
- Be careful not to overbake. The top should be browned and the custard set.
- Chill before eating. This dessert has a better flavor when served cold.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
This recipe was originally published on May 11, 2018 and was republished on January 17, 2020 with updated photos and information. It was republished on November 2, 2022 with resized photos and refreshed content.
Alyson Murphy
Very sweet so will use one cup of sugar next time I make
Emma
Feel free to decrease the sugar a little, but not too much, or the custard may not set properly. Buttermilk pie is supposed to be a rich, sweet dessert enjoyed in small pieces.
Lisa
Amazing pie!!!! Why is this not a thing in California. So much better than cheesecake!
Emma
This made me chuckle--I just made cheesecake yesterday. lol Anyway, buttermilk pie is a staple here in the South, and it's definitely delicious! So glad to hear that you liked it, Lisa!
Alex
This pie is creamy, and I like the crisp top. It has a velvety texture and unique flavor.
Emma
Thanks, Alex!
Beth
This pie looks very nice. The pictures for this post are good. I like the creamy taste and the sweet pastry. This cold pie has a nice brown crust on the top. The filling is slightly grainy, but soft, and the pastry is yummy.
Emma
Thank you, Beth! Buttermilk pie is such a lovely treat.