Buttermilk Pie Recipe

The first time I tasted buttermilk pie, we were having dinner at a friend’s house. I’d never had it before, but one bite of that creamy pie was enough to change that. We enjoyed it so much that it’s now a dessert we make at home.

This Buttermilk Pie Recipe combines a buttery, flaky crust with a silky custard filling and a mild vanilla flavor. It’s made with simple ingredients, yet it’s pretty enough to serve for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Sunday dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Buttermilk Pie

This is one of those desserts that doesn’t need a lot of fuss to feel special. The filling uses just a handful of basic ingredients, and you can use homemade or store-bought pie crust.

The flavor is mild and sweet with plenty of vanilla. Even though it’s called buttermilk pie, it doesn’t taste sour or strongly of buttermilk. The buttermilk helps give the filling its smooth custard texture.

Best of all, you can make this pie ahead of time. It needs time to chill before serving, making it a great choice when your oven and your attention are already spoken for during the holidays.

What Is Buttermilk Pie?

Buttermilk pie is a custard-style pie made with buttermilk, eggs, sugar, butter, flour, and vanilla. As it bakes, those simple ingredients create a silky filling that firms as it cools.

If you’ve never tried it, think of a smooth vanilla custard tucked inside a buttery pie crust. It’s sweet without needing a pile of toppings.

Is Buttermilk Pie the Same as Chess Pie?

They’re similar, but they aren’t exactly the same pie. Both are old-fashioned custard-style pies made with simple ingredients.

For this recipe, the important ingredient is buttermilk. It gives the filling its creamy texture and balances the sweetness. I haven’t tested this recipe with a buttermilk substitute and don’t recommend using one.

Ingredients for Buttermilk Pie

Pie crust. You’ll need one unbaked pie crust. I love using my All-Butter Pie Crust, but a store-bought crust works too.

Unsalted butter. Butter adds richness to the custard filling.

Granulated sugar. Sweetens the filling without covering up its mild vanilla flavor.

All-purpose flour. Just a small amount helps the custard set.

Eggs. Four eggs give the filling its custard-like texture and structure.

Buttermilk. Use real cultured buttermilk. I haven’t tested this pie with homemade buttermilk substitutes, so I don’t recommend them here.

Vanilla extract. Adds the soft vanilla flavor that makes this simple pie so good.

Optional toppings. Fresh blackberries are beautiful, but the pie is also delicious plain. Try other fresh berries or a spoonful of whipped topping if you’d like.

How to Make Buttermilk Pie

1. Par-bake the pie crust

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Cover the unbaked pie shell with foil and bake it for 8 minutes. Remove the foil, but don’t throw it away. Bake the crust for another 5 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

Don’t skip this step. Par-baking gives the crust a head start before adding the wet custard filling. Otherwise, the filling can saturate the raw crust instead of leaving you with that buttery crust we want.

2. Make the butter mixture

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the sugar and flour until combined, and set it aside.

3. Mix the custard

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer on high for 1 minute.

Beat in the buttermilk and vanilla.

Add the egg mixture to the butter mixture in the saucepan. Whisk until the filling is smooth.

4. Fill and bake

Pour the filling into the partially baked pie crust.

Loosely cover the pie with the foil you saved earlier. Bake at 350°F for 45 to 48 minutes.

The pie is ready when just the center is set. Don’t wait for the entire filling to become firm in the oven. It will continue to set as it chills.

5. Chill

Chill the pie for at least 1 hour before serving.

That waiting part isn’t always easy, but the custard needs the chilling time to finish setting so you can cut those beautiful creamy slices.

Tips for the Best Buttermilk Pie

Use real buttermilk. I’ve only made this recipe with real buttermilk. Since I haven’t tested homemade substitutes, I can’t promise they’ll produce the same custard texture.

Par-bake your crust. Whether you’re using homemade or store-bought crust, don’t pour the custard into a completely raw crust.

Don’t overbake it. Bake until the center is just set. The filling will continue firming as the pie cools and chills.

Give it time to chill. Cutting into a warm custard pie can leave you with a soft filling. That hour in the refrigerator is part of the recipe.

Keep the toppings simple. This pie really doesn’t need anything. We enjoy it plain, but fresh berries or whipped topping make an easy finishing touch.

Serving Buttermilk Pie

Serve this pie cold from the refrigerator. It’s delicious all by itself, which is usually a good sign that you’ve got a keeper.

For a pretty holiday dessert, add fresh blackberries or other berries just before serving. A little whipped topping is delicious too.

If you’re putting together a holiday dessert table, our Pumpkin Pie is another classic choice. Custard-pie lovers may also enjoy our Rhubarb Custard Pie.

Storing and Freezing

Keep leftover buttermilk pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

The whole pie or individual slices can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once you’re ready to serve it, thaw it in the refrigerator.

More Easy Pie Recipes

For something completely different, try our Hot Fudge Pie when chocolate is calling your name. And don’t forget that homemade All-Butter Pie Crust when you want to make this pie completely from scratch.

Did you make this Buttermilk Pie Recipe? I’d love to hear what you thought! Please leave a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. Your feedback helps other readers too.

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