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Scrumptious buttermilk pie has a flaky pastry crust and creamy, custard-like filling that comes together in 5 minutes!
There is nothing more homey than a fresh-baked pie. For more old-fashioned pies, try Banana Cream Pie, Cherry Pie, and Sugar Cream Pie.
Buttermilk Pie Vs Chess Pie
This Southern Buttermilk Pie recipe is so easy to make! Aside from the buttermilk, it calls for ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.
It has a flaky pie crust with a creamy custard filling that is both sweet and tangy. It’s one of the most deliciously classic southern desserts.
So, what’s the difference between buttermilk and chess pie? They look very similar, but buttermilk pie typically has zest and vanilla in the filling, while chess pie typically does not include those and has cornmeal in the filling.
It can be served room temperature, cold or even warmed up. It basically tastes yummy no matter how you serve it!
How to make Buttermilk Pie
This recipe takes a few steps, but it’s simple nonetheless.
FILLING. Beat butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl till creamy. Add the flour, salt, and eggs and beat well. Add buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla; blend well.
CRUST. Pour filling into a 9″ pastry crust (or homemade pie crust). Place the pie pan on a cookie sheet. The filling puffs up quite a bit, so the pan will catch any drips. A deep dish pie pan will help prevent any overflow, so that’s what I like to use.
BAKE. Bake at 350° for about 55 minutes or till all but the very center of the pie is set and the top is golden brown. We actually like ours browned a little more than this, so the second time I made it I moved my oven rack up. That’s a matter of personal preference though.
COOL. When it’s done to your liking, remove from oven and place on a cooling rack, for about 30 minutes, then cover and place the refrigerator. Chill for 2-3 hours, it will continue to set up as it cools.
SERVE. You can serve it cold at or at room temperature. I like it best served at room temperature or slightly warm.
Easiest way to serve pie
A 9 inch pie can be cut into 6 generous slices or 8 smaller slices.
- Score. Use a large serrated knife, one that is bigger than the pie plate, and score the top of the pie.
- To score a pie: place the serrated knife so that it is running across the center of the pie, as if you are going to cut it in half. Press down. The pie plate will keep the knife from going all the way through but you will cut the outer crust as well as make a “scoring mark” over the cream filling. Turn the pie and repeat to make 6 or 8 scoring slices
- Slice. Now you slice through the pie. Use a paring knife to cut all the way through the pie following the scoring marks. Wipe the blade clean after each cut.
- Serve. Use a pie server, one that has a bend, to easily lift each slice out of the pie plate.
Recipe tips
Fresh lemon juice v bottled. I’ve made this pie with both fresh lemon juice and refrigerated lemon juice in a bottle. I love lemons, so I love the fresh lemon flavor from the lemons. But of course it is still tasty with bottled lemon juice.
Pastry Crust. We used an unbaked pie crust for this recipe. Of course, you can use your favorite pie crust recipe or try out this Homemade Pie Crust. If for some reason the edges of the pie crust are browning too quickly, you can lightly wrap a piece of aluminum foil around the circumference of the pie. Cover only the crust and not the filling.
Buttermilk is a key ingredient for this recipe and I suggest buying a carton of the real thing to really capture the tangy flavor that it produces. If you’re in a pinch you can make a Buttermilk Substitute.
Topping. As with most pies, a dollop of whipped cream makes a delicious topping for this dessert. You can also add fresh berries, sprinkle on nutmeg or drizzle with caramel or chocolate sauce.
Storing info
STORE any leftover pie covered tightly in the refrigerator. It’s best served the same day, but it will last for two or three days in the fridge if covered and stored properly. Reheat. If wanting a warm slice of pie, just reheat in the microwave at 30 second intervals. Or just enjoy cold.
FREEZE in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and place in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and serve as is.
Nothing beats a slice of old-fashioned Buttermilk Pie! We hope you love this sweet treat.
Recipe FAQ
I like to play it safe and only let pie sit at room temperature for a couple hours. After that, I keep it in the refrigerator. See the “Storing Info” section above for more details.
We used an unbaked 9″ pie crust, but you can absolutely use a Homemade Pie Crust.
If you notice the edges of your crust browning too much, you can cover the crust either with foil (only the circumference of the pie, not the center), or use a pie ring. This will keep it from burning while the filling finished cooking.
For more pie recipes, check out:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
- German Chocolate Pie
- Pecan Pie
- Apple Pie
- Coconut Cream Pie
- Sweet Potato Pie
- Chocolate Pecan Pie
Buttermilk Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 9″ pastry crust
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Beat butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl till creamy.
- Add flour, salt, and eggs. Beat till smooth. Add buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla and blend well. (Mixture may appear curdled.)
- Pour filling into a 9″ pie crust. I like to use a deep dish.
- Place pie pan on a cookie sheet and place in an oven that has been preheated to 350°. Bake for 50-55 minutes or till lightly browned on top and mostly set.
- Place pie on a cooling rack to cool. Serve at room temperature, and refrigerate any leftovers.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I loved this. I did leave it in the over about 60 minutes to lightly brown on top. It was a hit for us.
Yay! So glad to hear you enjoyed the pie!
Our family loves this buttermilk pie recipe. Have made it many times, even doubled it and shared with my neighbors. Not too sweet which I love. Made some homemade whipped topping to go with it. Scrumptious. Thanks for the recipe
Very easy quick and delicious everyone loves me thank you
Is it a deep pie shell or regular one
Use a regular. Make sure you put it on a cookie sheet too. It is very thin when putting in the oven and you do not want a mess to clean up. It will look like it is ready to pop when you take it out. But it falls back down. This is normal for these types of pies.
The best and easiest buttermilk pie recipe.
Can you use self rising flour instead of all purpose
I would recommend all purpose!
I have tried many other recipes and there is always something off about the consistency of the pie or the way the top comes out. This was the perfect buttermilk pie! Thank you so much I look forward to other recipes to try!
I just made this wonderful easy pie. I did not have buttermilk so I used whole milk with a Tbs of lemon juice. It was perfect!
I will be making this again. Thanks so much for such an easy and delicious pie.
You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed and to hear the buttermilk substitute worked well too.
Are we supposed to guess how much butermilk????
The recipe calls for 1 cup buttermilk. It is listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
You can tell that you’re a kind person – just by the way you replied to the question above! 🥹The recipe was very clear and easy to read! 5 stars all the way 🙌
Thank you!!
Great recipe! I even substituted buttermilk for heavy cream and lemon juice. Turned out excellent!
The recipe calls for buttermilk so how did you substitute it for heavy cream? Do you mean you used heavy cream instead of buttermilk?
You use the lemon juice in combination with another milk or cream, which causes a chemical reaction that creates a substance similar to buttermilk in flavor and texture. You can also use vinegar.