Buttermilk Pie is such a classic! It’s subtle and sweet and makes the most humble ingredients simply irresistible.
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OK, let’s talk pie. Truth be told, I have always been intimidated by them. I either under bake the crust, forget to add my thickener to the filling, or underestimate the amount of fulling I actually need. Adding insult to injury, I didn’t grow up eating a ton of pie. We were, and still are, a huge cake family. All this to say, if there is any area of cooking that I’m still working out the kinks, baking pie is most certainly it. That being said, I LOVE this pie. If flan and crème brûlée had a baby, this would be it. This pie is light and delicate, with a subtle hint of lemon that makes it irresistible.
My favorite William Sonoma Cookbook, Bake Good Things, inspired this recipe; it’s such a game changer. It’s the recipe I use for my Strawberry Shortcake and the one I use here. The crust is my own, but the custard is almost identical to the one in the book.
Tips for making Buttermilk Pie:
- This recipe requires you to blind bake the crust. This allows the crust to bake evenly and ensures there is no soggy bottom.
- This recipe yields enough dough for a two 9-inch single crust pies or one double crust 9-inch pie. I freeze half of the dough
- If you don’t have pie weights, you can use fresh beans or rice as a substitute. Simply keep in mind you won’t be able to cook either the beans or rice afterwards.
- Take care not to overbake this custard style pie. You want to remove it from the oven when there is still a slight jiggle to the middle of the pie.
- If you notice the edges of your pie browning too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil.
- No buttermilk on hand? No problem! You can make buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 10 minutes before adding it to the mixture. You can also use sour cream with milk as a substitute as well.
- I lightly dust the top of the pie with powdered sugar. The recipe from the cookbook tops the pie with fresh raspberries. I personally think any fresh berry will work well as a topping.
- In the ever growing divide of pie crusts, I’m a firm believer in the all butter crust. I love the flavor and, if done correctly, has just as much flakiness as one with shortening.
I realize I can sometimes sound like a broken record, but I am a firm believer that simple is always better. There’s an art form in taking humble ingredients and turning them into a fantastic dessert or dish. This pie is emblematic of that. Enjoy:)
Buttermilk Pie
Equipment
- Food Processor
- 9-inch Pie Dish
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
All Butter Pie Crust
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup salted butter cold and cubed
- ½ cup ice water
Buttermilk Pie
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- pinch salt
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp lemon extract
- Powdered Sugar
Instructions
All Butter Pie Crust
- Place the flour, salt and cubed cold butter into the food processor. Pulse the mixture until the butter is the size of the peas. Add the water, a tablespoon at a time. Pulse until the dough has formed a solid ball.
- Divide the dough in two disks and allow to chill for 30 minutes before rolling out.
Buttermilk Pie
- Line a 9-inch pie pan with the half of rolled-out All Butter Pie Crust and form a decorative edge. Freeze the pan for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line the frozen crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and the weights and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Allow the crust to cool completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Add the flour, salt, buttermilk, vanilla extract and lemon extract. Gently stir to combine and pour into the baked pie crust.
- Bake the pie until it is golden on top and still slightly jiggly in the center, roughly 45 minutes. Allow the pie to cool completely.
- Lightly dust the top of the pie with powdered sugar and serve at room temperature.