Buttermilk Pie recipe is made with a flaky all-butter crust and a silky buttermilk custard filling for an old-fashioned, comforting dessert. It’s the kind of classic pie that feels right at home on any Thanksgiving table.
There’s something special about the simplicity of an old-fashioned buttermilk pie. With just a handful of basic ingredients and a buttery homemade crust, this classic Southern dessert is always a hit. The tang of buttermilk perfectly balances the sweetness of the custard, giving each bite a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
This pie is the definition of comfort baking, and there are no fancy tools, no complicated techniques, just familiar ingredients that come together perfectly in this simple dessert. I use my all-butter pie crust in this pie, but you could substitute your favorite pie crust or even store bought if you’re in a hurry.
Whether you serve it with a dollop of whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar, this homemade buttermilk pie is sure to bring a taste of nostalgia to your Thanksgiving dessert table.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: If you would like to use salted butter, decrease the salt in the crust and in the filling to a small pinch.
- Ice water: It’s important to use ice water, not just cool water, for the flakiest crust.
- Buttermilk: If you can’t find buttermilk, you can make a homemade buttermilk substitute. I recommend using whole milk to make it.
- Lemon juice: I recommend using fresh lemon juice as bottled can have an off taste to it.
- Nutmeg: Feel free to increase the amount of nutmeg to your liking.
How to make old-fashioned buttermilk pie
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: To make the crust, add the flour and salt to a large bowl. Whisk together until well-combined.
Step 2: Add the butter pieces and cut-in to form clumps that are about 1-inch in size.
Step 3: Make a well in the center of the dough.
Step 4: Add ice water, and mix it until just barely combined. You won’t want to overwork the dough or it won’t be flaky.
Step 5: Add additional ice water as needed. The dough should be on the dry side, so don’t add too much water.
Step 6: Form dough into an even disk.
Step 7: Wrap disk tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 30 minutes before using. At this point you can chill the dough for up to 24 hours.
Step 8: When ready to use, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a deep 9-inch pie pan with nonstick spray.
Step 9: Roll the chilled pie dough out to fit in the pie pan. Poke holes in the top of the crust with a fork to let the steam escape.
Step 10: Bake crust for 15 minutes, then remove and let cool while you prepare the filling.
Step 11: Using your electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Step 12: Add flour, cornstarch, salt, and eggs. Beat until smooth.
Step 13: Add buttermilk, lemon juice, vanilla, and nutmeg. Beat again until well combined.
Step 14: Pour the buttermilk mixture on top of the crust in the prepared pie pan.
Step 15: Bake for about 50-55 minutes, or until lightly golden and mostly set.
Step 16: Cool to room temperature before slicing and serving.
Recipe Tips!
- Temperature matters: For this recipe, it’s important that the ingredients be at the temperatures stated. For example, the butter in the pie crust needs to be cold to ensure flaky crust.
- Browning: If the pie crust is browning too quickly, you can use a pie shield or strips of aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning.
- Serving suggestions: The pie goes well with a dollop of homemade whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar on top.
- Make ahead: You can make the pie dough up to 24 hours ahead of time and let it chill until ready to finish the pie. The pie can also be baked and chilled up to 24 hours before serving if you prefer to serve the pie cold.
Storage
Store any leftover buttermilk pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
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Classic Buttermilk Pie Recipe
Equipment
- 9 inch deep pie pan
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter in small cubes
- 3 tablespoons ice water
Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- To make the crust, add the flour and salt to a large bowl.1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Whisk together until well-combined.
- Add the butter pieces and cut-in to form clumps that are about 1-inch in size.½ cup cold unsalted butter
- Make a well in the center of the dough.
- Add ice water, and mix it until just barely combined.3 tablespoons ice water
- Add additional ice water as needed. The dough should be on the dry side, so don’t add too much water.
- Form dough into an even disk.
- Wrap disk tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 30 minutes before using.
- When ready to use, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a deep 9-inch pie pan with nonstick spray.
- Roll the chilled pie dough out to fit in the pie pan. Poke holes in the top of the crust with a fork to let the steam escape.
- Bake crust for 15 minutes, then remove and let cool while you prepare the filling.
- Using your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- Add flour, cornstarch, salt, and eggs. Beat until smooth.2 tablespoons all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 3 large eggs
- Add buttermilk, lemon juice, vanilla, and nutmeg. Beat again until well combined.1 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pour the buttermilk mixture on top of the crust in the prepared pie pan.
- Bake for about 50-55 minutes, or until lightly golden and mostly set.
- Cool to room temperature before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Butter: If you would like to use salted butter, decrease the salt in the crust and in the filling to a small pinch.
- Ice water: It’s important to use ice water, not just cool water, for the flakiest crust.
- Buttermilk: If you can’t find buttermilk, you can make a homemade buttermilk substitute. I recommend using whole milk to make it.
- Lemon juice: I recommend using fresh lemon juice as bottled can have an off taste to it.
- Nutmeg: Feel free to increase the amount of nutmeg to your liking.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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