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Make everyday family moments count, with easy recipes that everyone will love. Join our email community to receive tested recipes and tips.
Make everyday family moments count, with easy recipes that everyone will love. Join our email community to receive tested recipes and tips.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of enjoying a slice (or three) of Buttermilk Pie, you are in for a treat—literally! Buttermilk Pie is a classic pie recipe that has been around for decades, but it seems to stay under the radar while other pies tend to take over the spotlight. While Buttermilk Pie may be simple in appearance, its flavor is anything but. We will never judge a pie by its looks alone—the taste test is the best part, and we’re here to prove it with this southern buttermilk pie recipe!
What is Buttermilk Pie? Buttermilk pie is an American pie that features a rich, tangy, creamy, custard-like filling made with—you guessed it—buttermilk, along with a handful of other staple ingredients such as butter, eggs, flour and sugar. It is traditionally a Southern dessert, though in recent years its popularity has spread all over the country and beyond. Some recipes, like ours, will include lemon juice or lemon zest to add tanginess to the filling, and some recipes will include ground nutmeg or vanilla extract for added flavor. Some compare the flavor of buttermilk pie to crème brûlée or chess pie, though buttermilk pie stands in a category all its own with its distinct combination of sweetness and tanginess. It is neither overly sweet nor overly buttery, but blends the two together in one easy-to-make filling. In short, we’ve found a new favorite in this old-fashioned pie.
When Is Buttermilk Pie Usually Served? Buttermilk pie can be served any time an occasion calls for pie! Usually, buttermilk pie is served as a dessert, but because it is not as sweet as many other pie recipes, it can also make a delightful addition to a brunch or breakfast spread. See the How to Store section for more tips on how to serve this delish dish.
When you pour buttermilk out of its container, you may notice that while it looks like milk, it’s thicker than milk and may even be a little lumpy. This is because buttermilk is essentially fermented milk. While milk is a fresh dairy product, buttermilk is cultured. It is fermented with active bacteria, similar to yogurt.
Traditionally, buttermilk was made from the liquid left over from churning homemade butter out of cultured cream. When butter was churned at home, the liquid portion was left out overnight to ferment. Now, we purchase cultured buttermilk at the store that is fermented in a controlled environment.
In terms of flavor, buttermilk is fairly tart, almost like plain yogurt. And when you add it to recipes, it provides tangy flavor as well as taller, lighter baked goods, thanks to the acids formed by the fermentation process.
To make the best buttermilk pie, it’s important to follow the indicators of doneness in the recipe. Some common challenges bakers have with buttermilk pie:
For this pie, you want to make sure the filling is mostly set—it will jiggle slightly, but not slosh around. The top of the pie should also be a light golden-brown color when it’s done baking. The pie will continue to set fully as it cools.
To keep the pie from cracking, don’t open the oven door to check on the pie! Keep it closed as much as possible, as temperature fluctuations can cause cracking in a custard pie.
To prevent ingredients from separating during baking, make sure the eggs, butter and buttermilk for the filling are all at room temperature before mixing them together. That said, some butter may still leak from the pie in the oven. To prevent any burned bits on the oven floor, we recommend placing a piece of foil on the oven rack below the pie before baking.
To use Pillsbury™ Pie Crust in this buttermilk pie recipe, simply follow the instructions on the box for a One-Crust Filled Pie. You can decorate the edges of the pie any way you like —scalloped, pinched, forked, herringbone, etc.
If the crust is getting too brown during baking, you can cover the edges of the crust with foil. You can find details on how to do this in the recipe below, but essentially, it keeps the crust nice and golden while the filling has a chance to finish baking.
Can I Freeze Buttermilk Pie? Yes, you absolutely can! You can freeze the pie whole or in slices. Wrap either the whole pie or slices of pie in plastic wrap, then tightly in foil. Freeze the pie for up to three months. Thaw the pie or pie slices overnight in the fridge before serving.
| Food Component / Nutrient | Amount | % , Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 12g | 61% |
| Trans Fat | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | % Value Not Available |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | ½g | % Value Not Available |
| Omega-3 | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Cholesterol | 105mg | 35% |
| Sodium | 190mg | 8% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 55g | 18% |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g | 0% |
| Soluble Fiber | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Insoluble Fiber | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Sugars | 39g | % Value Not Available |
| Protein | 4g | % Value Not Available |
| Vitamin D | Value Not Available | 4% |
| Calcium | Value Not Available | 6% |
| Iron | Value Not Available | 6% |
| Potassium | 90mg | 3% |
| Vitamin A | Value Not Available | 10% |
| Vitamin C | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Vitamin E | Value Not Available | 2% |
| Thiamin | Value Not Available | 4% |
| Riboflavin | Value Not Available | 10% |
| Niacin | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Vitamin B6 | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Folic Acid | Value Not Available | 4% |
| Vitamin B12 | Value Not Available | 6% |
| Pantothenic Acid | Value Not Available | 4% |
| Phosphorus | Value Not Available | 6% |
| Magnesium | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Zinc | Value Not Available | 2% |
| Manganese | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Selenium | Value Not Available | 10% |
| Copper | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Beta-Carotene | Value Not Available | % Value Not Available |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | ||
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