Buttermilk Pie Classic Southern Recipe Wellplated Com

I owe my appreciation for classic Southern desserts like buttermilk pie (and Old-Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie) to my grammy, who often made them growing up. Chess pie (a close relative of buttermilk pie) was one of her signatures. If you’ve never had a classic southern buttermilk pie, please run to your kitchen and bake this recipe immediately. It looks unassuming, but every bite is positively luscious (like the best Lemon Pie, also my grammy’s recipe). The filling is velvety smooth and delicate with a rich, buttery flavor. As you might imagine, it’s dynamite when eaten from a buttery, flaky pie crust.

What is Buttermilk Pie?

Buttermilk pie is a classic, old-fashioned southern dessert that tastes like a custard pie or sugar cream pie but is SO. MUCH. EASIER. to make. No tempering egg yolks, heating milk, or other unpleasant tasks typically associated with a custard pie are required.

Buttermilk pie tastes similar to crème brûlée.It’s creamy, buttery, and delicate.Buttermilk pie forms a crackly lid on top. As with crème brûlée, cracking your fork through the top and into the creamy custard below is one of life’s great small pleasures.Buttermilk pie is made of simple pantry ingredients (like Buttermilk Cake) that you beat up in a single bowl.

How to Make the Best Buttermilk Pie Ever

I cannot overstate how simple buttermilk pie is to make, and the results are superb. Believe it or not, buttermilk pie got its start in England and was brought to America by settlers. The pie quickly became popular in the South, where buttermilk was plentiful. Texas residents in particular had ample access to affordable buttermilk. Residents began to turn to Texas Buttermilk Pie when fruit was out of season. As others became familiar with this easy and delicious pie recipe, it spread across the country. Restaurants even began to offer it on their menus (Cracker Barrel buttermilk pie anyone?). In one of baking’s best magic acts, the filling transforms into a silky custard while the pie bakes in the oven. The next time you need a standout dessert for a party but want to keep your prep as stress-free as possible, bake this pie. (This Strawberry Pie is another easy-to-prep favorite.) The one fault I find with buttermilk pie is that it can be overly sweet, so I reduced the sugar in this recipe just a bit, placing it squarely in the dessert danger zone—sweet enough to make you crave more, but not sweet enough to force you to stop.

The Ingredients

Pastry Crust. A flaky, buttery crust is critical for this recipe. I love using my Darn Good Whole Wheat Pie Crust. Scared to death of pie crust? If you opt for store bought (which would officially make buttermilk pie THE easiest pie ever), I will not judge.Buttermilk. It goes without saying, that the key ingredient for this old-fashioned pie recipe is buttermilk. Its subtle flavor and tang are what makes this recipe so special.

Eggs + Sugar + Butter. Once mixed and baked, these three ingredients form an impossibly creamy and delicious filling.Lemon Zest + Juice. For fresh, zippy flavor. My grammy always adds it to her chess pie, and I love fresh lemon juice and zest in buttermilk pie too.Booze. OK, this is admittedly not a classic buttermilk pie ingredient, but it’s sooooo tasty in pie. Also, anytime I have the chance to spike the dessert (hello, Bourbon Balls), I take it.

Vanilla. The perfect match for bourbon (or any dessert!). Use real vanilla for the best flavor.Nutmeg. Warm flavors and just a touch of spice. You can make buttermilk pie without nutmeg in a pinch, but I do think it’s worth including. It’s a wonderful pairing with creamy flavors.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Cover leftover buttermilk pie and place in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.To Reheat. If you prefer to eat your leftover pie warm, gently reheat it in the oven at 325 degrees F until warmed through.To Freeze. Cover the buttermilk pie very tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator the day before you want to serve it.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Rolling Pin. This one helps you roll your pie crust to the perfect thickness every time.Pie Plate. My go-to pie plate for fruit pies, cream pies, and every kind of pie in between.Mixing Bowl. I love the non-slip bottoms on this mixing bowl set.

Whether you’ve been baking buttermilk pie for years, or it’s a new dessert for you, I hope you’ll add it to your holiday table this year (alongside the Pumpkin Pecan Pie).

Apple Cider Caramel Sauce

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Cranberry Orange Sauce

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Cherry Pie Filling

25 mins Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked the recipe. It’s unassuming and tastes outstanding. My kind of leading (dessert) lady!