This easy Buttermilk Pie Recipe combines a flaky pastry crust with a smooth, creamy custard flavored with fresh lemon and vanilla. It's a classic Southern dessert with a delicious sweet-tangy balance.
If you're looking for an easy Southern dessert, this old-fashioned buttermilk pie is a traditional baked custard pie that's ideal for Sunday dinners, family gatherings, and holidays like Thanksgiving. It takes just 15 minutes to prepare, and you can make it a day ahead instead of baking it right before serving. Enjoy it chilled with whipped cream or fresh berries. If you love homemade pies, try my Southern Sweet Potato Pie, Texas Pecan Pie, or Peach Maple Breakfast Pie.
Quick Look: Buttermilk Pie
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 55–70 minutes
- 🕒 Cooling Time: 2 hours
- ⏲️ Total Time: Approximately 3 hours 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Servings: 8 slices
- 🍋 Flavor Profile: Sweet, buttery, and tangy, with notes of fresh lemon, vanilla, and nutmeg
- 🥧 Texture: Smooth, creamy custard with a flaky pastry crust
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy
- 🎉 Best For: Sunday dinners, family gatherings, Thanksgiving, and make-ahead desserts
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Oven-baked
- 🧈 Key Ingredients: Buttermilk, butter, eggs, sugar, flour, lemon, and pie crust
- Why This Recipe Works: Buttermilk, eggs, and flour create a smooth, creamy custard that sets as it bakes without becoming too firm. Adding fresh lemon enhances the filling's tangy flavor, and using less sugar prevents the pie from tasting overly sweet.
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What Is Buttermilk Pie?
Buttermilk pie is an old-fashioned Southern custard pie made with buttermilk, eggs, sugar, butter, and flour. It has been enjoyed in Southern kitchens for generations, especially in Texas.
It's also known as a desperation pie, a name associated with desserts made from everyday ingredients when fresh fruit was scarce or too expensive.
Buttermilk pie is often confused with chess pie because both have sweet custard fillings. Buttermilk gives this pie its tangy flavor and creamy texture, while traditional chess pie usually contains cornmeal for a firmer filling. Some chess pie recipes also use buttermilk.
Ingredients
- Ready-to-bake pie crust – one 9-inch crust. A thawed, unbaked crust works well, but you can also use a homemade pie crust. Pre-bake it if you prefer a crisper bottom.
- Full-fat buttermilk – 1 cup. Gives the pie a pleasant tang and helps create its creamy custard filling. Use chilled buttermilk for this recipe.
- Unsalted butter – ½ cup. Softened butter blends easily with the sugar and makes the custard rich and buttery.
- Granulated sugar – 1 ¼ cups. This amount makes the pie less sweet than the original 2-cup version, so the lemon and buttermilk flavors are more noticeable.
- Large eggs – 3. Help the filling set into a smooth custard as the pie bakes. Room-temperature eggs are easier to mix with the other ingredients.
- All-purpose flour – 4 tablespoons. Helps thicken the filling during baking. For a gluten-free pie, substitute 1 ⅓ tablespoons of gluten-free cornstarch and use a gluten-free pie crust.
- Salt – a pinch. Just enough to bring out the sweetness and other flavors in the custard.
- Vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon. A little vanilla rounds out the tartness of the lemon and buttermilk.
- Nutmeg – a dash. Freshly ground nutmeg adds a subtle, warm spice that complements the buttery custard and vanilla.
- Fresh lemon – 1. Use both the juice and zest for a tangier pie. If you prefer a milder lemon taste, reduce the juice to 1–2 teaspoons.
How to Make Buttermilk Pie
- Preheat the oven: Position the oven rack in the middle and preheat to 350°F (180°C).
- Prepare the pie crust: Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Fit it into an ungreased 9-inch pie plate, trim the excess dough, and crimp the edges. PIC. 1
Note: For a crisper bottom, line the crust with parchment paper, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and pre-bake for about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let it cool completely before filling. Skip pre-baking if you prefer a softer bottom. - Make the custard filling: Cream the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the flour and salt. Add the buttermilk, vanilla, nutmeg, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Whisk until smooth and combined. PIC. 2
- Bake the pie: Pour the custard into the prepared pie crust and bake for 55–70 minutes, until the top is set and the center is slightly jiggly but no longer liquid.
Note: Baking time may vary depending on your oven, the type of pie plate, and whether the crust was pre-baked. PIC.3 - Cool and serve: Transfer the pie plate to a wire rack and let the pie cool completely for about 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, then slice and serve. PIC. 4
FAQ About Buttermilk Pie
Yes. Choose an unbaked 9-inch pie crust that fits a standard pie plate. A frozen pie shell also works once thawed according to the package directions. Check that the crust is deep enough to hold the custard filling.
Bake the pie at the recommended temperature and remove it before the custard becomes too firm. Excessive heat or baking time can cause cracks to develop as the filling cools.
Yes. You can use a sturdy whisk, although creaming the softened butter and sugar by hand takes more effort. Mix thoroughly before adding the remaining ingredients to avoid lumps.
What to Serve with Buttermilk Pie
- Whipped Cream: A spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream adds a light, airy contrast to the creamy custard.
- Fresh Berries: Strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries bring a fresh, slightly tart flavor that pairs well with the pie's sweetness.
- Ice Cream: Serve with vanilla ice cream or my No-Churn Coconut Ice Cream for a different flavor pairing.
- Drinks: Pair the pie with freshly brewed coffee, unsweetened black tea, or my Hibiscus Tea, served hot or iced for a refreshing contrast to the sweet custard.
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Buttermilk Pie Recipe (Easy & Creamy)
Equipment
- pie plate
- oven
- mixer
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter – at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 3 large eggs – at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour – sifted
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup full-fat buttermilk – chilled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 dash nutmeg – preferably freshly ground
- 1 lemon – zest and juice
- 1 9- inch pie crust – ready-made, thawed, and unbaked
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Position the oven rack in the middle and preheat to 350°F (180°C).
- Prepare the pie crust: Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Fit it into an ungreased 9-inch pie plate, trim the excess dough, and crimp the edges.Note: For a crisper bottom, line the crust with parchment paper, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and pre-bake for about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let it cool completely before filling. Skip pre-baking if you prefer a softer bottom.
- Make the custard filling: Cream the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the flour and salt. Add the buttermilk, vanilla, nutmeg, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Whisk until smooth and combined.
- Bake the pie: Pour the custard into the prepared pie crust and bake for 55–70 minutes, until the top is set and the center is slightly jiggly but no longer liquid.Note: Baking time may vary depending on your oven, the type of pie plate, and whether the crust was pre-baked.
- Cool and serve: Transfer the pie plate to a wire rack and let the pie cool completely for about 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, then slice and serve.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Storage Information
Make Ahead: Bake the pie a day in advance, let it cool completely, and refrigerate until serving. Chilling also helps the custard firm up for cleaner slices. Refrigerator: Store the cooled buttermilk pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Cover the pie plate with plastic wrap or transfer individual slices to an airtight container. Buttermilk pie is best served chilled, but you can let individual slices sit at room temperature briefly for a slightly softer texture. Freezer: Freezing isn't recommended because the custard can become watery or soggy after thawing. Refrigeration is the better option for preserving its creamy texture.Nutrition
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The crust was flaky, and the filling tasted really good. I'd have another slice.