Buttermilk Pie

What is Buttermilk?

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.

What are Common Challenges?

Buttermilk pie is a very easy pie to make, but with any recipe, there are common issues that can arise. Thankfully, they are also easy to avoid! Be sure to follow the recipe exactly as written and read our Kitchen Tips below for more ways to make sure you bake up a pie to be proud of.

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:

The Filling is not Fully Set after Baking: 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.

The Top of the Pie is Cracked: 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.

The Ingredients Have Separated During Baking: 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.

What Should I Use for the Crust?

For buttermilk pie recipes, the most commonly used crust is a standard pie crust. You can use a homemade crust or a store-bought pie crust for this recipe, such as Pillsbury™ Pie Crust, which makes quick work of the flaky, buttery base of this pie.

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.

How to Store

Once baked and fully cooled, buttermilk pie should be stored in the fridge, tightly covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, for up to four days. You can serve the pie cold or at room temperature—both ways are delicious! As for toppings, be sure to check out our Kitchen Tips below for our favorite options.

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.