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Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Pie

G By Our Grannies' Kitchen Updated Jul 2026 4.8 (287 ratings)
Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Pie
Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Pie
4.8 / 5
8 servings

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Ingredients

Tick each one off as you go.

  • 1 shortcrust pastry case, 23 cm (about 320 g pastry), unbaked
  • 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour (about 25 g) and ¼ tsp fine salt
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 stick (115 g) butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice, zest of ½ lemon and 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  • freshly grated nutmeg, for the top (optional)

Method

  1. Blind bake. Line a 23 cm pie pan with the pastry, crimp the edge and chill 20 minutes. Bake at 400°F (200°C, fan 180°C) — 15 minutes with paper & baking beans, 5 minutes without — until dry and pale gold. Turn the oven down to 325°F (170°C, fan 150°C).
  2. Whisk. Whisk the sugar, flour & salt, then whisk in the eggs until completely smooth. Whisk in the melted butter, then the buttermilk, lemon juice, zest & vanilla. The filling is thin as cream — that's right.
  3. Fill. Set the case on a baking tray, pour in the filling and grate a little nutmeg over the top.
  4. Bake. 45–55 minutes, until deep golden on top and set at the edges but with a wobble like set jelly in the middle. It will puff proudly — don't wait for it to firm up in the oven. If the top browns too fast, lay foil loosely over it for the last 15 minutes.
  5. Cool. Cool completely on a rack, at least 2 hours — it settles flat and finishes setting as it cools. Serve at room temperature, or chilled for cleaner slices.
Granny's tip

Granny never trusted the clock — she trusted the shimmy. Slip a knife in halfway between the edge and the center: if it comes out clean there while the middle still trembles, the pie is done.

Tips for the silkiest custard

Watch the wobble

Pull it when the center trembles like set jelly. A middle baked firm in the oven means a cracked, weepy pie on the worktop.

Blind bake the case

Fifteen minutes with beans keeps the bottom crisp under such a wet filling — skip it and you risk a soggy base.

Everything at room temperature

Cold buttermilk seizes the melted butter into waxy flecks. Let the eggs & buttermilk lose their chill for a silky, even custard.

Questions, answered

What is the difference between buttermilk pie and chess pie?

They are close cousins, but chess pie is thickened with cornmeal (and usually a splash of vinegar), which gives it a denser filling and a slightly chewy, gritty top. Buttermilk pie uses only a spoonful of flour and much more buttermilk, so it bakes up softer, silkier and noticeably tangier — closer to a true custard. There is no cornmeal in this recipe.

Why did my buttermilk pie crack or turn watery?

Overbaking. When the custard cooks too far, the eggs seize and squeeze out their moisture, which cracks the top and leaves liquid pooling beneath. Take the pie out while the center still wobbles like set jelly — it firms up completely during the 2 hours of cooling.

Can I make buttermilk pie ahead or freeze it?

It is a fine make-ahead pie: bake it the day before, cool completely, then cover and refrigerate — it keeps 3 days and slices more cleanly when cold. Freezing works at a pinch (wrap tightly, freeze up to 1 month, thaw overnight in the fridge) but the custard loses a little silkiness, so the fridge is better.

Can I use ordinary milk instead of buttermilk?

Not on its own — the tang is the whole point, and the acidity helps the custard set. Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 250 ml of whole milk and let it stand 10 minutes until slightly thickened, then use it exactly as you would buttermilk.

From Granny's Pantry

The know-how behind this recipe:

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