This easy Buttermilk Pie uses full-fat buttermilk for a thick, rich custard filling! The flakey, all-butter pie crust balances the flavors and texture of the creamy, slightly tart filling.
Whisk together pastry flour, salt and sugar. Using your preferred method cut in the butter until you have pea sized pieces. If you are using a bench scraper, pastry blender or two knives, you will chop the butter into the flour using an up and down motion, corralling the flour back into the center occasionally. If you are using the stand mixer or food processor, leave slightly larger pieces.
Slowly begin to add your ice water a tablespoon at a time. If making it by hand, pour into the center of the flour and gently toss the flour into the water with the bench scraper, knife or a fork until you have a crumbly mixture. At this point be very careful with the amount of water that you add because it only needs a few teaspoons more.
When your dough is shaggy, which means it looks like shards or strands of pastry, and there is still some loose flour, turn out your dough from the mixer or food processor and work the dough together by gathering it and pressing away from you with the heal of your hand. Do this JUST until it comes together. If it is crumbling, then dip your hand in a little ice water and pat it on the pastry dough.
Press into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or overnight. If you chill your dough overnight, you will need to let it rest a bit before rolling or it will be too cold and it will crack.
Roll the dough out to ⅛ inch thick.
Par bake the pie crust:
Preheat the oven to 350°F convection or 375°F conventional (no fan).
Line a pie tin with your pie crust. Do not dock the dough. Chill the dough thoroughly before baking.
When ready to bake line the inside of the crust with parchment paper and then fill with pie weights or beans. Bake 20 minutes with the weight and then remove the weight and continue baking until the bottom crust has started to brown but is not yet fully baked.
While the pie crust cools, prepare the filling.
Prepare the Buttermilk Filling:
In a medium bowl, whisk all the ingredients together. This will reduce the number of bubbles in the filling and the top of the custard will be smooth after baking. I whisked the ingredients individually when preparing the pie in the photos and you can see the bubbles that rose to the surface while baking. The texture is the same but it is prettier when smooth.
Pour into prepared crust and bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until the filling has puffed and jiggles cohesively like Jell-O when gently shaken. The top may brown a bit, which I think improves the flavor.
Cool completely before slicing. The pie slices best when well chilled.
Serve room temperature or cold.
Video
Notes
Yield: 1, 9 inch pieFlavor Tips – Full-fat buttermilk is best in this recipe, but low-fat will also work. Homemade “buttermilk” will not have the same effect.Variations – Try adding orange or lime zest to the sugar before mixing.Storage – Store baked buttermilk pie at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for up to 2 months.