Easy Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Pieis a vintage pie recipe that is rich and thick and has a sweet custard-like center. If you’re expecting company soon, this buttermilk pie recipe is the best dessert to greet them with!

slice of buttermilk pie on a white plate with a fork.

Southern buttermilk pie hasa smooth and sweet custard filling.The filling takes less than 5 minutes to mix and is made of sugar, flour, eggs, butter, buttermilk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Use adeep pie platefor this recipe so that your filling doesn’t bubble over while cooking.

This pie isone of the easiest you’ll ever make.You simply add a quick custard filling to a prepared pie crust and bake for just under an hour! It doesn’t get simpler or easier than that, and this pie has many variations so that it can be enjoyed in many different ways!

whole buttermilk pie, overhead image inside the circular clear glass pie plate.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There aremany variations of this pie, including vanilla, lemon, or nutmeg.My version is the traditional vanilla custard. You can add a dash of nutmeg to the top if you like. Directions on how to make this lemon buttermilk pie are in the recipe notes.
I always make adouble flakey pie crust(per the recipe) andanother pie that needs a single crust, such aspumpkin pieor thisToll House Cookie pie.
Buttermilkis the star of the show. Itadds flavor, brightness, and great texture.If you have a little leftover buttermilk, I highly recommend making thisbuttermilk biscuit recipe.

Recipe Ingredients

Pie crust –Here’smy favorite recipe for Pie Crust!
Sugar
Flour
Eggs
Butter
Buttermilk –This is theButtermilk Recipe I use.
Vanilla

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make Buttermilk Pie

Step 1:Roll out your favorite pie crustand place it on a pie plate.

Step 2:Mix up your simple buttermilk pie filling and pour it into thecrust.

Step 3:Bake until golden brown.

Step 4:Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.

Recipe FAQs

Should buttermilk pie be refrigerated?

This pie is best served at room temperature but can be served warm or cold, depending on your preferences. I prefer it cold out of the refrigerator!

Is buttermilk pie supposed to be runny?

No, if it’s runny, it probably hasn’t cooked long enough. It will continue setting and thickening as it cools, so you want to give it a solid 2 hours to cool and properly set before cutting into it.

Is chess pie the same as buttermilk pie?

Buttermilk pie originated in England and has become a Southern staple in the United States. It’s similar to a Chess Pie but is made without cornmeal or vinegar.

A piece of old fashioned pie is on a white salad plate on top of a plain white plate with a silver fork on the plate. The rest of the pie is pictured in the background in a clear pie dish with a silver butter knife on it.

Expert Tips

This pie is best cold, but it is also good at room temperature. I don’t like it warm all that much, but you might.There’s lots of flexibility here.You can serve this creamy custard pie witha tangy flavor with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, but it’s not a must.
To store,let it cool for 2 hours after baking,cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and keep it in the fridge until ready to serve.
If you don’t have vinegar,lemon juice and cream of tarteralso work as great buttermilk substitutions.