Lemon Buttermilk Pie

by Joanne March 8, 2023

This unique Lemon Buttermilk Pie has the most silky, luscious texture, with a vibrant citrus flavor. It’s incredibly easy to make, and is all whisked together in ONE BOWL! It’s a staple for Thanksgiving and holiday meals.

Lemon Buttermilk Pie - Slices in a Pie Dish

While I do love my fair share of fussy desserts like Baklava or Pavlova with Blackberry Compote, I love desserts like this buttermilk pie, which is incredibly easy and wildly delicious.

Buttermilk pie is a classic Southern dessert, and here we’ll stick pretty closely to that formula, but instead adding lots of citrus for a tangy flavor and incredible aroma. This is the best pie!

What’s Great About This Recipe

So easy my 5-year-old can make it – No joke, my 5 year old can mix together this pie filling. It’s very simple and doesn’t require more than a bowl and a whisk.

One bowl – Quite possibly the best part of this recipe is that the entire filling is whisked together in one bowl, for minimal dishwashing.

Silky custard texture – The filling bakes into a creamy, silky smooth texture that is absolute heaven, with an almost crème brûlée effect on top.

Tart and sweet – This has the sweet and sour thing going on just like Lemon Bars. The lemon is a really good complement to the classic buttermilk pie taste.

You can see the golden brown caramelized crackly goodness in the above photo. Swoon. And here’s a closeup on the creamy filling:

Meyer Lemon Pie - Closeup of Piece on a Fork

It’s the best dessert for maximum ease and deliciousness!

What Citrus to Use

When I originally shared this recipe in 2014, I used Meyer lemons for the pie. They can be hard to find certain times of year, but when you see them, snatch them up. They have such a unique flavor and fragrance that is showcased so well in a recipe like this.

If you can’t find Meyer lemons, this pie is also fantastic with other citrus. Try:

Standard lemons
Any type of orange (Cara cara, clementine, tangerine, etc.)
Lime (standard or Key lime)
Grapefruit
A 50/50 mix of lemon and orange

Step by Step Overview:

In a large bowl, start the filling by combining eggs, sugar, and melted butter:

Lemon Filling - With Eggs, Sugar, and Melted Butter in a Bowl

Add pure vanilla extract and salt to the bowl:

Buttermilk Pie Filling - Eggs, Sugar, Butter, and Vanilla Extract Added to Bowl

Next add freshly squeezed lemon juice and fresh citrus zest:

Pouring Lemon Juice into Pie Filling with Citrus Zests

As mentioned above, use Meyer lemons if you can find them. If not, use a 50/50 mix of standard lemon and orange. You may also use standard lemon only, but it will be a little more tart.

Now, add pure buttermilk to the pie:

Adding Buttermilk to Filling Ingredients in Bowl

Real buttermilk is such a key ingredient here, so please do not use a buttermilk substitute.

What to do with leftover buttermilk

Buttermilk tends to come in a quart size container, which is more than you need for this recipe, but it’s a good excuse to try these incredible Blueberry Muffins.

Or make Buttermilk Pancakes, this amazing Cornbread Recipe, or this legendary Fried Chicken Recipe. My friend Lindsay also has a post on How to Freeze Buttermilk, though I haven’t tried it myself.

Whisk everything together until thoroughly blended, then add all-purpose flour to the buttermilk mixture:

Adding flour to slightly thicken the filling

This will help thicken it slightly.

Pour the sweet custard filling into an unbaked pie crust in a standard 9-inch pie plate:

Lemon Custard Filling - Pouring Into Unbaked Pie Crust

I have a great all-butter pie crust recipe from scratch that you can use if you prefer making your own pie crust. You can also use a store-bought crust.

I admit to using store-bought crust quite often with this recipe, because that keeps it all really easy. Try to find an unbaked pie shell that uses butter, for the most flaky pie crust with superior flavor.

Bake the pie for about an hour, until the filling is jiggly, but set, and the edges of the pie crust are golden brown.

Then, let it cool completely to room temperature, for at least 45 minutes.

Buttermilk Pie - Baked Whole with Lemon Custard Filling

Though this resting period might seem like a long time, it is essential for clean slicing later and for the texture to set up properly.

After the rest, it’s ready to be cut into slices. Use a really sharp knife to get through the flaky crust cleanly.

Lemon Pie - Baked with Scratch Pie Crust and Cut into Slices

I think it’s perfect as is, but you can also dollop the top of this delicious pie with a bit of whipped cream, or even some freshly whipped meringue! Or, serve some fresh fruit on the side, like blackberries or raspberries.

I recommend this simple pie for the holiday season. We always make it for Thanksgiving!

Strawberry Tart is another one of my favorite fruit-focused desserts.

My Peanut Butter Pie is another one of my favorite pies, and is a huge hit amongst my friends and family. Like this one, it’s another very easy pie recipe. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips and FAQ

How do you store leftover pie?

An airtight container is ideal, but it’s unusual to have one that will fit the entire pie as is. So either cover the pie plate very well with plastic wrap, or transfer pieces into an airtight container.

Can you leave out the citrus?

For a truly classic buttermilk pie, you can leave out the lemon juice and lemon zest. But I find that lemon and orange are incredible twists on this Southern classic, and for all custard-based pies.

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