Lemon Buttermilk Pie
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.
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:
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:
Add pure vanilla extract and salt to the bowl:
Next add freshly squeezed lemon juice and fresh citrus zest:
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:
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:
This will help thicken it slightly.
Pour the sweet custard filling into an unbaked pie crust in a standard 9-inch pie plate:
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!
Lemon Buttermilk Pie
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked pie crust (single)
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 3 tbsp Meyer lemon juice*
- 1 tbsp Meyer lemon zest*
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or use vanilla bean paste)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Fit the pie crust into a standard 9" pie plate, and keep it in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
- In a large bowl, whisk to combine the sugar, buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, Meyer lemon juice, Meyer lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt, until thoroughly blended and smooth.
- Add the flour and briefly whisk until incorporated.
- Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust and bake for 60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crackly. To further assess doneness, jostle the oven rack slightly and look at the filling. The custard should jiggle when moved, but shouldn’t look liquidy or loose in the center.
- Let the pie cool for at least 45 minutes before serving. Note that while the pie cools, it will deflate slightly, and this is normal because of all the eggs in the filling. When cooled, slice and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
Post updated with new photos and writing in June 2020. Originally published November 2014.
30 Comments on “Lemon Buttermilk Pie”
Looks incredible and tasty. Simple is the key word
Help! Just made your pie with a 9inch frozen pie crust and had too much filling. What can I do with. the leftovers? Next time I will use a deep dish?
Thanks, Conni
I made this pie today and it is absolutely delicious! The only changes I made is one more tablespoon of lemon juice, a heaping tablespoon of lemon zest, and 1&1/2 teaspoon of Lemon Extract -could even do two teaspoons. My husband loved the pie also and said it could be at the top of his favorite pie list. I did use Meyer Lemons. I love anything lemon!
This became a quick favorite that everyone at family gatherings request I bring! Did not get tired of multiple days of this–received three gallons of buttermilk from a neighbor and didn’t have room to freeze more than 2.5 gallons (2 cups in individual freezer zip bags and frozen flat on a jellyroll pan). It truly is simple to make and has an incredible texture bursting with flavor.
So is this recipe to be served room temperature or actually cooled in the refridgerater? How do you store it and can you make it a day in advance?
I’m so glad you updated this to use other citruses. I shared this recipe on Facebook in 2014 and was surprised to see it was updated this year. I’ve never been able to find Meyer lemons so never tried the recipe. I have a lot of buttermilk left and I’m glad that I came across this recipe once again. Thank you and have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
Glad to hear this, Miriam! Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving.
just curious about incorporating flour into lemon buttermilk pie. Your video looks as if the flour is barely mixed in and still lumpy. Is this the intention to help create the crunchy top or should I make it smooth.
We have a meyer lemon tree so this recipe is what I was looking for simple and delicious. I think it needs more lemon flavor though so I increased the lemon juice to 1/2 cup and used the zest from 2 lemons 1-1/2 in the filling and 1/2 on top after pouring on top the pie shell. I reduced the buttermilk to 3/4 cup and added a 1/4 tsp. of cornstarch because lemon juice is thinner than buttermilk. These adjustments make a much more lemony pie. give it a try.
This looks absolutely delicious!
This looks so so good! Can’t wait to try, thanks!
So glad to hear you’re getting better
This looks so wonderful! I love lemon plus creaminess. Beautiful pie!
I have never had buttermilk cake, but I really enjoy crème brule. This pie looks so silky and smooth! Yum!