Buttermilk pie DSC9813

Buttermilk pie

“Two cups of sugar?” I said to myself as I read over my great-grandma Blanche’s recipe for buttermilk pie. That amount sounded outrageous! But when I mentioned this to a smart bunch of folks, they nodded their heads and said, “Ah, that must be a recipe for buttermilk pie.” And even though I was dubious, I decided to adhere to the wisdom of my elders and bake this sugar-loaded pie as apparently that is just how this pie is done.

Now, if you’re unfamiliar with this old Southern dessert you may be asking, “What is buttermilk pie?” Well, as the name implies, it’s a custard pie made with buttermilk. And while it may sound strange to the uninitiated, take note that Texans have long been resourceful with buttermilk, as for many years it was both inexpensive and widely available. But here’s where defining buttermilk pie becomes tricky, at least for me.

Buttermilk pie | Homesick Texan

The interesting thing about my recipe is that Grandma Blanche titled it buttermilk chess pie, which begs the question: are chess pie and buttermilk pie the same thing? I used to think that they were not, as I have a chess pie recipe that does not include buttermilk. But perhaps it is simply a variation. I wish I had the answer to these questions, but I don’t. But as I wait patiently for one of you to shed light on this topic I will occupy myself by baking my great-grandma’s buttermilk pie.

Now, to make this pie is a cinch as you simply mix together a custard filling that includes buttermilk, eggs, flour, corn meal and vinegar, and then you pour it into a partially baked pie shell and cook it until it’s set. The hardest thing about making this pie is being patient as you’ll be keeping it in the oven for a while and your home will begin to smell divine.

Not a fan of buttermilk? I wouldn’t worry as this is a luscious dessert. It has a sweet and slightly tangy custard that is wonderful to eat as is, completely unadorned. But if you desire, you could spiffy it up by topping it with some seasonal fruit, candied nuts or a drizzle of sorghum syrup. Many people serve it at Thanksgiving as it sits well on the holiday table with the pecan and sweet potato pies. But you certainly don’t need to a cold-weather holiday to enjoy a slice or two.

Buttermilk pie | Homesick Texan

And yes, in case you’re wondering, those two cups of sugar do make for a sweet pie but I wouldn’t cut it back too much or it will just taste wrong. Don’t worry as I did: Great-grandma Blanche knew what she was doing.

Print
5 from 2 votes

Great-grandma Blanche’s buttermilk pie

Servings 8
Author Lisa Fain

Ingredients

  • 1 9-inch unbaked piecrust
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or 1 tablespoon flour, 1/2 tablespoon cornmeal
  • 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), softened
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees. Place the piecrust into pie pan then slide into the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
  • Combine the sugar with the flour and cornmeal, if you’re using. Cream the butter. Add the sugar mixture to the butter and then stir in the eggs, salt, buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla extract and vinegar.

  • Pour filling into the partially baked piecrust and bake in the oven uncovered until brown on top and the custard has set, about 45-50 minutes.

Notes

Great-grandma’s original recipe called for margarine, but I changed that to butter. I don’t think she’d mind too much. And feel free to add a pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon if you want to spice up the custard a bit.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply to ashley Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




120 Comments

  1. Anonymous says:

    Thank you for this recipe and your Grandma Blanche for writing it down! I am a Hoosier who married a Texan and we are living in Florida. I really have a Homesick Texan on my hands! After fourteen years of marriage I am finally able to make him his favorite, Buttermilk Chess Pie. Of course, since I'm from up North I had never heard of such a thing until I married my wonderful husband. For years I had tried to make him his favorite, but always failed until I made this recipe! He loves it! Tomorrow is his birthday and it is what he wants rather than a birthday cake. Also, this year we are in Texas celebrating with his parents. My husband ask me to make this Buttermilk Chess Pie for his mom and dad! I am excited and nervous. My mother-in-law is the one who taught me how to make chicken-fried steak and squash casserole. Now I'm going to teach her. I'm sure I'll have a happy bunch of Texans eating my pie tomorrow.
    Robin

  2. Susan Boudreaux says:

    Hi Cousin,
    I loved seeing Danmamma’s recipe come to life. This was surely an awesome pie as my grandmother ( your great grandmother) was an awesome lady. Blanche Talullah Coffey Jernigan is surely smiling down from Baptist Heaven at the thought of so many folks making her favorite pie.

    1. Lisa Fain says:

      Hi Susan! She was an awesome lady and it’s an honor to get to share her recipes!

  3. What is the purpose of the baking soda?

    (I made the pie as written. Yum!)

    1. Lisa Fain says:

      Susan–Well, that’s a question I don’t have the answer to, ha!, but it could be to neutralize the acidity of the buttermilk. Either way, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!