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.
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.
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.
Great-grandma Blanche’s buttermilk pie
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.
Cheri–Yep, my family ate that, too.
I made this pie last week and it was so good! Also made a transparent pie which ended up being basically the same thing only it used cream instead of buttermilk and didnt contain corn meal. I think the buttermilk pie was the best though. And btw, my Alabama grandmother had that identical handwriting, must be a southern thang! 😀
Lisa: I've been following your blog ever since the amazing chicken fried steak recipe! Your'e an awesome collector of Texas history for this Texas-expat who has been in DC since the late 70's. This one got my attention for two reasons: your grandmother's handwriting looks just my Mom's (who passed on down our buttermilk pie recipe). Mom was a 6th generation Texan from Amarillo, who got her recipe from her grandmother. The only changes I see between hers and yours are no cornmeal in ours, no vinegar in ours. The other thing I have learned about baking this pie is about 40 minutes into baking, you sometimes have to press a tablespoon gently into the top to "sop" up the excess butter that rises to the top. I was always told that a chess pie had cornmeal, a buttermilk pie had none, but they're both awesome. Thanks again for all your good work. Can't wait for the cookbook. Best, Bob
I've made buttermilk pie the last two Thanksgivings running, and it was a huge hit. I remember my East Texan grandmother used to make it, and it was lovely. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
It has been years..literally..since I've had buttermilk pie. Why have I waited so long? Gonna have to make this one very soon! Thanks