If sunshine had a flavor, it would taste like this Lemon Buttermilk Pie! This pie is perfect in the springtime (think Easter and Mother's Day), or even in the dead of winter when seasonal citrus reminds you of the promise of Spring!
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This Lemon Buttermilk Pie has a flaky crust filled with lemon buttermilk filling and topped with freshly whipped cream! The filling has a lovely balance of bright citrus flavor and a subtle tang from the buttermilk. A slice of this pie is a slice of joy!
If you enjoy this recipe, check out the posts for my Lemon Lavender Cake, Lemon Curd Cheesecake, and Lemon Sugar Cookies!
Ingredients
Here's everything you need for this pie, as well as some explanations as to why I chose to use some of the ingredients. You can find the amounts for all the ingredients in the recipe card, below.
Pie Crust Ingredients
- Flour - Provides structure for the crust. I used all-purpose flour.
- Unsalted Butter (or vegetable shortening) - For moisture, flavor, and a flaky texture. You want your butter to be cold.
- Egg - For moisture and making the crust more pliable and easier to roll out.
- White Vinegar - To help prevent the formation of gluten, so your pie crust will be more tender.
Lemon Buttermilk Filling Ingredients
- Granulated Sugar - For sweetness.
- Lemon Zest - For flavor. Make sure you're just using the flavorful yellow layer and not the bitter white pith underneath.
- All-Purpose Flour - For structure for the pie filling. The flour helps to ensure that the pie doesn't crack and slices more cleanly.
- Salt - To balance and enhance the flavors of the pie.
- Eggs - For thickening and structure for the pie. The eggs also lend the pie an extra smooth and rich texture. The eggs should be at room temperature.
- Buttermilk - Softens the texture of the pie, and adds moisture and flavor. You want the buttermilk to be at room temperature.
- Unsalted Butter - melted and slightly cooled. I use unsalted butter so that I can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Lemon Juice - For Flavor.
- Heavy (Whipping) Cream - For creamy richness.
- Lemon Oil (optional) - Adding the oil is optional, but it's a nice little added kick of lemon flavor. If you'd like to substitute with lemon extract, double the amount to ½ teaspoon.
Whipped Cream Ingredients
- Heavy Cream - Can't make whipped cream without it! You want your cream to be cold so that it whips up fluffier.
- Powdered Sugar - For sweetness. I prefer using powdered sugar because it dissolves so well, and because the small amount of cornstarch in powdered sugar helps the whipped cream to hold its shape.
- Vanilla Bean Paste - For flavor, and I love the black flecks of vanilla bean it leaves in the whipped cream! If you prefer, you can substitute with an equal measure of vanilla extract.
Hint: If you're looking for more recipes to use lemon oil in, check out my Lemon Sugar Cookies and Lemon Curd Cheesecake!
Instructions
Here are step-by-step instructions and some process photos to help you see how this pie comes together! Additional details are included in the recipe card, below.
Making the Pie Crust
- Combine the flour and butter and cut the butter in until no large pieces remain.
- Combine the remaining ingredients and add to the flour mixture. Stir until a soft dough forms.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface large enough to fit your pie plate.
- Line the pie plate with the dough, chill, then par bake. **Full instructions in recipe card, below.**
Making the Lemon Buttermilk Filling
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest.
- Add the flour and salt to the sugar mixture and whisk to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating each egg before adding the next.
- Gradually add the buttermilk while whisking. Then add the melted butter, lemon juice, heavy cream, and lemon oil.
- Once the crust has partially baked, remove it from the oven and pour in the filling. Bake until edges are set. **See recipe card, below, for full instructions.**
Equipment
Here are a few things I used when making this pie:
- Pastry Blender - While a pastry blender isn’t necessary to cut the butter into the crust, it does make the job faster and easier.
- Pie Weights - Weights help when blind-baking the crust, keeping the dough from rising/getting bubbles as it bakes. This makes sure that you have the room that you need for filling. You can buy actual pie weights if you’d like, but I just use black beans. They’re cheap and you can use them over and over again.
Storage
The pie will keep, covered loosely, for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
You can prepare the dough for the crust ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to two days or in the freezer for up to three months.
You can also freeze the baked pie without the whipped cream, just make sure that the filling is cooled completely before freezing. Wrapped well, the pie will keep in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw the pie in the refrigerator prior to adding the whipped cream.
FAQ
How can I keep my pie from cracking?
A cracked pie isn't the end of the world, especially when it's going to be covered with whipped cream, but it will have prettier slices if it doesn't crack. A few tips: Make sure your oven is appropriately preheated, take the pie out of the oven before it's completely set, and allow the pie to cool slowly (let it come to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator).
Other Recipes You May Like
Lemon Buttermilk Pie
This Lemon Buttermilk Pie has a flaky crust filled with lemon buttermilk filling and topped with freshly whipped cream! The filling has a lovely balance of bright citrus flavor and a subtle tang from the buttermilk. A slice of this pie is a slice of joy!
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1½ cups flour
- 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold (or vegetable shortening)
- 1 egg, cold
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar (see note)
- 2 Tablespoon water, cold
Lemon Buttermilk Filling
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
- ¼ cup flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1¼ cups buttermilk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup heavy (whipping) cream
- ¼ teaspoon lemon oil, optional (see note)
Whipped Cream (Optional)
- 1 ½ cups heavy (whipping) cream, cold
- 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (see note)
Instructions
Pie Crust
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour and cold, diced butter. Using a pastry blender (see note) or fork, cut butter into the flour until no large pieces remain. Your largest pieces of butter should be about the size of a pea.1½ cups flour, 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
- In a small bowl, combine egg, vinegar (see note), and cold water. Whisk to combine.1 egg, cold, 1 Tablespoon white vinegar, 2 Tablespoon water, cold
- Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Stir until a soft dough is formed. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly into a ball.
- Roll the dough out to a size large enough to fit your pie plate. Line the pie plate with the dough, then place the pie plate in the refrigerator.
- While the crust is chilling, preheat your oven to 325℉ and gather and measure your filling ingredients. The filling will be put into the hot (partially baked) crust, so you want everything readily available.
- Once your oven is preheated, take the crust out of the refrigerator and line it with foil and fill with pie weights (see note). Place the pie plate on a baking sheet (this prevents spillage and makes the pie easier to move to/from the oven) and bake for 10 minutes.Since you already pre-measured out your filling ingredients, you should be able to easily mix them together before the 10 minutes is up.
Filling
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Whisk together for a minute or two to help release the oils from the zest into the sugar.1 cup granulated sugar, 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
- Add the flour and salt to the sugar mixture and whisk to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating each egg before adding the next.¼ cup flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 eggs, at room temperature
- Gradually add the buttermilk while whisking. Then add the melted butter, lemon juice, heavy cream, and lemon oil (see note). Whisk until combined, but mix gently as to not incorporate too much air into the mixture.1¼ cups buttermilk, ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, ¼ cup lemon juice, ¼ cup heavy (whipping) cream, ¼ teaspoon lemon oil, optional
- Once the crust has baked for 10 minutes, remove it from the oven and carefully remove the foil/weights. Pour the filling into the hot crust and bake another 40-50 minutes. Start checking the pie for doneness at the 40-minute mark. The pie should be set on the edges, but still jiggle in the center. Allow pie to slowly come to room temperature before chilling completely (see note), for at least two hours, but four is better.
Whipped Cream
- Place cold heavy cream and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Start the mixer on low speed, and gradually increase the speed to high. Whip until the cream thickens and forms peaks. Add vanilla bean paste (see note), and mix to incorporate.1 ½ cups heavy (whipping) cream, cold, 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Pipe or spoon the whipped cream on top of the chilled pie.
- The pie will keep, covered loosely, for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.You can prepare the dough for the crust ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to two days or in the freezer for up to three months.You can also freeze the baked pie without the whipped cream, just make sure that the filling is cooled completely before freezing. Wrapped well, the pie will keep in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw the pie in the refrigerator prior to adding the whipped cream.Enjoy!
Notes
Note on vinegar - You won't taste the vinegar in the crust, it will just help to make it more tender. That said, if you don't have white vinegar, consider taste in what you substitute. Apple cider vinegar would be a good fit, but your aged balsamic would likely lend a strange flavor and alter the color of the dough.
Note on pastry blender - While a pastry blender isn’t necessary to cut the butter into the crust, it does make the job faster and easier.
Note on pie weights - Weights help when blind-baking the crust, keeping the dough from rising/getting bubbles as it bakes. This makes sure that you have the room that you need for filling. You can buy actual pie weights if you’d like, but I just use black beans. They’re cheap and you can use them over and over again.
Note on lemon oil - Adding the oil is optional, but it's a nice little added kick of lemon flavor. If you'd like to substitute with lemon extract, double the amount to ½ teaspoon.
Note on vanilla bean paste - It's one of my favorite ingredients, so I couldn’t resist adding some to the whipped cream! If you’d rather substitute, you can use an equal measure of vanilla extract.
Tips on avoiding cracks in the filling: A cracked pie isn't the end of the world, especially when it's going to be covered with whipped cream, but it will have prettier slices if it doesn't crack. A few tips: Make sure your oven is appropriately preheated, take the pie out of the oven before it's completely set, and allow the pie to cool slowly (let it come to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator).
Nutrition Estimate
Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 618kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 9gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 26gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 198mgSodium: 161mgPotassium: 176mgFiber: 1gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 1562IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 103mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate.
Tried this recipe?I'd love to hear all about it! Leave a review below, then snap a pic and tag me on Instagram!
Tom Vachon
The pie was good but not what I was expecting.
I found the filling was not creamy but more dense than I thought it would be.
That being said the family enjoyed it without complaint, different tastes I guess.
I do enjoy your recipes, keep up the good work.