For those of you who wanted my family buttermilk pie recipe at Thanksgiving, here it is again. You will need to start your pies today if you want to serve them on Christmas!
First a few quick notes:
- This pie recipe is for two pies. I typically buy my crusts because I don’t have time to make my own. I’ve found that Draeger’s makes an awesome crust, and it’s very large. Other store bought ones can work, but they might run a bit small
- This is based on a very old recipe that came with my grandmother to California when she moved from Texas in the '30’s. It’s traditional in that the buttermilk is left on the counter to get more sour, as opposed to adding lemon juice. When properly baked, it poses no concerns to a healthy adult.
- I have pared down the quantities carefully to fit perfectly in standard pie crusts, and reduced the sugar by 50% or so of what was original. It was tooth-achingly sweet when I was a kid! Aside from that, I’ve tried to keep the ratios as consistent as possible.
- This is a 3-day recipe!! Make the batter on day 1, bake the pies on day 2, refrigerate and serve the pies on day 3. The pies are best when prepared this way.
Grandma McGinty’s Buttermilk Pie
2ea Pie shell, unbaked (Draeger’s 10" frozen shells work great)
6ea Eggs, slightly beaten
2ea Vanilla bean (or 2 Tb Vanilla Extract)
10 drops Almond extract
1-1/2 cup Baker’s Sugar
1/3 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup
3 Tb Flour
8 Tb Butter, melted but not hot
2-1/2 cup Buttermilk (Whole Bulgarian if available, 2% works if that’s all you can get)
3/4 tsp Cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp Kosher Salt (2 tsp if butter is unsalted)
Fresh grated Nutmeg to taste, roughly 1 tsp
In a container with lid, combine sugar, flour, salt, almond extract, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and Lyle’s Golden Syrup. Mix thoroughly. Add butter and mix thoroughly again. Beat eggs then add to batter.
Add buttermilk and let sit on countertop overnight. Mixture will separate, this is normal.
Pre-bake frozen pie shells using empty Draegers tins to hold pie crust weights. Cover edges of crusts with strips of aluminum foil. Start with a cold oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes to 1 hour, swapping pie shells from left to right halfway through.
Stir up pie batter and ladle into pie pans. Once pie pans are filled, grate more nutmeg on top. Fresh grated nutmeg is best. Bake pies at 350 F until the centers of the pies have risen, and the tops resemble souffle.
If both pies are baked at once, it can take over an hour. Rotate pies one time (180 degree spin) once they start to puff up, roughly 40-45 minutes in. Pies are done when they have a medium golden color and the center is just barely set.
If pies have risen properly and color is not deep enough, turn oven off and let it coast. Once color is correct, open oven door a little and let pies gradually cool until they have shrunk down to normal size.
Serve chilled, preferably 24 (minimum 12) hours after baking.
This recipe can be cut in half if only one pie is being made, but is best when used as a full recipe.
Cheers!
I don’t think I have ever had a buttermilk pie so I may have to make this.
