Buttermilk Pie

Buttermilk pie.  It doesn't necessarily sound all that tasty, does it?  Unsurprisingly, it is a very old recipe.  And perhaps surprisingly, it is a GOOD recipe!  Before I made it myself, I'd only had buttermilk pie once before: at a little restaurant in Louisiana about 8 years ago when I was visiting my dad.  We toured the Houmas House in Darrow, Louisiana, which is a couple of hours away from where my dad lives.  It's a beautiful place and we had a very nice, peaceful day wandering around.  Afterwards, we stopped at a little restaurant and shared a piece of buttermilk pie for dessert.  I had to try it because it sounded interesting!

I had absolutely no idea what to expect, but it turns out buttermilk pie is very, very reminiscent of the filling in lemon bars, only without the lemon.  It is sweet and a little tangy, with a nice amount of vanilla.  Not a complicated or sophisticated flavor and a bit of an acquired taste.  It reminds me a lot of transparent pudding, which is another very old fashioned recipe.  My grandmother made them every year for Thanksgiving and I haven't had one in at least 10 years.

Although the buttermilk pie is good as is, I really think it would be fantastic with lots of lemon juice added.  Like a lemon bar with a ton of filling, what's not to love?  It is good though without the lemon flavor though and a great use for leftover buttermilk.  My buttermilk was actually left over from the Buttermilk Crumb Muffins I made earlier this week. 

This recipe comes to you from Southern Plate.  I've been eying it ever since it was originally posted and am so glad I finally got to make it!

Buttermilk Pie

1 9 inch pie crust, placed in pan (can use this cheater's recipe)
1/2 C softened butter
1 1/2 C sugar
3 eggs
1 C buttermilk
3 T flour
1 T lemon juice
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
cinnamon to sprinkle on top (optional, I forgot)

Preheat oven to 350.  Place butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until well combined.  Add other ingredients except cinnamon and beat until smooth.  Pour into crust.  Sprinkle top with cinnamon if you would like.  Bake until set, 40 to 60 minutes.  When the pie has set, you will be able to stick a toothpick in the center and have it come out clean (though a bit shiny), but it will still be jiggly if you shake it gently.  Let pie cool completely before serving.  Serve at room temperature or cold.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator.