A recipe for Vanilla Bean Buttermilk Pie. This rich and creamy custard-based pie is perfect for the holidays and comes together with minimal effort and only a few ingredients!
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Happy Thanksgiving! I do not make pies often, but I did manage to try a few recipes for our table this year. This Vanilla Bean Buttermilk Pie was definitely a favorite. The buttermilk pie comes from the southern United States and has ties to the United Kingdom. Most of the effort comes from making the crust itself! After rolling out the pie dough and transferring to a prepared pie dish, the rich buttermilk custard filling is poured in and baked until set.
I particularly love the addition of vanilla (vanilla extract and vanilla bean in this recipe) and how it pairs so well with the tangy buttermilk. Serve the pie warm from the oven, at room temperature, or (my personal favorite) chilled. Regardless, it is delicious on its own or alongside a scoop of ice cream and/or some whipped cream.
I have included the recipe for my current go-to pie crust. You can also use your favorite homemade or store-bought (unbaked) dough. The View from Great Island offers a recipe for a French Tart Dough. Make sure the butter and water are well-chilled before mixing into the flour. This will help create a light and flaky crust. I used this 9 inch pie dish to bake the Vanilla Bean Buttermilk Pie.
Vanilla beans are available in the spice section of most large grocery stores, but usually only have 1-3 crammed inside a small jar for a high price. I usually order mine on Amazon in bulk during the holidays when I will be using a few or substitute with vanilla bean paste. Make sure you pack them in an airtight container to keep the beans from drying out and in a dark cabinet. Don’t throw away the scraped-out pods! I repurpose them to make vanilla extract or vanilla sugar.
Looking for more pie recipes?
Try Sweet Potato Pie, Italian Easter Ricotta Pie, and Alevropita (Greek Thin-Batter Feta Pie).
Vanilla Bean Buttermilk Pie Recipe
Adapted from The View from Great Island
Vanilla Bean Buttermilk Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- Pinch salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter chilled and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
- 3-4 tablespoons cold water ice cold
Vanilla Bean Buttermilk Pie Filling:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean
- 3 tablespoon all purpose flour
- Pinch salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
Instructions
To make the pie crust:
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add the diced butter and mix on low until the butter is blended in with no pieces larger than the size of a pea. Slowly add the cold water just until the dough comes together.
- Form the dough into a flattened disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. Grease a 9 inch pie or tart pan with butter and dust with flour.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the refrigerated dough into an even, thin circle about 12 inches wide. Transfer to the prepared pie pan and decorate the edges as desired. Refrigerate until filling comes together.
To make the buttermilk pie filling:
- In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and butter until light and creamy.
- Beat in the eggs, followed but the vanilla extract and scraped out seeds from a vanilla bean. Mix in the flour and salt, then the buttermilk until combined.
- Pour into prepared pie crust. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Decrease the temperature to 350˚F and continue to bake for 40-50 minutes until the top is golden and the custard is set.
- Allow to cool to room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve.
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