Brown-Sugar Buttermilk Pie

(226)
buttermilk pie
Photo: Anna Williams
Prep Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Servings:
8

Try this fall-inspired version of the Southern American classic as an alternative to a pumpkin pie at your next Thanksgiving dinner.

Ingredients

For the crust

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for rolling

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt

  • ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

  • 3 to 5 tablespoons ice water

For the filling

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 3 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

  • 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar

  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk, room temperature

  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter

Directions

  1. Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time); do not overmix. Form dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.

  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a floured surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie plate, fold overhang under, and crimp edges. Prick dough all over with a fork. Place a sheet of parchment paper over dough and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edge is light golden, about 15 minutes; remove parchment and weights.

  3. Make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, eggs, and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in buttermilk, nutmeg, and cinnamon until combined. In a small saucepan, heat butter over medium, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown and most of the foam has subsided, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately whisk into buttermilk mixture. Pour filling into pie shell and bake until set but still slightly wobbly in center, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, 2 hours, before serving. (Refrigerate, wrapped in plastic, up to 3 days.)

Cook's Notes

How to Crimp a Crust
Using a knuckle on one hand and the thumb and forefinger of the other, crimp the rim of the crust.

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