Orange Buttermilk Pie is a delicious, sweet, Southern treat. The consistency of this pie reminds me of a cross between a custard pie and a lemon bar. But this pie is made even better with some orange flavor as well!
In November, I went to Dallas to see one of my best friends. We spent a day in the Mission Arts District, where we looked at the murals, jammed out to some jazz music, and then…. We ate some pie.
Emporium Pie, a Dallas staple, is located in the Mission Arts District, so we chose that for our treat; it was the absolutely perfect choice! When I looked at the menu, there were quite a few pie flavors that I had had before, but I wanted to try something new. A chose something from the menu that I had never even heard of before…. Buttermilk pie.
The buttermilk pie was so interesting to me because the texture was almost like a combination of a custard pie and a lemon bar. It was delicious and wonderful, and I went home thinking about making my own version!
So here you are, my friends. Buttermilk pie but (in my opinion) made even better with the orange flavoring that comes with it! Keep reading for instructions. You’re going to love it.
What is Buttermilk Pie?
Buttermilk pie may not sound the most appetizing, but it is delicious. I tend to liken this buttermilk pie to a custard pie, as the center is a custardy texture. One of the main ingredients of this pie is, obviously, buttermilk! This is a very simple dessert recipe to put together, and doesn’t take much chopping or folding like fruit pies.
This version of buttermilk pie has an Orange twist. By adding orange zest and fresh-squeezed orange juice into the pie mixture, the pie suddenly takes on a wonderful, citrus-y taste! My recommendation is to make the pie with the orange flavor, but if you do not want to, instructions for how to remove the orange are available below.
What is the Difference Between Buttermilk Pie and Chess Pie?
Buttermilk pie and Chess pie seem almost the same. However, some chess pie recipes do not call for buttermilk, so this is a major distinguishing factor. Additionally, most chess pies do not use citrus flavors such as orange or lemon.
What is Orange Buttermilk Pie Made Of?
Buttermilk
Cream
Butter
Eggs
Sugar
Vanilla
Orange zest
Flour
Salt
Fresh Squeezed Orange juice
How to Make Orange Buttermilk Pie
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium saucepan, heat buttermilk and cream. Use a whisk to stir the combination repeatedly, and continue stirring until the edges begin to bubble and the milk is steaming. Do not allow it to boil. Remove from the burner and allow to cool.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer until just combined. Add the sugar, flour, and salt, and then beat again until everything is combined.
Pour in the melted (and slightly cooled) butter and the orange juice into the bowl and beat one more time until just combined.
Add the vanilla and the orange zest into the bowl and hand mix.
Then, add the buttermilk mixture. Add about ¼ cup into the bowl at first, and hand mix together. This will bring up the temperature of the eggs so that they don’t scramble when combined with the hot cream. Add the cream into the mixing bowl, ¼ of the mixture at one time, mixing after each addition.
Place your desired 9” pie crust (I used store bought) on an open air cookie sheet. Pour the pie filling into the pie crust, then carry the cookie sheet and pie to the oven. This will catch any spills that the pie may have.
Place the cookie sheet with the pie on it in the oven and bake for about 60 minutes, until the edges are set, but the middle still jiggles a bit and a toothpick comes out clean.
Enjoy! Leave a comment on this post letting me know what you thought!
Should I Refrigerate the Pie?
Yes, your buttermilk pie should be refrigerated after baking. Make sure to cover it with plastic wrap so that the top of the pie stays fresh. You can then keep your pie in the fridge for up to a week.
How to Make this Recipe without the Orange
If you want to make buttermilk pie but don’t want to have the added orange flavor from the recipe, have no fear! We can make that happen.
To remove the orange flavor, simply replace the orange zest with lemon zest and omit the orange juice. You may add an extra tsp of vanilla if you so desire. Then, bake as normal. The baking time should not be affected drastically.
If you liked this Orange Buttermilk Pie recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment on this post letting me know what you thought. Also, share a photo of your creation on Facebook or Instagram and tag @TheForeignFork and hashtag #TheForeignFork. And if you liked this pie recipe, check out these other desserts as well:
- Pumpkin Pie with Dulce de Leche
- Chocolate Molten Lava Cake Recipe
- Fast and Easy Maple Cookies
- Sesame Seed Cookies from Central African Republic
Orange Buttermilk Pie
Ingredients
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup cream
- 3 eggs
- ¾ c sugar
- 2 tbsp Flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup butter melted and cooled slightly
- ⅓ cup fresh squeezed orange juice from about 1 navel orange
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp orange zest from about 2 navel oranges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium saucepan, heat buttermilk and cream. Use a whisk to stir the combination repeatedly, and continue stirring until the edges begin to bubble and the milk is steaming. Do not allow it to boil. Remove from the burner and allow to cool.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer until just combined. Add the sugar, flour, and salt, and then beat again until everything is combined.
- Add the melted (and slightly cooled) butter and the orange juice into the bowl and beat one more time until just combined.
- Add the vanilla and the orange zest into the bowl and hand mix.
- Then, add the buttermilk mixture. Add about ¼ cup into the bowl at first, and hand mix together. This will bring up the temperature of the eggs so that they don’t scramble when combined with the hot cream. Add the cream into the mixing bowl, ¼ of the mixture at one time, mixing after each addition.
- Place your desired 9” pie crust (I used store bought) on an open air cookie sheet. Pour the pie filling into the pie crust, then carry the cookie sheet and pie to the oven. This will catch any spills that the pie may have.
- Place the cookie sheet with the pie on it in the oven and bake for about 60 minutes, until the edges are set, but the middle still jiggles a bit and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Enjoy! Leave a comment on this post letting me know what you thought!
Erma Beckford says
This sounds good & I have everything I need on hand! (We have our own orange tree!!)
Will make !
The Foreign Fork says
Hi Erma,
You are so lucky! Having my own orange tree sounds like a dream. Enjoy the pie!