Buttermilk Lemon Chess Pie



lemon buttermilk pie

A light, fresh-tasting version of one of my family favorites.  Definitely a crowd-pleaser!  Feel free to use your very best pie crust recipe; I'll confess right off the bat that I use a (quality) frozen crust.  I always have one in the freezer in case the urge to bake a pie or quiche strikes.  You'll need a deep-dish pie crust for all this yummy filling!

Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. flour
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
  • zest of 1 lemon (organic if possible)
  • juice from 1 1/2 lemons
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 9-inch pie shell

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, heating a baking sheet inside.  Prick the bottom of your pie crust with a fork.  If you have fancy pie weights to keep the crust from puffing up, use them!  I just keep an eye on it.  Place your crust on the warm baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, just until the bottom is starting to get golden.  Remove pie crust and baking sheet from oven and let them rest.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until they are a fluffy light yellow.  Beat in the flour (no lumps!) and then the buttermilk.  Beat in the rest of the ingredients and stir until everything is well mixed.  Pour mixture into pie crust.  Carefully slide the baking sheet with the pie crust back into the oven (on the middle rack).  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  You can test the pie's done-ness by giving the baking sheet a slight shake.  The very middle of the pie will jiggle slightly, but set as it cools.  Let the pie cool to room temperature on a rack, then refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.  Enjoy!