Nana’s Delicious Chocolate Buttermilk Pie Recipe

The buttermilk pie has an origin in the United Kingdom and was considered a royal dish. Traditionally, a classic buttermilk pie filling is made from buttermilk, eggs, sugar, and a small flour. On the other hand, the pie crust follows that same traditional flaky texture that cuts through the creamy richness of the buttermilk pie. And once you add chocolate to the buttermilk filling, it is like a heavenly bliss that you will never forget. The fork cuts through the pie like butter, but it is so soft that you will be licking your fork clean.

Why Buttermilk?

The buttermilk pie has a unique custard-like mouthfeel, and that is exactly because of the buttermilk. The partial consistency of liquid and cream of butter works perfectly with butter, eggs, chocolate or cocoa powder, and sugar.

You may think that the pie is going to be very sweet, but no. The buttermilk has a creamy and tangy taste profile that cuts through the extreme sweetness of the pie. It perfectly balances out the saltiness of the flaky crust, bitterness of the chocolate, and sweetness of the filling. Moreover, it also helps a lot keep the pie super moist and custard-like even after chilling it at room temperature or even in the refrigerator.

Serving Ideas

Even though this chocolate buttermilk pie is a complete tasting package itself, you can always add your favorite toppings to enhance the beauty and flavor. Our personal favorite is serving with a scoop of vanilla or salted caramel ice cream.

You can also sprinkle some flaky salt over the top if you like it as it is. Another famous serving idea is a dollop of whipped cream, either vanilla or chocolate or even salted caramel. We also like to add mini chocolate chips on the top as well.

Substitutes and Variations

• Substitute to buttermilk: You can run out of buttermilk or maybe not find it at a grocery store. Or you can forget to buy one too. Do not worry, and you can always make buttermilk at home. All you need is milk and a source of citric acid like vinegar or lemon juice. We recommend ½ tbsp of vinegar or lemon in a cup of milk. The taste and texture will be the same as store-bought buttermilk.
• Salted Caramel: Salted Caramel goes perfectly with the tanginess of buttermilk and the richness of the chocolate. If you are not using it as a topping, you can add a little to the batter.
• Cocoa powder versus melted chocolate: If you are adding good quality cocoa powder, it is fine. But when it comes to melted chocolate, you might need to cut down 10 percent quantity of the buttermilk to avoid sogginess. Also, it might take a little bit longer to cook too. You can always change the consistency with a toothpick.
• Nuts: Feel free to add almonds, pecans, and walnuts. But do remember that they have high-fat content. So, you will need to cut 5 percent of butter against ½ cup to 1 cup nuts.