Buttermilk Pumpkin Pie Recipe (No Evaporated Milk)
Buttermilk goes into both the crust and filling of this pumpkin pie recipe without milk, making it deliciously tangy and tart. Even though there’s no whole milk it isn’t a vegan recipe, in fact I’d serve each chilled slice with a generous spoonful of bourbon vanilla whipped cream.
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Have you been searching for a pumpkin pie recipe without half-and-half or evaporated milk? This version uses buttermilk in both the homemade crust and the filling.
My mom’s classic pumpkin pie has everything I want in a traditional Thanksgiving dessert. But if you like a little tang with your sweet, let me introduce you to buttermilk pumpkin pie.
Don’t skip the bourbon vanilla whipped cream either! Spoon it generously over a chilled slice, and you’ve got a delicious pie worth saving room for this holiday season.
What Makes This The Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe From Scratch?
- Buttermilk adds a little tang to the sweet pumpkin filling.
- Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg add warmth without overpowering the pumpkin.
- A homemade butter crust gives each slice a rich base.
- Bourbon vanilla whipped cream adds a finishing touch.
- Bake it a day ahead for a make-ahead Thanksgiving dessert.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Buttermilk Pie Crust
- All-purpose flour: Gives the pie dough its structure; save self-rising flour for another bake.
- Kosher salt: Seasons the crust so it tastes buttery rather than bland; I use Morton kosher salt.
- Cold unsalted butter: Leave small pieces in the dough to help create flaky pastry.
- Cold buttermilk: Brings the dough together in place of the ice water used in many butter crusts.
For the Pumpkin Filling
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the custard
- All-purpose flour: A small amount helps to thicken the filling so it sets properly
- Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg: Add warmth without needing a premixed pumpkin spice blend.
- Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the other flavors.
- Large eggs: Help the pumpkin custard set into a filling you can slice.
- Pumpkin puree: Choose plain canned pumpkin, not sweetened pumpkin pie filling.
- Melted butter: Adds richness; let it cool slightly before mixing with the eggs.
- Lemon juice: Brings out the buttermilk’s tartness.
- Buttermilk: Gives the filling its distinctive flavor; keep it rather than substituting another milk.
For the Bourbon Vanilla Whipped Cream
- Cold heavy cream: Whips into a fluffy topping; keep it refrigerated until needed.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the cream without a grainy texture.
- Bourbon: Adds flavor to the uncooked topping; omit it for an alcohol-free version.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the whipped cream with or without bourbon.
Let’s Bake It!
For the Crust:
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add butter pieces and toss in the flour to coat. Using a pastry blender or your fingers blend butter into flour until butter is in small pebble-sized pieces.
Add buttermilk and using your hands squeeze buttermilk into flour mixture until a dough holds together. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day in advance.
Heat oven to 375°F and arrange rack in the bottom third of the oven. Roll dough into a 1/4-inch thick circle on a lightly floured surface. Line a 10-inch pie pan or a 9-inch deep dish pie pan with the dough.
Trim dough to an inch overhang and pinch the sides to create a decorative edge. Use any extra dough to fill any cracks. Freeze for at least 15 minutes before baking.
Set pie plate on a baking sheet and line with a piece of parchment paper or foil. Fill foil with dried beans or pie weights and bake crust on the bottom rack for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, remove foil with beans and return to the oven to bake until bottom is dry, about another 10 minutes. Set on a wire rack to cool.
For the filling:
In a medium bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg.
Beat eggs in a separate large bowl until smooth. Add sugar mixture and whisk until smooth. add the pumpkin, butter, lemon juice, and buttermilk. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
Pour filling into the homemade pie crust and place crust on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake until the outer edge is set and the middle is still pretty loose but not watery about 45-55 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely then cover loosely and chill until cold or serve at room temperature.
To make the whipped cream:
- Combine all ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk until fluffy, white peaks form.
- Serve pie chilled with whipped cream.
My Best Advice for a Flaky Pie Crust
An all-butter crust can be challenging to work with. Here are my best tips for preventing a tough crust.
- Keep everything ice-cold: Chill your butter thoroughly. Return the dough to the fridge if the butter softens at any point.
- Leave visible, pea-sized butter chunks: Work the butter into the flour only until distinct pieces remain, which will melt in the oven to create steam pockets and flaky layers.
- Handle and knead as little as possible: Mix and shape the dough with a light touch to prevent gluten from overdeveloping, which causes toughness.
- Freeze before baking: After you’ve lined the pie plate with the dough, freeze for at least 15 minutes (or up to a day in advance) before baking. This will prevent shrinkage in the oven.
Why Did My Buttermilk Pumpkin Pie Crack?
Buttermilk has significantly higher water content, much less fat, and higher acidity than traditional pumpkin pie made with evaporated milk or heavy cream. The lack of fat and excess moisture means the pie takes longer to set, while the extra acid causes the egg proteins to coagulate too quickly and tightly, tearing the surface open as it cools.
The flour in the filling stabilizes the custard by absorbing excess liquid and preventing those egg proteins from over-tightening but it still may crack a little on the surface as it cools.
If this bothers you try:
- Whipped cream: Pipe rosettes along the crack or spread an even layer of the bourbon whipped cream across the entire top.
- Sugared cranberries or candied pecans: Arrange them in a crescent or diagonal line directly over the fissure.
- Pastry cutouts: Bake a few decorative leaf or acorn shapes from leftover pie dough and arrange them over the center.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Leftovers
- Make ahead: Prepare the dough or bake the pie up to 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated and whip the cream close to serving for a more stress-free Thanksgiving dessert.
- Storage: Refrigerate any leftover pie and whipped cream separately. Cover both with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Pumpkin pie freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Serving leftovers: Enjoy chilled with whipped cream (my preference is for breakfast).
Planning Your Thanksgiving Menu?
With your make-ahead pumpkin pie chilling in the fridge, you can turn your attention to dinner. Start with my Thanksgiving turkey, add a wild rice salad, or a simple kale salad with my favorite parmesan salad dressing and choose a side from my favorite mashed potato recipes. Just save room for a slice—and a generous spoonful of bourbon whipped cream!
For a second pie, add my Macintosh apple pie. Or make a batch of soft pumpkin cookies for anyone who wants a smaller dessert.
Still deciding which pumpkin pie to bake? Browse my favorite pumpkin pie recipes for more ideas, from classic fillings to something a little different.
FAQs
Why add buttermilk to pumpkin pie?
A little tang makes all the difference! Buttermilk balances the sweet pumpkin filling and warm spices, giving each bite a brighter flavor than the traditional version.
Is this pumpkin pie dairy-free?
No. Buttermilk is a dairy product, and this recipe also contains butter and heavy cream. “Without milk” here means without regular milk, evaporated milk, or sweetened condensed milk.
Can I use a store-bought pie crust?
Yes, a store-bought pie crust can save preparation time. Choose a deep-dish pie shell that holds the filling and follow the package directions for partially baking it.
Buttermilk Pumpkin Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
- 5 tablespoons cold buttermilk, plus 1-4 tablespoons more as needed
For the Filling:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 large eggs
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the whipped cream:
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Crust
- Combine the 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl. Add the 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, and toss to coat. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, blend the butter into the flour until it is in small, pebble-sized pieces.
- Add the 5 tablespoons cold buttermilk. Gently squeeze it into the flour mixture. Add an additional 1-4 tablespoons of buttermilk as needed, a little at a time, until the dough holds together. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.
- Heat the oven to 375°F and arrange a rack in the bottom third. Roll the dough into a 1/4-inch-thick circle on a lightly floured surface. If the dough starts to crack or become too sticky, stick in the freezer for 15 minutes then continue to roll. Line a 10-inch pie pan or a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan with the dough.
- Trim the edges so there is only a 1-inch overhand. Fold and crimp the overhang then place crust in the freezer for at least 15 minutes (or up to overnight).
- Set the pie pan on a baking sheet. Line the crust with parchment paper or foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the lining and weights, then bake for about 10 more minutes, until the bottom looks dry. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Keep the oven at 375°F.
For the Filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
- Beat the 3 large eggs in a separate large bowl until smooth. Add the sugar mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Add the can of pumpkin puree, 4 tablespoons melted butter, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 cup buttermilk. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust. Return the pie, on its baking sheet, to the rack in the bottom third of the oven. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the outer filling is set and the center still jiggles gently. The filling will continue to set as it cools.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cover loosely and refrigerate within 2 hours of baking, then chill until cold and fully set or serve at room temperature.
For the Whipped Cream
- Combine the 1 cup cold heavy cream, 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons bourbon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Whisk until fluffy peaks form, stopping before the cream becomes grainy.
- Serve the chilled pie with the whipped cream.
Notes
- Preventing Surface Cracks: Buttermilk is higher in water and acid than heavy cream or evaporated milk, which causes egg proteins to set more firmly and can lead to cracking if overbaked. The flour in this filling is essential to stabilize the custard and absorb excess moisture—do not skip it. Pull the pie from the oven when the outer 2 inches are set and the center 2 to 3 inches still has a gentle gelatin wobble; it will finish firming up on the counter without tearing.
- Buttermilk: If you can find whole-milk buttermilk use that instead of low-fat or fat-free varieties. The extra milk fat enriches the filling, softens the acidity, and provides extra insurance against curdling or cracking. If you can’t find it, the recipe will still be great, it just might crack a little on top.
- Cooling & Setting: Allow the pie to cool slowly on a wire rack at room temperature for at least 2 to 3 hours before transferring it to the refrigerator. A sudden plunge into cold temperatures can shock the delicate buttermilk custard and trigger cracks.
- Make-Ahead & Chilling: Because of the buttermilk base, this pie tastes even better after chilling overnight, allowing the tangy, spiced flavors to meld. Whip the bourbon cream just before serving so it retains its light, billowy texture.
