There are two schools of thought on pie crusts: One is that the crust should be a neutral vessel that adds a little texture and flavor, but otherwise supports the filling. The other thought is that the crust is the real star—flakey, nutty, sweet, salty, spicy—whatever the flavor profile, the filling supports the crust, not the other way around.
Browned butter pie crust is in the “star” category. There are several browned butter crusts on the internet, but they all are short crusts, pressed into the pie shell. I needed a rolled double crust.
My solution was to make an oil pie crust with browned butter and buttermilk, adding a little raw cane sugar to the dough along with a sprinkling of sea salt on the top. The browned butter adds a toasty, caramelized note, while the buttermilk keeps the crust crumbly and adds a nice tang. If you really want to get fancy, make your own butter and buttermilk first. Find my homemade cultured butter recipe here. The byproduct is buttermilk – two for one.
I felt sorry for the apples. They definitely played second fiddle. The pie was totally gone at the end of dinner. Success!