By I turned thirteen today. It felt bigger than I expected. Mama made sweet potato pie instead of cake because I've never been a cake person. The whole family sang to me at dinner and Kayla drew a big "13" on my plate with whipped cream.
Daddy gave me the used laptop he'd been saving for. I immediately started typing some of my recipes on it. Jamal gave me a new basketball so I could practice with him. I told him I'd still beat him at cooking even if I couldn't shoot.
Jada came over after school with a handmade card that said "Future Dr. Robinson." We sat on the porch eating pie and talking about how fast time moves. She said she can't believe we were in the gym during the flood just a few months ago.
Saturday MawMaw Shirley made a special gumbo for my birthday. I stirred the roux and she watched with proud eyes. She told me thirteen is the age when you start carrying more responsibility and more dreams. I left her house feeling taller.
At night I sat with my new laptop open and my old notebook beside it. Thirteen years old, still with my round cheeks and the small beauty mark under my left eye, and I feel like the roux of my life just turned a deeper shade. The flood taught me resilience, MawMaw taught me patience, and my family taught me love. I'm not rushing into the rest of my life. I'm stirring it with care and excitement.
Sitting on that porch with Jada, eating pie and talking about time, I realized birthday pie isn’t just dessert—it’s a whole feeling. I wanted to make something that matched turning thirteen: rich and a little complex, sweet but with real depth. This Malted Chocolate Buttermilk Pie felt exactly right, because just like MawMaw’s gumbo, it asks you to slow down and trust the process. Here’s how I made it.
Malted Chocolate Buttermilk Pie
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes (plus cooling) | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup malted milk powder
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup whole buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Whipped cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 350°F. Place the unbaked pie crust in a 9-inch pie dish and crimp the edges as desired. Set aside on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, malted milk powder, cocoa powder, and salt until evenly blended with no lumps.
- Add the wet ingredients. Pour in the melted butter and whisk until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla extract until the filling is silky and uniform.
- Fill the crust. Pour the chocolate filling into the prepared pie crust. The filling will be thin—this is expected and will set as it bakes.
- Bake. Place the baking sheet with the pie in the oven and bake for 45–50 minutes, until the edges are set and the center has just a slight jiggle when gently nudged. Do not overbake.
- Cool completely. Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. The filling will firm up as it cools.
- Serve. Slice and top each piece with a generous dollop of whipped cream. For a festive touch, use the back of a spoon or a piping bag to write a name or number on top—just like Kayla would.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 380 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Carbs: 44g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 210mg