Chess Pie Recipe

Chess Pie is a delicious classic that’s perfect for a celebration or holiday gathering. Its multi-layer decadence, luscious texture and sweet, rich flavor is simply sublime!

Chess pie is a popular dessert in the American South that originated from England. It is a custard style pie with a crisp browned topping.

It is generally made up of a traditional pie crust while the filling consists of eggs, milk or buttermilk, flour, sugar and often vinegar or lemon.

You’ll love this pie not only for it’s irresistible sweet flavor but also because it’s one of the easier pies to make.

No peeling and chopping loads of fruit or making a tricky curd or meringue. Rather here you just blend some standard baking ingredients and pour into a pie crust and bake.

There are actually several beliefs as to where the name originally came from. You can read about three of them here.

I like this version best because of the browned butter. This secret ingredient is the ultimate upgrade to chess pie.

And once you try it this way I have the feeling it’s the only way you’ll make it from here on out!

My favorite pie crust recipe is the one I’ve used here, omitting the sugar (since this pie is already plenty sweet). Prepare through step 2 as directed then follow recipe here as directed.

Chess Pie

A rich, sweet and decadent Southern pie made with simple ingredients. This variation includes browning the butter to really upgrade the flavor of the pie.

Prep: 30min

Total: 190min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 452 kcal, Carbohydrate 48 g, Protein 6 g, Fat 27 g, Saturated Fat 16 g, Cholesterol 156 mg, Sodium 293 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 32 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 prepared pie crust ((homemade* or store-bought, unbaked))
• 1/2 cup (113g) salted butter, (diced into 1-Tbsp pieces)
• 1 1/4 cup (250g) granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp (22g) cornmeal
• 1 Tbsp (10g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs

Instruction:

1. Roll pie crust out about 12-inches then roll up around rolling pin and transfer to a standard pie plate. Unroll and shape into pie plate and decorate edges as desired. Chill until crust is firm, at least 1 hour.
2. Melt butter in a medium, light-colored skillet. Let cook, stirring frequently until it has a nutty aroma and has browned (careful not to burn it, it should be an amber brown). Pour into a dish and let cool 1 hour.
3. Place a baking sheet in oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. In a mixing bowl beat eggs lightly to blend.
5. In a separate mixing bowl whisk together granulated sugar, cornmeal, flour and salt.
6. Pour in browned butter, milk, vinegar and vanilla to sugar mixture and blend. Add eggs and mix until well combined.
7. Pour into prepared crust and bake on baking sheet in preheated oven until edges are set but center just wiggles slightly, about 45 – 55 minutes.
8. Transfer to a wire rack to cool 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Store pie in refrigerator.

Chess Pie

Chess pie is a decadent combination of butter, sugar, eggs and and milk and tastes as sweet and custardy as you can imagine.

Prep: 15min

Total: 3h15min

Yield: 6 – 8 serving(s)

Ingredients:

• 1 unbaked pie crust, store bought or homemade
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 2 c. granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 3 tbsp. yellow cornmeal
• 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c. milk, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Powdered sugar for garnish, optional

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the piecrust into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate (no more than 1 ¼” deep). Tuck the edges under and crimp as desired. Freeze for 20 minutes. Prick the bottom of the crust 8-10 times, all over, with a fork.
3. Line the frozen piecrust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes just until the edges of the crust are dry. Carefully remove the paper with weights. Return to the oven for 3-5 minutes until the bottom of the crust is dry and the edges just start to turn light brown. Let cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
4. Place the melted butter and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk in the eggs, then the cornmeal and flour. Add the milk, lemon juice, vanilla extract and pinch of salt and mix to combine.
5. Carefully pour the filling into the crust. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the edges and center of pie are set completely. (Tent the pie with foil towards the end if either the crust or surface of the pie look darker than golden brown). Let the pie cool completely, about 2 hours. Garnish with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, if desired.

Old Fashioned Chess Pie Recipe

Old fashioned chess pie is a Southern staple. This gooey custard pie is made with egg, milk, sugar, and cornmeal, and becomes a sweet and creamy pie with a crisp golden-brown crust.

Prep: 20min

Total: 135min

Yield: 6

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (unsalted, melted)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp cornmeal
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
• 9 inch pie crust (homemade or store-bought)

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, add the butter, sugar, and vanilla together. Mix the ingredients until well combined.
3. Add in the eggs, cornmeal, milk, and vinegar. Mix the ingredients until well combined.
4. Place the pie crust in the 9-inch pie pan.
5. Pour in the pie filling.
6. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
7. Let cool for about 45 minutes.
8. Serve & enjoy.

HOW TO MAKE A SOUTHERN CLASSIC CHESS PIE

FAQ

What makes a chess pie a chess pie?

What’s the difference between a chess pie and a buttermilk pie?

What is the difference between chess pie and regular pie?

Is crack pie the same as chess pie?