Chess pie is a Southern staple dessert that is wonderfully sweet, rich, creamy, and buttery- making it perfect for any occasion! This simple, one-bowl recipe is easy to master and incredibly delicious! Go ahead and add it to your recipe box and you won't be disappointed!
Easy Chess Pie Recipe
Everyone knows that I love making desserts, but pies are one of my favorites! This chess pie specifically is so simple to make that it is perfect for everyone, whether you're a beginner or a seasoned baker.
It's tasty enough to be worthy of your holiday gatherings, but also easy enough to make for no reason at all! You don't have to deal with chopping up fruit or preparing meringue- just mix and bake!
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🥘 Chess Pie Ingredients
If you enjoy baking at all, you most likely already have these ingredients! You can use a store-bought crust for convenience or make a homemade pie crust.
- Butter Pie Crust - 1 butter pie crust. You can easily make this crust from scratch or use a store-bought one.
- Sugar - 1½ cups of sugar.
- Butter - ½ cup of melted butter.
- Milk - ¼ cup of room temperature milk. Using room temperature ingredients is ideal when baking in order to ensure your pie bakes evenly.
- Cornmeal - 3 tablespoons of cornmeal.
- Lemon Juice - 1½ tablespoons of lemon juice.
- Flour - 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour.
- Vinegar - 1 tablespoon of white vinegar.
- Vanilla - 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Salt - ¼ teaspoon of salt.
- Eggs - 4 large eggs at room temperature.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Chess Pie
This pie is going to be a breeze to make, no matter how much baking experience you have! For this pie, you'll need a rolling pin, a 9-inch pie plate, some aluminum foil, a mixing bowl, a whisk, and a wire cooling rack.
One 9-inch pie is equivalent to 8 servings. If you are serving an extra large group, go ahead and make two!
Prepare Crust
- Preheat. To get started, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Roll out your crust. Lightly flour your work surface and use a rolling pin to roll out your 1 pie crust in a 12-inch circle. Then, transfer the crust to a 9-inch pie plate. Crimp or trim the edges as desired, and then place it into the freezer for 20 minutes.
- Dock. Dock the crust by poking all over the entire surface with a fork, about 8-10 times.
- Par-Bake. Line the crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil and then fill it with either pie weights or beans. Bake it in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are dry. Remove the foil and pie weights and then bake for another 2-3 minutes, or until the edges are slightly browned. Remove the crust from the oven.
Prepare the Filling
- Mix sugar and butter. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add 1½ cups of granulated sugar and ½ cup of melted butter, whisking until combined.
- Add remaining ingredients. Next, add 3 tablespoons of cornmeal, 1 tablespoon of flour, ¼ cup of milk, ¼ teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, 1½ tablespoons of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Stir until combined and then whisk in the 4 eggs.
- Pour into crust. Carefully pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust.
- Bake. Place the pie into the hot oven and then immediately reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the pie has set. After about 20 minutes, you can cover the pie with a piece of foil to prevent it from browning too much.
- Cool. Remove the baked pie from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours).
I'm sure your guests will eat this whole pie in no time! Of course, you can always serve it with a dollop of whipped cream if you like. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Blind baking the crust helps to ensure that it won't get soggy from the custard filling.
- Using a store-bought crust is a great way to save time! However, I always love the homemade touch of making my own pie crust. My butter pie crust is perfect for this pie!
- Stir a cup of shredded coconut into the filling mixture for a tasty coconut variety!
🥡 Storing
Keep your chess pie covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze, allow your pie to cool completely. Then, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil, and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Chess pie and buttermilk pie have a similar list of ingredients and a custard-based filling. In short, the main difference is buttermilk itself! This acidic ingredient cuts the sweetness and alters the consistency of the pie.
You'll want to make sure to bake your pie until it is set and no longer jiggly. The internal temperature should read 180°F (82°C). If your pie still looks wet, leave it in the oven and turn it off. Keep the oven door open while it cools and sets.
Chess pie initially needs to cool completely (about 2-4 hours) at room temperature. However, it can remain at room temperature for up to 24 hours. After that, your chess pie does need to be stored in the refrigerator.
🥧 More Delicious Pie Recipes
- Apple Cranberry Pie - Combining apples and cranberries creates a sweet-yet-tart pie that is incredibly delicious!
- Sweet Potato Pie - This Southern classic is perfect for holiday festivities!
- Chocolate Pumpkin Pie - Add a twist to this classic pie by making a chocolate variety!
- Blueberry Pie - A double pie crust is loaded with sweet, fresh blueberries for a fantastic summer pie!
- Granny Smith Apple Pie - A classic apple pie that is chock full of granny Smith apples!
- Pecan Pie - Amazingly sweet and irresistible, this pecan pie is a traditional Southern staple!
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📖 Recipe Card
Chess Pie
Ingredients
- 1 butter pie crust (or store-bought crust)
- 1½ cups sugar
- ½ cup butter (melted)
- ¼ cup milk (room temperature)
- 3 tablespoon cornmeal
- 1½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Prepare Crust
- To get started, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Lightly flour your work surface and use a rolling pin to roll out your pie crust in a 12-inch circle. Then, transfer the crust to a 9-inch pie plate. Crimp or trim the edges as desired, and then place it into the freezer for 20 minutes.
- Dock the crust by poking all over the entire surface with a fork, about 8-10 times.
- Line the crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil and then fill it with either pie weights or beans. Bake it in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are dry. Remove the foil and pie weights and then bake for another 2-3 minutes, or until the edges are slightly browned. Remove the crust from the oven.
Prepare the Filling
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add your granulated sugar and melted butter, whisking until combined.
- Next, add the cornmeal, flour, milk, salt, vinegar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Stir until combined and then whisk in the eggs.
- Carefully pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust.
- Place the pie into the hot oven and then immediately reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the pie has set. After about 20 minutes, you can cover the pie with a piece of foil to prevent it from browning too much.
- Remove the baked pie from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours).
Notes
- Blind baking the crust helps to ensure that it won't get soggy from the custard filling.
- Using a store-bought crust is a great way to save time! However, I always love the homemade touch of making my own pie crust. My butter pie crust is perfect for this pie!
- Stir a cup of shredded coconut into the filling mixture for a tasty coconut variety!
- To store: Keep your chess pie covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To freeze: Allow your pie to cool completely. Then, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil, and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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