Chess Pie Recipe

Chess pie is a southern classic custard pie that is sweet and rich in flavor. It’s the perfect dessert for holidays and other gatherings.

Chess pie is a dessert with a filling composed mainly of flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and milk, characteristic of Southern United States cuisine. Chess pie is made with pantry staples, so no need to make a trip to the store. This pie is an old fashion southern favorite, that alot of our grandmothers cooked often. I remember my great grandmother cooking this pie for every holiday. It was one of my favorite’s pies, but I never knew the name of it until recently, when I had a visit with my aunt. It was then that not only did my aunt tell me the name of the pie, but she also taught me how to make it. I don’t think my family will ever celebrate another holiday without this amazing chess pie for dessert.

The history of chess pie.

Chess pie was brought from England originally and was found in New England as well as Virginia. It is likely derived from recipes for cheese less cheesecake that appeared in cookbooks as early as the 17th century, such as in Martha Washington’s Booke of Cookery and the English A True Gentlewoman’s Delight (1653). A recipe explicitly called chess pie appeared in the 1877 cookbook by Estelle Woods Wilcox, Buckeye Cookery.

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Equipment Needed:

Baking sheet

Measuring cups and spoons

Medium mixing bowl

Ingredients:

Pie Crust– You can use a homemade pie crust or a store-bought frozen pie crust.

Butter– You will need to melt the butter and let it cool before adding it with the other ingredients.

Sugar– Another main ingredient in this recipe is sugar. Traditional Chess pie calls for two cups of sugar.

Flour– A small amount of all-purpose flour is used for thickening of the pie.

Cornmeal– Yellow cornmeal is used in a traditional chess pie, but white cornmeal will work just fine. Cornmeal is used to help the pie thicken; it also brings additional sweetness to the pie.

eggs– Eggs are main ingredient in a chess pie.

milk– Whole milk is best but can be substituted for whatever kind of milk you have on hand.

Salt–

Vinegar– White Vinegar adds a tang to the pie, you can also use lemon juice in the place of vinegar

Vanilla extract-Is used to enhance the flavors.

How to make Chess Pie?

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl combine sugar, cornmeal, flour, salt, melted butter, milk, white vinegar, and vanilla extract. Stir until it is well blended. Then add the eggs and stir to combine.
3. Pour filling into pie crust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until the middle is set. (It may still be a little jiggly, that is fine)
5. Let pie cool for 2-4 hours on a baking rack. Once cooled, place pie in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

Can you make Chess pie ahead of time?

Yes. Wrap pie in foil or place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. When ready to serve, place the pie on the counter for two hours to bring to room temperature before serving.

Chess pie can also be frozen for up to three months. Make sure pie is wrapped with foil tightly, place it in the freezer. Let pie thaw overnight either in the fridge or on the counter.

Nutrition Facts

Serves 8

More Southern Dessert Recipes:

OLD-FASHION PEACH COBBLER RECIPE–Juicy peaches, baked into a savory and buttery crust. This Old-Fashion Peach Cobbler recipe is a popular summertime dessert.

BANANA PUDDING RECIPE (NO BAKE)–One of the best banana pudding recipes you will find on the internet, plus there is no baking required so it’s so easy to put together.

CLASSIC PEACH PIE RECIPE–has a sweet and delilous peach filling baked in the middle of two pie crusts. Making it the sweetest summer dessert.

LIBBY’S FAMOUS PUMPKIN PIE– Enjoy this traditional pumpkin pie recipe for holidays or any other family gatherings

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Chess Pie Recipe

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Chess pie is a southern classic custard pie that is sweet and rich in flavor. It’s the perfect dessert for holidays and other gatherings.

• Author: Erica Ott
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cool: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: dessert
• Method: baked
• Cuisine: southern

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

1 prepared Pie Crust (homemade or store bought, unbaked)

½ cup butter, melted

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

¼ cup milk

4 eggs

1 tablespoon white vinegar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   2. In a mixing bowl combine sugar, cornmeal, flour, salt, melted butter, milk, white vinegar, and vanilla extract. Stir until it is well blended. Then add the eggs and stir to combine.
   3. Pour filling into pie crust.
   4. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until the middle is set. (It may still be a little jiggly, that is fine)
   5. Let pie cool for 2-4 hours on a baking rack. Once cooled place pie in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

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Equipment

Measuring Cups and Spoons Set 11 Piece

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Ceramic Pie Pan

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Keywords: Chess pie