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Chess Pie Recipe

Chess Pie

This classic Southern Chess Pie is a rich, sweet custard pie made from simple pantry ingredients like sugar, butter, eggs, and cornmeal. It bakes up with a silky filling and a golden, crackly top—perfect as an old-fashioned dessert for holidays or any cozy occasion.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Southern
Servings 8 servings
Calories 430 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 9-inch unbaked pie crust homemade or store-bought, chilled in the pan
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons fine yellow cornmeal
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup whole milk 2% can be used, but whole gives a richer custard
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • whipped cream or vanilla ice cream optional, for serving
  • flaky sea salt optional, for sprinkling on top

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the unbaked 9-inch pie crust into a pie dish if it is not already in one, crimp the edges, and refrigerate the crust while you prepare the filling so it stays cold.
    1 9-inch unbaked pie crust
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, fine yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, and salt until evenly combined and no streaks remain.
    1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons fine yellow cornmeal, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Pour the melted, slightly cooled unsalted butter into the dry mixture and whisk until the mixture looks sandy and thick. Some small clumps are fine; they will smooth out with the eggs.
    1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition, until the mixture becomes glossy and slightly thicker, forming the base of the custard filling.
    3 large eggs
  • Whisk in the whole milk, white vinegar, and vanilla extract until the filling is completely smooth and uniform. The mixture should be pourable but slightly thickened.
    1/4 cup whole milk, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Place the chilled pie crust on a baking sheet for easier handling. Pour the chess pie filling into the crust, leaving a small amount of space below the top edge of the crust.
    1 9-inch unbaked pie crust
  • If your crust tends to brown quickly, loosely cover the outer edges with strips of foil or use a pie shield before baking. You can also add this halfway through baking if the crust is browning too fast.
  • Bake the pie at 350°F (175°C) for 40–50 minutes, until the top is golden and slightly crackly and the center is mostly set but still has a tiny jiggle when you gently nudge the pan. If the top is browning too deeply, tent the pie loosely with foil.
  • Transfer the baked chess pie to a wire rack and let it cool completely, at least 3 hours. The custard will continue to set as it cools, so do not cut into it while it is warm if you want clean slices.
  • Slice the cooled pie with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts for neat slices. Serve at room temperature or chilled, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt if desired.
    whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, flaky sea salt

Notes

Variations: For lemon chess pie, add 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. For chocolate chess pie, add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and reduce the flour to 1 tablespoon. For brown sugar chess pie, replace half of the granulated sugar with light brown sugar. For coconut chess pie, fold in 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut. For nutty chess pie, sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans or toasted walnuts over the bottom of the crust before pouring in the filling. For buttermilk chess pie, replace the milk and vinegar with 1/4 cup buttermilk.
Storage: Cover the cooled pie and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To freeze, wrap the whole pie or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 30–45 minutes for slices.
Tips: Don’t skip the vinegar—it balances the sweetness. Use fine cornmeal for the classic texture. Bake until the center has only a slight jiggle, then let it cool completely for clean slices. A light-colored or glass pie pan helps prevent over-browning.

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal
Keyword Chess Pie, Classic Pie Recipe, Cornmeal Custard Pie, Custard Pie, Old-Fashioned Dessert, Southern Chess Pie
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