Old Fashioned Chess Pie Recipe
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
This Old Fashioned Chess Pie recipe is one of my favorites! Its gooey, buttery flavor is very sweet and rich, and it’s the perfect sweet ending to any holiday meal or special occasion.
💌 Save this article
Enter your email and have it sent to your inbox!
Old Fashioned Chess Pie Recipe
I love desserts- the sweeter, the better! (It’s terrible, I know. I wish I felt the same way about kale or maybe garbanzos, but I don’t… 😉 )
One of my favorite Holiday desserts is Chess Pie. I don’t make it often, but when I do, I want to ensure we have a large crowd to feed since a tiny piece of chess pie goes a long way. (And I don’t want to be the one eating most of the pie!)
Chess pie is a quintessential Southern dessert: gooey, buttery, sweet, and incredibly rich. It’s known for its unique, silky texture, which pairs beautifully with its crisp, golden crust. This classic recipe is perfect for special gatherings when only the most indulgent dessert will do.
Why You Should Make This Chess Pie Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: Just eggs, sugar, butter, and a few others.
- Quick to Prepare: Prep time is minimal, so you can focus on enjoying your pie.
- Gooey and Rich Flavor: It’s the ultimate comfort dessert.
- Perfect for Special Occasions: Impress guests with this timeless treat.
Since we were having so many family members over for Thanksgiving, I decided to make two—a Classic Chess Pie and a Toasted Coconut Chess Pie. (By the way, the toasted coconut was the favorite of the gathering, so if you like coconut, I highly recommend giving it a try.)
Have you ever made a chess pie? It’s really very easy and just a few ingredients.
Ingredients and Substitutions
(Ingredients at a glance; you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Pie Crust: Use a store-bought crust or your favorite homemade recipe.
- Sugar (2 cups): Provides the pie’s sweetness. Swap with brown sugar for a caramel-like flavor.
- Cornmeal (2 tablespoons): Adds texture. Cornbread mix can be substituted in a pinch.
- All-purpose Flour (1 tablespoon): Thickens the filling.
- Salt (1/4 teaspoon)
- Butter (1/2 cup, melted): Use unsalted butter. If you only have salted, just omit the additional salt from the recipe.
- Milk (1/4 cup): Whole milk is best, but any milk or cream can be used.
- White Vinegar (1 tablespoon): Balances out the flavor. An equal amount of lemon or lime juice will work as a substitute for the vinegar.
- Vanilla Extract (1/2 teaspoon): Adds depth. Almond extract works too.
- Eggs (4 large, lightly beaten): The base of the filling.
How to make Chess Pie
1 Prep the Crust: Add pie crust to a 9-inch pie plate and prepare the following package instructions- you will need to pre-bake the pie crust for this recipe. (Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork. Bake for 9–11 minutes, or until lightly browned.)
2 Mix: Stir together sugar and the next seven ingredients until blended. (sugar, cornmeal, all-purpose flour, melted butter, milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract.) Add the eggs, stirring well. Pour into the pie crust.
3 Bake: Bake at 350° for 50 to 55 minutes. After about 10 minutes, cover the edges of the pie crust with a pie shield or foil to prevent the crust from burning. (If using foil, don’t cover the entire pie; it might stick to the center and ruin the pretty golden brown crispy top. Yes, I know this from experience…)
4 Cool: Cool completely on a wire rack. (2 to 4 hours) Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe Tips
- If working with a frozen pie crust, let it come to room temperature on the counter; it will be easier to work with. This will also help prevent the crust from cracking when you roll it out.
- Cover pie edges after 10 minutes to prevent burning. You can use a pie shield (so handy) or foil.
- Cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours to set properly.
- Refrigerate before serving to enhance the flavors and help with the pie setup
variations
- Toasted coconut: I have personally made this version and it was a favorite. I have included the complete instructions in the FAQ section below.
- Lemon Chess Pie: Add an additional two tablespoons of lemon juice for a citrusy twist.
- Chocolate Chess Pie: Mix in 1/4 cup of cocoa powder for a chocolaty version.
Storage Suggestions
After baking, a chess pie needs to cool and come to room temperature, which usually takes 2-4 hours. After cooling, the pie should be placed in the refrigerator. Cover loosely with plastic wrap until serving. The pie may be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.
To freeze leftovers, wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Separate the wrapped slices with parchment paper and place the container in the freezer. When ready to eat, thaw the pie overnight in the refrigerator.
FAQs
What is a Chess Pie?
Chess pies are what you might call a Southern dessert. They are made with a simple filling of eggs, sugar, butter, and a small amount of flour. There are a few different Chess Pie versions floating around – some include cornmeal (like mine) and others are made with vinegar.
Are Chess Pies and Buttermilk Pies the Same?
Buttermilk pie is more of a custard-like pie. Its basic filling consists of a mixture of sugar, butter, eggs, buttermilk, and flour, but it does not include cornmeal or vinegar like a chess pie.
Do You Need to Refrigerate a Chess Pie?
Yes, allow it to cool to room temperature first, then refrigerate. This helps it set properly.
How to make a Toasted Coconut Chess pie.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spread 1 cup of coconut evenly out on a cookie sheet. Place the coconut in the oven and keep your eye on it. As it starts to toast to a pretty golden brown, you will want to stir the coconut around 2 or 3 times until most of the coconut is evenly toasted.
- Prepare pie as directed above; stir in the toasted flaked coconut before pouring it into the pie crust. Bake as directed above.
More Holiday Pie Recipes
Pin this recipe for later.
Did You Make This Chess Pie Recipe?
Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. If you share an image on Instagram or Facebook, be sure to tag me and use #scatteredmomrecipes!
Print
Old Fashioned Chess Pie Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes, plus cooling time
- Yield: 8 slices 1x
- Category: dessert
- Method: oven
Description
This Old Fashioned Chess Pie recipe is one of my favorites! It’s gooey, buttery flavor is very sweet and rich. and is the perfect sweet ending to any holiday meal or special occasion.
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated pie crusts (or use your favorite pie crust recipe)
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs lightly beaten
💌 Save this article
Enter your email and have it sent to your inbox!
Instructions
- Add pie crust to a 9-inch pie plate and prepare the following package instructions- you will need to pre-bake the pie crust for this recipe. (Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork. Bake for 9–11 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Stir together sugar and the next 7 ingredients until blended. Add the eggs, stirring well. Pour into the pie crust.
- Bake at 350° for 50 to 55 minutes. After about 10 minutes, cover the edges of the pie crust with foil to prevent the crust from burning. (Just don’t cover the entire pie; it might stick to the center and ruin the pretty golden brown crispy top. Yes, I know this from experience.)
- Cool completely on a wire rack. (2 to 4 hours)
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
*For recipe tips, variations, storage suggestions, and FAQs, see above in the post.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 448
- Fat: 21
- Carbohydrates: 65
- Protein: 5
Don't miss any more posts!
