Chess Pie Recipe

Chess pie is a southern classic that comes together with a few simple ingredients and minimal effort! Perfect for the busy holiday season.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, British

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 5

Freeze Time 30

Total Time 1 45

Servings servings

Calories 405kcal

On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie dough into a 13-inch circle. Transfer to a standard 9-inch pie dish, tuck the edges under and crimp as desired.
Freeze for 30 minutes.
While freezing the crust, preheat the oven to 425F. Place the frozen crust on a rimmed baking sheet. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights.
Bake for 15 minutes until the edges are turning golden brown. Carefully remove the paper and pie weights. Let cool while making the filling.
Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
In a large bowl, add the eggs and beat until well blended. Add the sugar, butter, milk, cornmeal, flour, vinegar, and vanilla. Whisk until combined. Pour into the blind-baked crust.
Bake for 45 minutes, rotating the sheet pan halfway through, or until the filling is puffed, golden brown, and doesn’t wobble when the pan is gently shaken. Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Dust with powdered sugar if desired. Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 4 days.

Use room temperature ingredients: Set the eggs and milk out 30 minutes to an hour before you start baking so they rise to room temperature. This makes them easier to incorporate for a silky smooth custard.
Let the melted butter cool. Hot melted butter whisked into eggs will result in scrambled eggs, which is not the goal here! Once melted, let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to cool off slightly.
Let the pie cool completely before slicing. This gives the custard filling plenty of time to set up properly. If you slice it too soon, the filling will fall apart.
To prevent the pie crust from burning: If the pie crust edges start to brown too fast, cover them with aluminum foil. It will act as a shield.