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Chess Pie

Chess Pie

Ingredients

Pie Crust


  • 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts

  • pie weights or dried beans

  • aluminum foil


Chess Pie


  • 2 cups sugar

  • 2 tablespoons cornmeal

  • 1 tablespoon 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

  • Powdered sugar, for garnish

Chess pie is most commonly associated as a dessert of the American South. Common types of chess pie are buttermilk, chocolate, lemon, and nut. Little is definitively known about chess pie's origins, but its similarities to English lemon curd pie have inspired popular theories that the dish descends from early English settlers in the Virginia colony.

Instructions

STEP 1



Bake Pie Crust: Fit piecrust in a 9-inch pieplate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp. Line pastry with aluminum foil. Fill with dried beans or pie weights and bake at 425° for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove weights and foil; bake 2 more minutes or until golden. Cool.



STEP 2



Make Pie: Stir together sugar, cornmeal, flour, salt, melted butter, milk, white vinegar, and vanilla extract until blended. Add eggs, and stir well before pouring into piecrust.



STEP 3



Bake at 350° for 50 to 55 minutes, shielding edges with aluminum foil after 10 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool completely on a wire rack. If desired, garnish with powdered sugar.



Variation:



Coconut Chess Pie: Prepare filling as directed above; stir in 1 cup toasted flaked coconut before pouring into piecrust. Bake as directed above.



Recipe and image courtesy of Old Fashioned Chess Pie Recipe | Southern Living

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