Chess Pie

Our chess pie is easy to make and impossible to stop eating. Always a Southern favorite. This pie is sure to please everyone who tastes it!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chess pie recipes

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Cooling Time 27

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 446kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

1 unbaked pie crust
1/2 cup unsalted butter, browned
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature + lightly beaten
powdered sugar for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Arrange the oven rack to the lower third of the oven cavity. Place baking sheet on rack. Preheat oven to 425ºF (218ºC).
Roll pie crust out, on a very lightly floured surface, into a 12-inch circle. Fit pie crust in an 8-inch standard pie plate. Fold edges under, and decoratively crimp or pinch the edges. Chill until crust is firm, at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a stainless steel skillet, not a non-stick or dark-colored bottom skillet, melt butter (1/2 cup), stirring often, until the butter browns and becomes a light amber color and has a nutty fragrance. Do not let the color of the butter go beyond light amber brown in color, it's very easy for it to burn so don't take your eyes off of it while cooking. Remove the skillet from heat and pour into a small bowl, using a rubber spatula to get every golden drop!!
Line the pastry with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Fill to the top with dried beans or pie weights. Bake at 425°F (218ºC), on the arranged oven shelf for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove weights and foil; bake for 2 more minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire baking rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF (177ºC).
In a mixing bowl, add sugar (2 cups), cornmeal (2 tablespoons), flour (1 tablespoon), and salt (1/4 teaspoon); Whisk until combined.
Add beaten eggs (4) and whisk until well combined.
To the sugar/flour mixture, add cooled browned butter, milk (1/4 cup), vinegar (1 tablespoon), and vanilla (1 teaspoon) to the sugar mixture and blend. Pour into cooled par-baked pie shell.
Place pie into a wire rack and cool preheated oven and bake until edges and center are set, about 45-55 minutes.
Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool for a minimum of 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Pie Plate Size: I like to bake this in an 8-inch standard pie plate. A 9-inch will work but the pie will be thinner.
Pie Plate Material: I like to use a metal pie plate when I blind-bake. I refrigerate the pie crust and pie plate for 1 hour, then pop it directly in the hot oven. Metal doesn’t react to these extreme temperature changes. You run the risk of glass or ceramic cracking,
Timing: Remember, when blind baking, I find that chilling it 1 hour before blind baking helps it not to shrink down on the sides. Also, the pie needs to rest before cutting.
Blind Bake: Don’t skip Blind baking. Just follow the directions below. It’s easy.
- My 2 tips are: use pie weights, dried beans, or a combo of both, and the second is to use a metal pie plate!
Reduce Oven Temperature: Don’t forget to reduce oven temperature after you’ve finished blind baking the pie crust. The oven starts out set at 425ºF (218ºC) for the crust. Then it’s reduced down to 350ºF (177ºC) to cook the custard.
Pie Shield: Prepare a pie shield before you bake the pie. When you need it, you need it immediately!
How To Tell When It’s Done: The pie is done baking when the edges are set, so is the center, and the top is golden brown. Remember it continues to set as it cools. Be sure not to over-bake the pie!
Let It Rest: The pie needs to set at room temperature for a few hours before cutting and serving.

Nutrition