We’re making old-fashioned chess pie, a gooey custard pie made with simple ingredients. This easy pie recipe is a true Southern classic!
Hey Cousins! Today, we’re making an iconic Southern dessert—an easy homemade chess pie! Now, chess pie is not to be confused with buttermilk pie, which is very common. Buttermilk pie is not the same as chess pie. I shared my recipe for old-fashioned buttermilk pie a few years ago, and now I will show you how to make an old-fashioned chess pie!
Chess pie could not be easier to make. It’s a simple recipe that calls for basic ingredients, many of which you likely already have on hand.
What Is Chess Pie?
Simply put, chess pie is a custard pie. The essential ingredients—milk, eggs, and sugar—make a creamy custard base that sets as it cooks and creates a gooey pie with a golden brown crust. Cornmeal helps thicken up the pie, giving it that trademark gooey texture and perfect crust.
While chess pie is a staple Southern pie recipe, early settlers brought it over from England, where it originated as early as the 1700s. The first written recipes appeared in cookbooks like Martha Washington’s Booke of Cookery and the English A True Gentlewoman’s Delight, both published in the 17th century. Now, you can’t venture into the Southern states without finding a restaurant or bakery that offers a slice of traditional chess pie.
How Did Chess Pie Get Its Name?
Truly, there are many versions of the story of how chess pie got its name. Some believe it comes from the thick Southern accent saying, “it’s jus’ pie” when asked what kind of pie it is. Others say it comes from when folks stored pies in a “pie chest,” a crucial piece of furniture used to store pastries and other perishable foods in the olden days. Another popular theory is that chess pies got their name from an original ingredient, chestnut meal, which was used in place of cornmeal. Whatever the real story is, one thing is for sure—this pie is as delicious now as it was hundreds of years ago.
What Is in Chess Pie? Ingredients for Homemade Old-Fashioned Chess Pie
This old-fashioned chess pie recipe is made with simple ingredients, things I am sure you already have in your pantry! Here’s what you need to make a Southern chess pie:
- Eggs: room temperature eggs are key! This greatly helps the creamy texture of the custard.
- Sugar: plain ol’ granulated white sugar! Chess pie is SWEET. I use almost two whole cups of sugar.
- Milk: whole milk is my preferred milk, but some people like to use evaporated milk. Either is fine.
- Unsalted butter: make sure to melt the butter, or at least have it at room temperature, so it’s nice and creamy.
- Vanilla Extract: y’all know I don’t allow imitation vanilla in my kitchen!! If you must use the forbidden kind, use a little bit less than the recipe states.
- Cornmeal: I use regular yellow cornmeal. It rises to the top during baking and creates that perfect golden brown crust on top.
- Vinegar: yes, vinegar! And no, you won’t taste it! White vinegar is the secret ingredient in a traditional Southern chess pie.
Instead of making a homemade pie shell, I cheat by using a store-bought crust. However, if you feel the need to make a homemade pie shell, knock yourself out, honey! (Use my homemade buttery pie shell recipe here.)
How to Make a Southern Chess Pie
Making this classic chess pie recipe could not be easier. It’s one of the easiest pie recipes I’ve got on my blog (and believe me, Cousins, I’ve got a lot of pie recipes!). As always, don’t forget to check the recipe card below for exact ingredient measurements and directions below.
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients—cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla. Then add the eggs, cornmeal, milk, and vinegar until everything is well combined.
- Place the pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan. I typically do not grease the pie tin. You can use a non-stick metal pie dish, ceramic pie dish, or glass pie dish—whatever you use for your standard pies is perfectly fine.
- Pour in the chess pie filling. It’s going to be liquid-y, and this is okay! While baking, the custard filling will set, and the cornmeal will create a nice crusty layer on the top of the pie.
- Bake the pie at 325 for 60-70 minutes. When you see that golden brown crust on top, the chess pie is done. If you’re worried about the edges of the pie crust cooking too quickly, wrap strips of aluminum foil around the edges to prevent burning.
- Allow the chess pie to cool for at least an hour before serving. This step is CRUCIAL! If you want a perfectly set, creamy custard pie, you have to let it set and cool to room temperature first!
Chess Pie Recipe FAQs, Variations, and Pro-Tips
Y’all got questions; I got answers. A classic chess pie recipe is pretty straightforward, but some grannies might have variations and tweaks to their family recipes. Leave a comment below if you have any questions I haven’t answered here!
What is the difference between chess pie and buttermilk pie?
I couldn’t tell you how many times people ask me, “Rosie, are buttermilk pie and chess pie the same thing?!” I actually get asked that several times a month! Well, the answer is no. I’m going to be honest with you, though—both pies taste extremely similar. However, it comes down to ingredients.
Old-fashioned chess pies are a bit sweeter and made with less milk. Chess pies contain cornmeal and typically have a darker top crust than buttermilk pie. My homemade chess pie recipe forms a nice, crispy crust on top!
Buttermilk pie calls for buttermilk (duh!), less sugar, so it’s much less sweet and has a characteristic tang from lemon juice and the buttermilk. The texture of buttermilk pie is typically a much creamier custard-like consistency. While chess pie still is a custard pie, its texture is gooier.
Can I make this chess pie recipe without cornmeal?
There are so many kinds of chess pies. HOWEVER, a true classic chess pie recipe always contains cornmeal in my book, and many down-home cooks will tell you that. It’s a critical ingredient that helps thicken the pie and create that trademark golden brown crust on top. It simply wouldn’t be a traditional chess pie recipe without it! However, if you cannot use cornmeal, you can use a few cornmeal substitutes, including corn flour, polenta, or cornstarch.
What are some popular variations of chess pie?
Since a classic chess pie recipe is pretty basic and mostly flavored with vanilla and sugar, adding some yummy flavors without completely changing the recipe is easy. Here are some popular chess pie flavor variations:
- To make a lemon chess pie, add about 1/4th cup of lemon juice to the chess pie filling.
- To make a chocolate chess pie, add cocoa powder (between 2-4 tablespoons).
- To make an eggnog chess pie, replace milk and vinegar with eggnog (about 1/2 cup) and a little nutmeg.
- To make a brown sugar chess pie, add about 1 cup of brown sugar (and lower the white sugar measurement to 1 cup). This is also called a caramel chess pie!
- To make a coconut chess pie, toss about 1 cup of shredded coconut into the pie filling.
- Top your classic chess pie recipe with whipped cream and fresh berries.
All of these flavor combinations go perfectly with the creamy custard-like texture of chess pie. Of course, you can’t go wrong with adding some delicious fruits, classic pie spices (like pumpkin, nutmeg, or cinnamon), or chocolate to a traditional chess pie recipe.
Old-fashioned chess pie is a Southern classic. It’s so easy that you can make it for special occasions or just because! Add it to your holiday pie rotation as well. Don’t forget to share and save this recipe on Pinterest! You can also follow along with all things Rosie and I Heart Recipes by following me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, subscribing to I Heart Recipes on YouTube, and checking out all my cookbooks! I just released a brand new cookbook, Super Soul Food with Cousin Rosie, with many recipes you can’t find anywhere else.
Old Fashioned Chess Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup butter unsalted, melted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp cornmeal
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
- 9 inch pie crust homemade or store-bought
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, add the butter, sugar, and vanilla together. Mix the ingredients until well combined.
- Add in the eggs, cornmeal, milk, and vinegar. Mix the ingredients until well combined.
- Place the pie crust in the 9-inch pie pan.
- Pour in the pie filling.
- Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
- Let cool for about 45 minutes.
- Serve & enjoy.
More Fan-Favorite I Heart Recipes Pies…
Sweet Potato Pie – Soul Food Style
Hi Rosie what about a Rum cake I know a lot of people make those during the holidays as well.
Maybe at a later date 🙂
Rosie, I was just thinking (daydreaming) about Chess pie, so thank you Sweetheart! God bless you and yours This Holiday Season!
Happy holidays Rachelle!
TY and happy holidays to you and your family
Hi Rosie, for your chess pie do you use a regular pie crust or a deep dish and is one better than the other for this dish?
Hi Melissa! I used regular crust 🙂
All of your pies would be perfect for Thanksgiving!
Thanks Joanne! I’m definitely making quite a few of them tomorrow! 🙂
I would like copies of all your recipes. I love chess pies and all of the above thanks for sharing
Hi Mrs. Mason! Feel free to print them 😀
I live for a slice of cold chess pie with a cup of coffee!!! I show mt students your blog every Wednesday and they love it!! I enjoy trying your recipes and will upload a pic with the students eating.
How cool! What grade or class do you teach?
Hi Rosie,
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
You as well Grace!
Hi Rosie, enjoyed watching you prepare these wonderful dishes this Thanksgiving holiday. Love your recipes. Great job. Looking forward to your Christmas recipes. Be blessed.
Happy Holidays!
Are you making your own crust, store bought, or buying the dough and shaping it like that? Just asking because I like the way your pie crust look and want mine to look the same
It’s within the recipe 🙂
DO you mean 1 3\4 as a mixed number or one cup of 3/4 of sugar?
1 & 3/4 cup
Hello Rosie I have tried many of your recipes and my family and I love them thank you
Hello Rosie I have tried most f your recipes and they are delicious we enjoy them thank you.
Thanks for trying my recipes Venessa!
Rosie,
This is the PERFECT chess pie recipe! I baked it yesterday and it was exactly what a chess pie should be. No changes. No modifications. I used a frozen pie crust and the result was perfection. There may be other chess pie recipes out there but yours is perfection. Thank you for restoring a childhood favorite.
Hi Rosie!
This Tennessee girl is thrilled that your Chess Pie is indeed a traditional southern recipe! When my mother’s recipe box was not given to me after a divorce I started searching for a recipe that was as close to hers as I could remember. People would give me a recipe and a lot of them were Buttermilk pies which we both agree a very different, so you are so right about people thinking they are the same. I came across your recipe and immediately loved your description, so I knew I had found the recipe I had been searching for! I made a couple of them for Christmas this year and they were right on the money!!!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, it is a worthy replacement for my mommas! ❤️
I feel ya, Tennessee girl! I lost so much family history through food; my heart aches! I love seeing “old fashioned” recipes for anything. I’m making this one in a few minutes. Yuuummm
Hi Patty!! I hope that you try this recipe . XOXO
Hi Rosie, I ‘ve recently started seeing your recipes and I love them. I save most of them on my page to try. Have you ever tried an Old fashioned egg custard recipe. My mother and grandmother made this. It is very good, similar to your chess pie recipe. Keep up the good work!
Hi there! Yes, I have made other old fashioned custard pies. I just haven’t uploaded them yet ❤️
The perfect chess pie. So easy. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Rosie…I’m new to making pies…was wondering if the half cup of butter was melted or just mixed with other ingredients…I had my first piece of chess pie while visiting Nashville and loved it …thanks Rick
Its melted 🙂
I’m a Nashville TN girl now in CA and miss my roots and my grandmothers chess pie. I remember Hers always had the cornmeal but we lost her recipe. I’m so thrilled to have your recipe and I’m going to surprise my daughter and grandkids with it. Thanks so much.
Looking forward to trying your Chess pie and hope you will post your egg custard pie recipe soon.
First, just want to say you are a very beautiful woman. Next this is delicious just like I remember from home. But main question is can I use Monk Sugar? I don’t want to do it without asking and mess it up but my friend is diabetic and wanted her to try it but need to cut down on the sugar.
Thank you
Hi there! Thanks for the sweet compliment! I’ve never tried it with monk sugar. However, I don’t think it would be an issue.
Great something for no salt people
Haven’t made this yet but this recipe is exactly like my grandmother’s. I lost hers a few years and have looked ever since for one and now I have found it again Thank You
Super delicious!!!!
Takes me back to my childhood days!
Thank you!
I made this most delicious, fabulous Chess pie for my book club meeting, and they are still talking about it. It’s a hit!
YAY!!!! Thanks so much for trying my recipe!
Delicious, just like my Memaw used to make. Next time I’ll use a smaller pie pan, though, so that fills up higher. And I prebaked my crust, so that it doesn’t ‘melt’. I lost my original recipe, so thank you!!
The best chess pie I have eaten for 60 years when my grandmother made it .thank you for recipe.
I really like this recipe
I love the simple delicious pie, thank you
I made the.chess pie an sweet potato for Thanksgiving they were a great hit thank you.