Chess Pie

If you’ve never heard of chess pie before, don’t worry, you haven’t been living in the dark. You’ve just grown up outside of the South, where chess pie is ubiquitous.

I learned about chess pie in my first job out of college, by a coworker who was hosting a Southern-themed picnic. “Make a chess pie. Here’s the recipe,” and I was hooked. I’ve been making the classic pie ever since. The chess pie is similar to most custard pies, sweet and rich with eggs, but with a slight texture because of the addition of the cornmeal.

In fact, chess pie was actually one of the first recipes that put my blog on the map. I won a pie contest for a blackberry and lemon chess pie, which was then featured on Bon Appetit’s site.

WHAT IS CHESS PIE?

Chess pie is a pantry staple pie, made with basic pantry ingredients that can be found in most Southern kitchens. It is an egg custard-based sugar pie, with the addition of a little bit of vinegar and cornmeal.

Cornmeal is key to distinguishing chess pie from other pies like sugar pie, vinegar pie, and pecan pie. If it doesn’t include cornmeal, even a little bit, it’s not a true chess pie but a regular custard pie.

WHERE DOES THE NAME CHESS PIE COME FROM?

There are many theories about where the name originated. Some guess it is a bastardization of cheese pie which looks similar to it, though it tastes completely different.

Others think it might come from the fact that Southern kitchens often have a very specific piece of furniture called a “pie safe” or “pie chest” where pies go to cool and be stored. Chess pie was so common and easy to make that it was the predominant pie that appeared in those pie chests, and the name “chest pie” evolved to “chess pie.”

But my favorite theory is the name came about from the idea that the matriarch of the family would be baking pies, and her husband and family would constantly ask what sort of pie it was. “It’s jes’ pie,” was her frustrated answer, which eventually morphed into, “It’s chess pie.”

WHAT’S THE BEST CORNMEAL FOR CHESS PIE?

You can find different recipes for chess pie floating about the internet where the filling has anywhere from 1 teaspoon of cornmeal to 1/2 cup of cornmeal.

I opt for a 1/4 cup with this recipe, as it is enough cornmeal to create texture, help with the thickening of the pie, and lend subtle corn flavor and sweetness, but not so much to be distracting or overly gritty.

Use whatever cornmeal you have on hand, though stoneground yellow cornmeal is traditional and most commonly used. White cornmeal is also fine to use, though it doesn’t have as pronounced a traditional cornmeal flavor. I usually avoid blue cornmeal, as the color isn’t the most pleasing with this sort of pie, but if color isn’t an issue for you or it’s all you have on hand, it will work.

HOW TO MAKE A CHESS PIE

Chess pie is a simple, easy recipe. However, there are a few tips and tricks that will help you make an even better chess pie.

• Chill the pie dough ahead of time: Chill the pie dough for a good hour before rolling it out. This allows the flour to fully hydrate from the water, and for the gluten to relax, making it easier to roll out the dough. It also lets the butter chill and harden, which leads to a flakier crust.
• Once rolled chill the pie dough again: Once you’ve rolled out and fitted the dough into the pan, stick it back in the fridge for fifteen minutes, just enough time to pre-heat the oven. Chilling the dough again allows the gluten to rest, which means less shrinkage and slumping of the dough. It also chills the butter again, to help with flakiness.
• Par-bake the crust: You don’t need to blind bake the crust completely, but baking it for five minutes with pie weights in it, then three to four minutes without the weights allows the crust to get a jump start on the crust baking. If you pour the filling into an unbaked pie crust, you run the risk of soggy crust. Par-baking the crust prevents this.
• Bake until the top is golden brown and the center doesn’t wiggle anymore. This pie is pretty forgiving; once the center of the pie isn’t wiggling anymore, you know it’s done!
• Cover the crust edges: If the pie crust edges brown too fast, just cover the edges with aluminum foil or a pie crust shield to prevent it from burning as the custard filling continues to bake.
• Cool it completely: If you cut into the pie while it is still warm, the filling won’t have time to set. Let the pie cool completely before cutting into it, which will lead to cleaner slices.

WAYS TO ADAPT CHESS PIE

Move beyond the basics of chess pie and try a variation of this classic recipe.

• Lemon chess pie: Substitute the vinegar for lemon juice and add the zest of a lemon.
• Orange chess pie: Substitute the vinegar for orange juice and add the zest of an orange.
• Coconut chess pie: Add one cup of toasted coconut flakes to the filling and use coconut milk in place of the milk.
• Chocolate chess pie: Add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to the filling.

CAN YOU MAKE THIS PIE AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes! The high amount of sugar in this pie means it will keep well. Store the pie in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to three days. Bring the pie to room temperature by placing it on the counter for two hours before serving.

HOW TO FREEZE CHESS PIE

Chess pie does freeze well. I recommend slicing the pie into individual servings, then placing the pie in an airtight container, with pieces of parchment paper separating the pie slices to keep them from freezing to each other. Once frozen, just take as many slices as you need!

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