Chess Pie

Get ready to experience pure Southern comfort in pie form! This velvety, custard-based chess pie has been delighting dessert lovers for generations with its signature sweet filling and delicate, flaky crust.

What makes chess pie truly special is its unique cornmeal filling – that’s the secret ingredient that transforms this from a regular custard pie into the beloved Southern classic. The cornmeal creates a subtle texture and helps form that characteristic slightly crispy top layer that chess pie is famous for.

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 1/4 cups (175g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/2 cup (115g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 3-4 tablespoons ice cold water

For the filling:

• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups (300g) white sugar
• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup (35g) cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

Steps

1. Prepare the crust by combining 1 1/4 cups flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse 2-3 times to blend. Add cold butter cubes and pulse 5-6 times until butter pieces are pea-sized.
2. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons ice water while pulsing until dough forms small pebbles and holds together when pressed. Add remaining tablespoon if needed – dough should be just moist enough to stick together.
3. Shape dough into a 1-inch thick disk on plastic wrap. Wrap tightly and chill for minimum 1 hour or overnight at 40°F (4°C).
4. Roll chilled dough to 12-inch diameter. Transfer to pie pan, trim edges leaving 1/2-inch overhang, then crimp decoratively. Chill 15 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Dock chilled crust with fork, line with parchment, and fill with pie weights. Blind bake for 5 minutes.
6. Remove weights and parchment, return to oven for 3-4 minutes until surface looks dry. Cool slightly.
7. Reduce oven to 350°F (175°C). Whisk eggs and salt just until blended – don’t overbeat or filling will be foamy.
8. Add remaining filling ingredients, whisking until smooth. Pour into par-baked crust.
9. Bake 45-50 minutes until center is set with slight wobble. Check at 30 minutes – if crust browns too quickly, shield edges with foil.
10. Cool completely to room temperature (about 2 hours) before serving. Filling will continue setting as it cools.