Chess Pie

Chess Pie

With a sparkling bright lemon flavor, this classic Southern buttermilk chess pie filling is poured into a shortbread crust with hints of spice from freshly ground black pepper. The coarse cornmeal gives the beautiful custardy filling the slightest bit of texture once baked. Consider the baking time below as a guide: The pie is done when it jiggles slowly when moved back and forth. A sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar is enough as a garnish to top the pie, and you’d do well to serve each slice with a dollop of whipped heavy cream. It’ll help temper the pie’s vibrant sweetness.

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons/75 grams cold unsalted butter

    cut into 1/2 inch cubes, plus more for preparing the pan

  • 1 1/2 cups/205 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup/63 grams granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

    Diamond Crystal

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup/58 milliliters cold water
  • 3 whole eggs
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 1/4 cups/260 grams granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup/40 grams medium-coarse yellow cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup/58 milliliters lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

    Diamond Crystal

  • 1 cup/230 milliliters buttermilk

    preferably full-fat

  • 1/4 cup/56 grams unsalted butter

    melted

  • Whipped heavy cream for serving

Directions

  1. 1

    Prepare the pie crust: Generously butter a 10-inch round, fluted tart pan. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, salt, black pepper and lemon zest. Working quickly, rub the cold butter into the dry mixture using your fingers or a pastry cutter. Cut the butter into the flour until the pieces are the size of small pebbles. (Alternatively, use a food processor to pulse the dry ingredients with the butter.) Add the egg yolks and the cold water. Using your hands, combine just until the dough comes together in clumps. Gather dough into a ball; flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes.

  2. 2

    Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out chilled dough between two sheets of parchment or on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round. Using the rolling pin, transfer dough into the prepared tart pan. Press the dough into the fluted sides and trim any overhang to 1/4 inch above the pan. Chill the dough again for at least 20 minutes.

  3. 3

    Line the pie dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the crust is lightly browned along the edges and beginning to firm up, about 18 minutes. Remove the pie weights and parchment and bake for another 5 minutes to lightly brown the edges. Press down the surface with the back of a spoon if the crust bubbles. Allow the crust to cool completely before filling. Adjust the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

  4. 4

    As the crust cools, prepare the filling: Whisk together eggs, yolks, sugar, cornmeal, lemon juice and zest and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in buttermilk and the melted butter.

  5. 5

    Place the tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet and carefully pour the filling into the cooled pie shell. Bake until the filling is set and jiggles slowly when the tart pan is moved back and forth, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool pie completely before slicing. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar and serve at room temperature or cold, with some whipped heavy cream on the side.

Chess Pie

Chess Pie

4.0(973)

Similar Recipes

Chess Pie

Chess Pie

Serve up this Southern classic chess pie to friends and family alike! It’s made with basic pantry ingredients, keeps well, and you can freeze it. The secret ingredient is a little cornmeal mixed into the custard.

70 minutes10 servings
Chess Pie

Chess Pie

This chess pie is a classic Southern dessert that is rich, sweet, and irresistible. This perfect family recipe has been passed down, for good reason.

65 minutes8 servings460 kcal
Kentucky Derby Pie

Kentucky Derby Pie

This gooey Kentucky Derby Pie is a classic Southern dessert filled with chocolate, pecans, and a splash of bourbon. So easy to make!

70 minutes
Texas Trash Pie

Texas Trash Pie

With a combination of sweet and salty flavors and creamy and crunchy textures, Texas trash pie has become a Southern favorite. Rest assured, this delicious dessert is anything but trash!

Cheddar Cheese Straws

Cheddar Cheese Straws

Savory and rich with the perfect peppery kick, these Southern cheese straws are a party appetizer and everyday snack everyone will love.

42 minutes10 dozen
Old-Fashioned Southern Pecan Pie

Old-Fashioned Southern Pecan Pie

One bite of my Old-Fashioned Southern Pecan Pie made without corn syrup, and your taste buds will be swooning with crunchy, sweet, caramelly goodness. Classic and simple, it's a holiday tradition, and it's also one of the easiest homemade pecan custard pies you will ever make!

70 minutes
Chocolate Church Cake

Chocolate Church Cake

Layer cakes are formative for Southerners: They grace wedding tables, shiva gatherings, quinceañeras, baptisms and funerals. Because of this — and because layer cakes may be as close as some will ever get to a holy experience — they’re often called church cakes. This chocolate one is a perfectly moist and stacked rendition of a pudding cake, with just the right amount of richness from the frosting. This formula needs no alterations, but there’s no sense in breaking the tradition of Southern bakers, who personalize recipes as a point of pride. Add pulverized praline to the center, or cinnamon or instant-coffee granules to the batter. Don’t be afraid to make it your own. To make it a true church cake, serve it to those you hold in the highest regard, for celebrations or to simply indulge in the good glory of company.

Southern Pear Salad

Southern Pear Salad

This Southern Pear Salad is a vintage recipe that combines canned pears, mayo, cheese, and cherries into a quirky dish.

15 minutes5 servings

Ratings & Reviews

0.0/ 5
Excellent

Based on 973 ratings

cooking.nytimes.com
4.0(973 reviews)
View original recipe

Rating Breakdown

About this Recipe

Craving a taste of classic Southern comfort with a bright, zesty twist? This Chess Pie delivers an authentic, custardy delight with a sparkling lemon flavor that’s truly unforgettable. It’s the perfect dessert to brighten any table, embodying a homemade charm that feels both familiar and special.

This recipe stands apart with its unique combination of a tender shortbread crust and a vibrant buttermilk filling. The crust is elevated by hints of freshly ground black pepper, offering an unexpected yet delightful warmth that perfectly complements the rich, buttery base. Meanwhile, the coarse cornmeal in the filling ensures a beautiful custardy texture with just the slightest, pleasing graininess, setting it apart from typical smooth custards.

Prepare for a dessert experience that's both comforting and invigorating. You’ll find a custardy interior with a prominent, bright lemon flavor, balanced by the gentle tartness of buttermilk. The texture is key here: smooth and creamy, yet with that subtle, satisfying grit from the cornmeal. It’s a pie that’s vibrantly sweet, a testament to its Southern heritage, and incredibly satisfying. The pie is done baking when it jiggles slowly and uniformly when gently moved, indicating a perfectly set custard.

While this pie shines as is, you can subtly adjust the black pepper in the shortbread crust to your preference, making its spicy hint more pronounced or subdued. Consider varying the lemon zest in the filling for an even more intense citrus punch if you desire. For a different serving experience, a dusting of confectioners' sugar is a simple yet elegant garnish. Alternatively, serving it with a dollop of whipped heavy cream is highly recommended to beautifully temper its vibrant sweetness.

This Chess Pie is ideal for family gatherings, special occasions, or simply as a comforting treat on a quiet evening. It pairs wonderfully with a cup of coffee or tea, making it a versatile dessert for any time of day.

Frequently Asked Questions