Old Fashioned Chess Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why does my chess pie crack? ›

When you move a pie out of the oven too fast, you risk cracking the top. One trick of the trade to keep pies from cracking is to place the pie dish on a cookie tray to bake. That way, when you take it out of the oven once it's finished baking, you don't have to worry about moving it too much.

If your chess pie is just slightly runny in the middle, turn off the oven and leave it inside for 5-10 minutes. That should give it time to finish cooking. Please let the pie cool completely before serving so the filling sets and the flavors meld (3-4 hours at room temperature).

Cornmeal as a stabilizer in the filling is distinct to chess pie.” Buttermilk is the main factor in differentiating the two pies. Adding an acidic ingredient, like buttermilk or vinegar, to the pie will cut down on the sweetness and change the consistency of the filling.

Unlike a typical custard pie, that wobbly middle will not fully set up when it's cool due to the high sugar content. So bake the pie until it just sets up, and there is no jiggle left in the pie.

Born of convenience rather than extravagance, the most basic chess pie filling consists of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour in a single pastry crust. Cornmeal usually serves as an additional stabilizing ingredient, while an acid (buttermilk, vinegar, or lemon juice) is frequently added to punch up the flavor a bit.

Chess and nut pies (ex. Salted Maple, Hot Cocoa Chess, or Brandy Pecan) are best eaten within 3 days of purchase if stored at room temperature. However, they can also be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Chess pie can be stored at room temperature or refrigerated, whichever you prefer. If you love cold pie, this recipe will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

All-purpose flour is an easy solution, as you're sure to have it in your pantry. Since it's lower in starch, you'll use more of it than you would higher-starch thickeners. Quick-cooking tapioca makes filling bright and clear, but also gives it a stippled and somewhat sticky texture.

Chess pie and buttermilk pie are similar, both filled with a custard filling and looking a lot alike. However, chess pie is made with cornmeal to thicken the filling, whereas buttermilk pies generally only use all-purpose flour.

Chess and nut pies can last up to a week on the counter. Cream pies must be refrigerated and are best eaten within two days of purchase. Meringue pies also must be refrigerated and are best eaten within 4 days of purchase.

What is the origin of chess pie? ›

Chess pie was brought from England originally and was found in New England as well as Virginia. It has some similarities to English lemon curd pie.

The best way to thicken runny apple pie filling before baking it is to add some cornstarch, tapioca starch, or flour to your mix. To fix a runny pie that's already been baked, simply let it cool to see if it will congeal naturally. If not, you can stick it back in the oven for a bit longer.

No matter where you live or celebrate the holiday, it's likely that there will be at least one of the classics—apple, pumpkin, pecan—on the dessert table. But if you're in the South, there's another even more popular option: chess pie. Desserts don't get much more basic, or Southern, than this old-fashioned pie.

However, chess pie is made with cornmeal to thicken the filling, whereas buttermilk pies generally only use all-purpose flour.

Chess Pie is a simple baked pie consisting of a homemade pie crust and an egg, sugar, and buttermilk filling. It can be varied by adding flavorings such as lemon, vanilla, or chocolate. The recipe dates back to the 1700s, making it a pretty old American dessert.

Whether you use flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, or even chestnut flour, chess pie requires something to thicken all the sugar, eggs, and butter that create its rich, custard-like filling and crispy, sweet top reminiscent of crème brûlée.