Classic Southern Chess Pie (Printable)

A rich custard pie featuring a buttery filling and golden top with vanilla notes, perfect for dessert.

# What You Need:

→ Crust

01 - 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (homemade or store-bought)

→ Filling

02 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
04 - 4 large eggs
05 - 1 tablespoon cornmeal
06 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 cup whole milk
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - 1 tablespoon white vinegar (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
02 - Place the unbaked pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish and crimp the edges as desired.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, melted butter, eggs, cornmeal, all-purpose flour, and salt until smooth.
04 - Add whole milk, vanilla extract, and white vinegar if using; whisk until fully combined and silky.
05 - Pour the filling mixture into the prepared pie crust.
06 - Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the center is set and the top is golden brown; the pie will puff slightly and settle upon cooling.
07 - Remove the pie from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, with ingredients most bakers already have on hand.
  • The texture is pure magic—crispy, sugary top that cracks when you cut into it, meeting a custard-like center that's impossibly rich.
  • One pie feeds a crowd and somehow makes you look like you spent all day in the kitchen.
02 -
  • The pie will puff up significantly while baking, then settle slightly as it cools—this is completely normal and means you've nailed it.
  • Don't skip letting it cool fully; a warm pie will fall apart when sliced, but a cooled one cuts like butter.
03 -
  • Cooling the melted butter before mixing prevents the eggs from starting to cook, which keeps your filling silky rather than scrambled.
  • If your pie crust edges are browning too quickly, loosely tent them with foil halfway through baking.
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