A mini chess pie is ideal for one or two people to enjoy! This Southern dessert is made with a buttery crust and a rich, custard filling. Made with simple ingredients, we'll guide you through the steps to make this classic pie from scratch.
A mini chess pie is a delicious and easy-to-make dessert that's perfect for any occasion. This small treat is made with the same buttery shortbread crust that we use in many of our pie recipes and a sweet filling made with simple ingredients like eggs, butter, sugar, cornmeal, and vanilla.
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What Is Chess Pie?
Buttery, gooey, and gloriously sweet, chess pie is a classic Southern dessert that has been around for hundreds of years.
Why is it called chess pie? There are various theories surrounding the origins of the name "Chess pie," but none of them are certain. One of my favorite explanations suggests that in the past, when a lady of the household was asked by her family members or husband about the kind of pie she had made, she would often reply with a Southern accent, saying "it's just pie." However, this sounded like "jess pie," and eventually became known as "chess pie." Despite the uncertainty about its origin, chess pie is a popular dessert enjoyed throughout the United States.
Why This Recipe Works
- Made with simple ingredients: The ingredients in chess pie are basic and come together beautifully to create a sweet and satisfying pie with a custard-like filling that is incredibly delicious. The combination of ingredients gives the pie a rich, buttery flavor that's hard to resist.
- Easy to make: This mini chess pie is easy to make. The filling comes together quickly in a bowl, and the soft, cookie-like pie crust is a breeze to mix together. The baking process is straightforward and there's no need for any special equipment.
- A versatile recipe: While I love chess pie just as it is, the pie can be customized to suit different tastes. Some people like to add a splash of bourbon or a dash of nutmeg for extra flavor. It's a delightful pie that can be enjoyed with a dollop of whipped cream or fresh fruit for a beautiful presentation.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
For the pie crust
- Butter: Softened, salted butter is used in the shortbread crust. Softened butter should still be cool to the touch but when you press your finger into the butter, your finger will leave an indentation. The best way to soften your butter is to put it out on the kitchen counter for a half hour before you want to use it. Another way to quickly soften butter is to put the cold butter in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. If you use this method, be sure to watch carefully - you don't want the butter to melt at all.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness to the crust.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is used in the crust to give it structure.
- Cornstarch: It provides structure to the shortbread while keeping the cookie crust soft and light.
- Salt: For flavor.
For the chess pie filling
- Cornmeal: Cornmeal helps to thicken the custard filling and is a key ingredient in traditional chess pie recipes. While the pie bakes, the cornmeal rises to the top of the pie to create a thin, golden crust.
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk.
- White vinegar: A small amount of white vinegar balances out the sugary sweetness. You can swap in apple cider vinegar or use lemon juice instead.
- Vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla for the best flavor.
- Eggs: This is a very rich pie and requires 2 large eggs in our recipe.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why I used them. For the full recipe please scroll down to the recipe box at the bottom of the post.
What Is The Best Cornmeal For Chess Pie
We recommend using 1 ½ teaspoons of cornmeal in our mini chess pie recipe as it is the perfect amount to create texture, help with the thickening of the pie, and give a subtle sweet corn flavor. We have listed below other single serving and small batch recipes that also call for using cornmeal.
Although stoneground yellow cornmeal is traditionally used in chess pie recipes and is the type I use, white cornmeal is also fine to use.
How To Make Chess Pie
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
Make the crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, mix together the butter and sugar in a medium-sized bowl until well blended. Next, add the flour, cornstarch, and salt and mix until combined.
- Press the dough firmly into a lightly buttered 5-inch baking dish using your fingertips or the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Make the chess pie filling
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornmeal, and flour.
- Add the melted butter, milk, white vinegar, vanilla, and lightly beaten eggs to the bowl. Whisk until all of the ingredients are blended.
- Pour the filling over the baked pie crust and place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any possible spills.
- Carefully place the pie in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center of the pie no longer wobbles and a toothpick inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean.
- Remove the pie from the oven and let the pie cool completely to room temperature on a wire rack or a trivet before enjoying.
Expert Tips
- Read through the entire recipe and the Ingredient Notes section before beginning. Next, gather your ingredients so everything is close at hand.
- Use the right size baking dish. We mention it again because it is so important. The success of this recipe depends on using the right size baking dish. We recommend using a 5x5-inch baking dish that has a base area of 25 square inches and holds 22 ounces. The dish we use and love can be found on our store page. You can also use a 4x6-inch baking dish for this mini chess pie recipe.
- Let the pie cool before slicing. After baking, allow the pie to cool completely before slicing to ensure that the filling sets properly.
- Don't overmix the filling. When making the filling for your chess pie, make sure not to overmix it as this can cause the pie to crack or become too dense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many years ago, chess pie was known as vinegar pie. Although this super-sweet pie tastes nothing like vinegar, back in the early 19th century people often had difficulty getting certain ingredients for flavoring their recipes. Vinegar, along with the other ingredients, were pantry staples that made this pie easy to make.
Yes! To make a crustless chess pie just leave off the crust. Pour the filling into the lightly greased baking dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
This chess pie is extremely rich and delicious and I'm often tempted to devour the entire pie by myself. However, it's important to exercise restraint sometimes.
I bake this small pie in a 5x5 inch baking dish and when my husband and I have it, we divide it into four squares. Hence, this small-sized pie can serve between one to four people.
Chess pie is a luscious dessert that is both rich and sweet. The filling is similar to custard which is typically smooth but also has a firm but not too dense consistency. This dessert has a very distinct and delectable taste that most everyone loves.
How To Store Chess Pie
Store this old-fashioned chess pie covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Bring the pie to room temperature by placing it on the counter for an hour or two before eating.
Chess Pie Variations
A chess pie's basic custard filling is the perfect canvas for filling additions and although I love this mini chess pie just as it is, you might like to try these chess pie variations:
- Lemon chess pie: Use lemon juice instead of vinegar and add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter.
- Coconut chess pie: Add 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut to the chess pie filling for a tropical flavor.
- Orange chess pie: Use orange juice instead of vinegar and add 1 teaspoon of orange zest to the batter.
- Optional garnishes: Top with a dusting of powdered sugar or with a mixture of ground cinnamon and powdered sugar, homemade whipped cream, or fresh fruit.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe for chess pie, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Cornmeal: Hush Puppies, Cornbread, Corn Muffins, Corn Casserole
- Vinegar: Eggs Benedict, Red Velvet Cake,
- Vanilla: Apple Cider Donuts, Buckeyes, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Egg: Buttermilk Pancakes, Shrimp Fried Rice, Morning Glory Muffins, Breakfast Sandwich, Spice Cake
- Cornstarch: Banana Cream Pie, Vanilla Pudding, Coconut Cream Pie, Pecan Pie, Chocolate Chip Cookies
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
If you’ve tried this mini chess pie recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Recipe
Mini Chess Pie
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Ingredients
For the pie crust
- 2 ½ tablespoons butter , softened (salted or unsalted),
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the pie filling
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ tablespoon cornmeal
- ½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons butter , melted
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ tablespoon white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
Make the crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, mix together the butter and sugar in a medium-sized bowl until well blended. Next, add the flour, cornstarch, and salt and mix until combined.
- Press the dough firmly into a lightly buttered 5-inch baking dish using your fingertips or the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Make the pie filling
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornmeal, and flour.
- Add the melted butter, milk, white vinegar, vanilla, and lightly beaten eggs to the bowl. Whisk until all of the ingredients are blended.
- Pour the filling over the baked pie crust and place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any possible spills.
- Carefully place the pie in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center of the pie no longer wobbles and a toothpick inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean.
- Remove the pie from the oven and let the pie cool completely to room temperature on a wire rack or a trivet before enjoying.
Notes
- Read through the entire recipe and the Ingredient Notes section before beginning. Next, gather your ingredients so everything is close at hand.
- Use the right size baking dish. We mention it again because it is so important. The success of this recipe depends on using the right size baking dish. We recommend using a 5x5-inch baking dish that has a base area of 25 square inches and holds 22 ounces. The dish we use and love can be found on our store page. You can also use a 4x6-inch baking dish for this mini chess pie recipe.
- Let the pie cool before slicing. After baking, allow the pie to cool completely before slicing to ensure that the filling sets properly.
- Don't overmix the filling. When making the filling for your chess pie, make sure not to overmix it as this can cause the pie to crack or become too dense.
- The best way to soften your butter is to put it out on the kitchen counter for a half hour before you want to use it. Another way to quickly soften butter is to put the cold butter in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. If you use this method, be sure to watch carefully - you don't want the butter to melt at all.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Sadie says
Absolutely delicious! The filling is silky smooth and not cloyingly sweet, and the shortbread crust is nice and "short". I had made the crust for another recipe and was disappointed in the texture, so added 1 tbsp of rice flour this time and it gave me the crisp, tender texture I like for shortbread. I also added a pinch of salt, nutmeg, orange zest and fiori di sicilia to the filling. My pie took about 40 minutes to bake. When I took it out of the oven the top was a rich golden brown and puffed, and the filling had just a hint of a wobble in the centre, but firmed up as the pie cooled.
Joanie Zisk says
I'm so happy you enjoyed the chess pie, Sadie. Thank you so much for your feedback.
Ann Quarterman says
Chess pie was delicious and your recipe was perfect. Thank you so much
Joanie Zisk says
I'm so happy you enjoyed the pie, Ann!
Jan K Maiden says
Notes say 1 1/2 teaspoons cornmeal. Recipe says 1/2 teaspoon. Which is correct.
Thank you.
Joanie Zisk says
Hi Jan, the recipe calls for using 1/2 tablespoon (it does not say teaspoon), which is the same as 1 1/2 teaspoons.
Teresa Peeples says
Hi Joanie,
How can I turn this into a chocolate chess pie? Love your recipes!!
Joanie Zisk says
Thank you, Teresa! Although I haven't tested a chocolate chess pie recipe, I would use 1/4 cup of cocoa powder instead of flour in the filling. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out for you.
J. Hegyi says
Good recipe.