Old-fashioned chocolate chess pie is one of those Southern desserts that looks simple and homemade, nothing fancy. Made with cocoa powder, eggs, butter, and a small amount of cornmeal, it bakes into a smooth, sliceable custard with a thin, crackly top. It’s mixed in one bowl, poured into a pie crust, and baked until the center barely jiggles. Chill it before serving and you’ll get clean slices and that classic chocolate flavor.
An Old Recipe Box Classic
Chocolate chess pie is a classic Southern custard pie, and what sets it apart is a small but important ingredient, cornmeal. It’s not enough to make the filling gritty, but just enough to give the custard structure so it sets into clean slices instead of staying soft like pudding.
The filling comes together with pantry staples, cocoa powder, sugar, eggs, butter, and cream, and bakes into a smooth, chocolate custard with a thin, crackly top. It’s not dense like a brownie, and it’s not loose like a pudding. If you’re looking for something richer and more dense, try my brownie pie without a crust. If you pull it from the oven at the right time, you’ll get a firm but creamy texture that slices clean once chilled.
The key is knowing when to take it out of the oven. The edges should look set, but the center should still have a slight jiggle. It will continue to set as it cools, and chilling it gives you the best texture. If the top cracks when you slice it, that’s exactly what you want, it’s part of what makes a chess pie a chess pie.
For another old-fashioned chocolate dessert with a completely different texture, my gooey chocolate cobbler is a great option.
Pie Crust, Cornmeal, and Cocoa Will Do the Trick
You’ll find exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Pie crust: Store-bought or a homemade butter pie crust both work, but par-bake it so the bottom doesn’t go soggy under the custard.
- Stone-ground yellow cornmeal: This is the “chess” part. A little goes a long way, so don’t be tempted to add more.
Whisk, Pour, and Bake
Step One: Make the Pie Filling
You can make it in 1 bowl, and this is the one that I use everyday. I can’t live without it.
Step Two: Pour and Bake
Overbake warning: If you bake it until the middle is stiff, the custard can separate, and the texture turns dry.
Chocolate chess pie is one of those desserts you don’t have to overthink. With simple pantry ingredients and a one-bowl filling, it comes together easily and bakes into a pie you can count on every time. Just remember to pull it while the center still has a slight jiggle and give it time to chill for the best texture. It’s a classic Southern pie for a reason, simple, reliable, and always worth making.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 9 inch pie crust
- 1 ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon stone ground yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 5 tablespoons butter melted
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
To prepare the pie crust:
- Roll out a pie crust and place in a 9 inch pie plate. Place in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Place a flat cookie sheet in the oven and preheat to 425º.
- Remove the pie crust from the freezer and line with parchment paper. Place pie weights in the center. Bake for 15 minutes until the edges are set. Remove pie weights and cook an additional 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
To make the pie filling:
- Preheat oven to 325º.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornmeal, flour, cocoa powder and salt. Add melted butter and whisk to combine.
- Add eggs one at a time whisking well after each addition. Continue to whisk briskly. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.
- Pour the pie filling into a slightly cooled pie crust. Bake for 40-50 minutes. Remove when the edges are set and a small area in the center is slightly jiggly. The filling will continue to cook as it cools. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 3-4 hours.
- Refrigerate before slicing. The top will be crackly.
Notes
- Don’t overbake: Pull the pie when the edges are set, and the center is still a little jiggly since it will keep setting as it cools.
- Serve cold or at room temperature: Chill it for the cleanest slices, or let slices sit out briefly before serving.
- Expect the top to crack: That thin crackly top will crack when you slice it, and that’s normal.
- Top with whipped cream: A dollop of whipped cream is a good match with the cocoa-forward filling.
