Chocolate Chess Pie

If you love a good old-fashioned pie or chocolate dessert, here's an impressive one that combines the best of both: chocolate chess pie! This Southern classic is one of those humble yet oh so decadent desserts that began as a way to save money and stuck around out of sheer deliciousness. One taste, and you'll get it! Serve this festive pie on any special occasion or bring it to a holiday potluck for family and friends. It might even rival the pumpkin pie on the Thanksgiving table or replace Santa's favorite cookies at Christmas!

What is chocolate chess pie made of?

It's just about one of the easiest chocolate pies you can make! The custardy filling is made with eggs, sugar, milk, butter, cornmeal, vanilla, and unsweetened chocolate. The filling gets baked into an all-butter pie crust until it's just set in the middle and crackly on top, just like your favorite brownies!

What's the cornmeal do in chocolate chess pie?

Cornmeal may seem like unusual ingredient to add to the filling of a rich, luxuriously thick chocolate pie. But rest assured—the addition is no mistake. Finely ground cornmeal thickens up the filling much faster than cooking a regular custard on the stove. It's our secret ingredient!

Can chocolate chess pie be made ahead? 

Chess pie is the perfect make-ahead dessert. The all-butter pie crust can be made a month ahead and frozen (it's great for holiday meal prep). Let it thaw for about an hour before rolling it out. The finished pie can be made a day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature, or refrigerated for five days (the filling may firm up a bit more). 

Can you use regular chocolate instead of unsweetened chocolate?

Unsweetened chocolate bars, like Baker's, are used in recipes that already have enough sugar for sweetness. Regular bars have added sugar and milk, so they'll have less of a rich chocolate flavor and could make the chess pie a bit too sweet.