Simple Lemon Chess Pie Recipe - Southern Plate (2024)

Lemon chess pie is a deliciously thick custard pie bursting with zesty lemon flavor that’s long been associated with Southern cuisine. You are going to love it!

Simple Lemon Chess Pie Recipe - Southern Plate (1)

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I’m so excited to share this lemon pie recipe with y’all today. There are many, many pie recipes on Southern Plate, but lemon chess pie is my personal favorite. There’s just something about the light, sweet, and tangy lemon curd-like filling paired with the flaky pie crust that I can’t resist. This is a classic Southern dessert that you need to try for yourself.

Fortunately, this is a super quick and easy lemon chess pie recipe. Let’s hear it for simplicity! All you need to make this pie is butter, eggs, lemons, and sugar. I have used lemon juice on occasion when I didn’t want to fuss with fresh lemons or didn’t have them on hand and it was still wonderful. I like to make it with my homemade pie crust for a totally old-fashioned, simple but good experience. But it works beautifully in a standard store-bought pie shell, as you’ll see in this tutorial.

To make my chess pie, we’re going to cream the butter and sugar together, then beat in the egg yolks, fresh lemon juice, and grated lemon zest. Now here is my secret weapon. You see, most chess pie recipes use cornmeal or flour as a stabilizer to thicken the filling. But in this recipe, the egg whites have the same effect. So beat them separately until stiff peaks form, fold them into the pie filling, and then pour this into your pie crust.

In 30 minutes, your lemon chess pie is ready to serve. Serve your pie slice with a dusting of powdered sugar and a dollop of whipped cream if you like.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Pie crust
  • Butter
  • Eggs
  • Granulated sugar
  • Lemons (we use both the lemon juice and lemon zest).

How to Make Lemon Chess Pie

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Begin by separating your egg yolks from the whites.

Make sure there is no yolk at all in your white because we are going to beat those and they won’t do what we want them to do if they have yolk in them.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Beat in egg yolks.

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Lightly grate the rinds of your lemon to get some lemon zest.

Add grated lemon rind and fresh lemon juice to the mixing bowl and beat the ingredients together.

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In a separate bowl, with clean beaters (important), beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Then lightly fold them into your batter by hand using a spatula or large spoon (this means just stir them by hand until they are mixed in).

The above photo shows stiff egg whites.

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After you fold egg whites into your batter, pour the filling into the pie pan or pie shell.

Bake the pie at 350 until set and golden (about 25 to 30 minutes).

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It will have a perfectly golden crust on top and smell like heavenly sunshine.

For pretty sake, you can sprinkle a little confectioner’s sugar on top, if you like.

Allow to completely cool before cutting. Even better if you make a day ahead of time and refrigerate until serving.

Storage

  • Store leftover lemon chess pie in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 2 days.
  • However, you can also freeze lemon cheese pie for up to three months. After slicing the pie into individual servings, place the slices into an airtight container or wrap them individually in both plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Once you’re ready to eat, simply thaw the slices overnight in the fridge.

Recipe Notes

  • As mentioned, you can definitely use a homemade pie crust. Here’s my easy recipe where you mix the pie dough directly in the pan!
  • For gluten-free lemon chess pie, use a gluten-free pie crust instead. All of the other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.
  • For best results, ensure both the butter and eggs are at room temperature before mixing.
  • As mentioned, you can use bottled lemon juice and skip the lemon zest if you like.

Recipe FAQs

Why is it called chess pie?

Chess pie has been a Southern tradition since the 1700s, so there are several rumors about where the name came from. Some people believe it has to do with enjoying a slice while playing chess. Others believe it was kept in the kitchen chest in the olden days and later referred to as chess pie. And some believe that the term chess pie came from the fact a Southerner once said “just pie,” which can sound like “jes’ pie” in the Southern dialect and that somehow transformed into chess pie. Choose the story you like the most!

What’s the difference between chess pie and regular pie?

The main difference between a Southern chess pie and a regular pie is that it has a custard filling made with butter, sugar, and eggs. Regular pie fillings can be made with a variety of ingredients. Take fan favorite, pecan pie for example, which is made with eggs, butter, sugar, corn syrup, and chopped pecans.

Why is my lemon chess pie runny?

Sometimes, lemon chess pie will unfortunately still be runny after the recommended cooking time. If this happens, you can leave the pie in the turned-off oven for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. If that doesn’t work, place the pie in the fridge for a few hours to help it set.

What does chess pie taste like?

The chess pie filling is similar to that of a custard pie, so think a light and sweet custard filling. In this instance, the filling is a similar taste and texture to lemon curd.

How do you serve chess pie?

I love to serve my lemon chess pie with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar and a dollop of whipped cream (here’s my homemade recipe).

You may also like these Southern pie recipes:

Water Pie: Recipe from the Great Depression

Perfect Pecan Pie Recipe

Sawdust Pie

Chocolate Chess Pie

Southern Sweet Potato Pie

Buttermilk Pie Recipe

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Lemon Chess Pie

Lemon chess pie is a deliciously thick custard pie bursting with zesty lemon flavor that's long been associated with Southern cuisine.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lemon, pie

Servings: 4

Calories: 482kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2-3 lemons (for lemon juice and lemon zest)
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 1 pie crust

Instructions

  • Cream sugar with butter until light and fluffy.

    1 cup sugar, 4 tablespoons butter

  • Beat in egg yolks.

    4 eggs, separated

  • Beat in grated lemon rind and juice.

    2-3 lemons (for lemon juice and lemon zest)

  • Beat egg whites in a separate bowl (with clean beaters) until stiff peak forms, then lightly fold this into the pie mixture.

    4 eggs, separated

  • Pour into the pie shell and bake at 350 until set and golden brown on top (about 25 to 30 minutes).

    1 pie crust

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 482kcal

Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

This post was featured on Meal Plan Monday.

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Simple Lemon Chess Pie Recipe - Southern Plate (9)

Simple Lemon Chess Pie Recipe - Southern Plate (2024)

FAQs

What is lemon chess pie made of? ›

Sweet and simple, the filling is made with butter, sugar, eggs, a thickener (typically cornmeal or flour, or a mix of both), and often an acid like vinegar or lemon juice to counteract the sweetness of the filling.

Are derby pie and chess pie the same? ›

You can also think of pecan pie as an extension of chess pie, with brown sugar and corn syrup taking the place of granulated sugar and pecans adding nuttiness and crunch. And then there is Kentucky bourbon and walnut pie (aka Derby pie), which adds Bourbon, chocolate, and walnuts to the chess pie formula.

What's the difference between a chess pie and a buttermilk pie? ›

Chess pie is thickened with cornmeal (and sometimes a little bit of all-purpose flour!), whereas buttermilk pies uses only all-purpose flour. Many buttermilk recipes will play up the tartness, with added lemon juice and zest, giving it a pleasant citrus flavor.

What's the difference between a pie and a chess pie? ›

Though it's not always called upon to thicken the filling, cornmeal is frequently what gives a chess pie it's velvety texture and yellow color. Buttermilk pie, meanwhile, always has buttermilk. More acids, like lemon juice or vinegar, are also frequently added to brighten up the recipe even more.

What is lemon pie filling made of? ›

To make the filling: Whisk 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium saucepan; stir in water, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter.

Why is chess pie runny? ›

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).

Why do they call it a chess pie? ›

Several derivations of the name chess pie have been proposed. The most likely is a derivation of cheese pie, as early cookbooks grouped cheesecakes together with pies made of curd or custard.

What is the official dessert of Kentucky? ›

In 1969 they trademarked the name "derby pie" to both the state government of Kentucky and the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Since then, the trademark has constantly been renewed as a federally registered trademark.

What is the Kentucky Derby pie called? ›

Given the name and the taste, it's no surprise that the pie became as popular to serve on the day of the Kentucky Derby as Mint Juleps. But while many bakeries around the state served what they called derby pie, the Kern family applied to trademark the dessert as Derby-Pie® in 1964.

What is shoo fly pie made from? ›

What is in shoofly pie? The star of the show is molasses, but shoofly pie is also typically composed of flour, brown sugar, water, spices, and sometimes egg. The pie is topped with a crumb mixture and served in a flaky pie crust. Shoofly pie is similar to a coffee cake but with a gooey molasses bottom.

What is a patsy pie? ›

The English word "pasty" derives from Medieval French (O.Fr. paste from V. Lat pasta) for a pie, filled with venison, salmon or other meat, vegetables or cheese, baked without a dish. Pasties have been mentioned in cookbooks throughout the ages.

Why is it called crack pie? ›

Crack Pie — the trademarked name for the chain's buttery, sugary pie — will now become Milk Bar Pie. The name was a reference to crack cocaine — the gag being that the pie was just as addictive as the drug.

What is the pie rule in chess? ›

The player who made the first move becomes the second player and makes the second move on the board. This is demonstrated in the chess diagrams shown here. Switching the first piece can occur in games where the board starts empty and the first move consists of placing one piece.

Does chess pie go bad? ›

Chestnut flour, which may be the reason behind chess pie's name, is available at Whole Foods Markets, health food stores and online. MAKE AHEAD: The pies can be held at room temperature for up to 24 hours, then refrigerate for up to 3 days. From Donovan, pastry chef and food writer in Nashville.

What is similar to a chess pie? ›

Buttermilk pie, true to its name, has a creamy dairy-based filling that's both sweet and tangy. Like chess pie, it has a buttery pastry crust and the filling is also made with sugar, butter, and eggs.

What is chess pie made of? ›

Classic chess pie pairs a traditional butter pie crust with a sweet, custardy filling made with sugar, butter, and eggs. Flour and cornmeal thicken the filling and vanilla enhances the creamy custard. And did we mention that the unlikely secret ingredient of this sweet and gooey pie is vinegar?

What's the difference between chess pie and pecan pie? ›

What is Chess Pie? Well this pie has the consistency of a pecan pie without the pecans, but tastes more akin to a custard pie, but it is not custard. It is very similar to buttermilk pie and in some parts of the country; they refer to this as a sugar pie.

What is lemon bar filling made of? ›

Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour in a medium bowl. Whisk in eggs, then lemon juice until smooth. Pour filling over the baked crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Does chess pie have another name? ›

And so, supposedly, the name “Chess Pie” was coined. Chess pie and its many Southern variations — including vinegar pie, transparent pie and Tyler pie (a favorite of Edna Lewis's, putatively named for President John Tyler and perfected by the women of Miss Lewis's hometown of Freetown, Va.)

References

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