Chocolate Chess Pie is an easy-to-make, decadent, rich dessert recipe that’s perfect for any occasion. Made with simple ingredients, this pie is sure to please everyone at your table.
I’m a big fan of any kind of chess pie. My Buttermilk, Peach Chess, and Eggnog Chess Pies are all delicious winners in my book. But I will admit that Chocolate Chess Pie is probably my favorite. It just has the most perfect, creamy, chocolatey filling, and I just love the crusty top that forms as it bakes.
The best part, though, is how dang easy it is to make. You literally mix all the ingredients together and pour them into a prepared pie crust. It’s one of those classic southern recipes that has been around for ages.
In fact, the original recipe that I have made two pies – like many old pie recipes do – so I just cut everything in half to make one. As a result, this doubles beautifully if you need two pies. 🙂 And, I mean, who DOESN’T need two pies? Ha! Y’all enjoy!
What is chocolate chess pie made of?
Chocolate chess pie is a delicious Southern dessert that features a simple yet indulgent gooey, fudgy filling. The ingredients of this amazing pie typically include a pie crust filled with a filling made of sugar, eggs, butter, milk and some form of thickener like flour, cornmeal, or cornstarch. In addition to those typical ingredients, chocolate chess pie also features the addition of cocoa and vanilla for a burst of delicious rich flavor everyone will be raving over.
After combining the ingredients, the pie filling is poured into the pie crust and baked until the filling sets. I like to use the pre-made, rolled-up pie crusts that you find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store over by the canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls. It allows me to use my own pie plate but doesn’t have me making a homemade crust in a pie pan – which I appreciate.
That said, the preformed frozen pie crusts work just as well. Just note that some of the store-bought crusts in the aluminum pans can be a little flimsy. Put the crust on a small baking pan before filling it and just pop it in the oven on the pan to make it easier. And all you overachievers can make a crust from scratch if you have some extra time.
The result is a crowd-pleasing pie with a crunchy top and a yummy, fudgy center. And, for an added touch, I like to serve mine with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream. Ooo-wee good!
Why is it called chess pie?
So, there are a lot of theories out there for why exactly chess pie is called chess pie. Here are a few of what I believe to be the most likely theories behind the name:
- Theory #1: Some believe that the word “chess” was actually an accident due to the nature of Southern accents. Many think that while describing the cheese-like texture of the baked good, somehow people confused “cheese” for “chess.” And, the rest is history.
- Theory #2: Others believe that this pie was originally called “chest pie” because pies were often kept in pie safes or pie chests. And that moniker, “chest pie,” just got shortened to “chess pie.”
- Theory #3: The final theory I hear often is that long ago when the pie was originally created, someone asked what kind of pie it was. The baker replied, “It’s just pie.” “Just pie” got shortened to “chess pie.”
All these theories do lend to the idea that the Southern accent is to blame for the unique name. However, there’s no definitive answer on the history of the name. I know one thing’s for sure… I’m just glad we have it to enjoy!
What is the difference between a buttermilk pie and a chess pie?
Both buttermilk pie and chess pie hold a special place in the world of Southern desserts. Each are delicious but unique in ingredient list, texture and consistency, and flavor.
- Ingredients – The fundamental difference between buttermilk pie and chess pie lies in their ingredients. Buttermilk pie centers around buttermilk as the star component. While they both utilize sugar, eggs, butter, and a thickener, like flour or cornmeal, chess pie typically features an addition of cocoa powder and/or vanilla flavoring.
- Consistency & Texture – The consistency and texture of these pies are markedly different. Buttermilk pie is smoother and more custard-like in texture. Chess pie is usually more dense and gooey.
- Flavor – The flavors of buttermilk pie and chess pie are different mainly due to the ingredients I mentioned earlier. Buttermilk is filled with tangy buttermilk flavor, naturally. While chess pie is usually either vanilla or chocolate flavors, like this chocolate chess pie. Buttermilk pie is both sweet and tangy. While chess pie is rich with a little bit of sweetness.
Whether you prefer the tangy flavor and smooth texture of buttermilk pie or the rich and gooey experience of chess pie, both treats promise to leave your taste buds happy!
If you tried this Chocolate Chess Pie recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
Recipe Card
Chocolate Chess Pie
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust* (homemade or store-bought is fine) (see note)
- whipped cream, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, and corn starch. Add in the beaten eggs, melted butter, milk, and vanilla. Stir well to combine.
- Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell being cautious not to over-fill. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a crust has formed completely across the top of the pie and is mostly set. There will still be some jiggle to the pie. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving. This will allow it to set even more. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
Video
Notes
- If using a frozen, store-bought, pre-formed crust in the aluminum pan, be sure to use a deep dish crust.
Nutrition
Please note:
If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
I had never had Chocolate Chess Pie until my husband and I moved to NC, I expected it to be super sweet like most deserts here but this recipe is a keeper. Thanks you for sharing.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
This pie absolutely SLAPS! No cap! I like chocolate desserts but they’re not my top choice, but this pie was sooo fridgin good. Wife made homemade whip cream, then the pie SUPER SLAPPED!
So for night number two, being leftovers, would you recommend just serving it cold or how would you reheat/serve again? Didn’t see anything in your notes.
I typically just serve it cold when leftover. That homemade whipped cream really makes it special. Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
This was my first time making any kind of pie and the result has given me confidence to try making others!! Everyone loved this yummy Thanksgiving dessert and it’ll definitely be made again 🤎
It looks amazing, Courtney! Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent recipe. It reminds me of my grandmother’s pie. Substituting 2/3 heavy whipping cream for the evaporated milk will eliminate the cracking.
Thanks, Steve! So, do you understand why the whipping cream eliminates the cracking? I’d love to know…
I made your choc. chess for the first time tonight, and toward the end of baking it started cracking across the top in 3 places. Do you have any idea what might have caused this? It seems to be okay inside, and I will still take it to Thanksgiving gathering. It just doesn’t look very attractive. Thanks.
The thin crust on top often cracks – it’s a unique characteristic of chocolate chess pie. You can see it in my photos here in the post.
I made this chess pie and it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe. Very easy to make.
So glad to hear it was easy and y’all enjoyed it!
Didn’t notice the cracks in your pie photo, but I see them now. The cracks in my pie were much larger than yours and ran across the whole pie, so cutting it was hard because the top shattered into pieces. Maybe I cooked it too long? However, everyone at our Thanksgiving dinner enjoyed the pie and thought it was really good. Cool Whip covered any flaws.☺️ Thanks for your help.
Way to improvise! Glad to hear everyone enjoyed it!
Can this pie be made using individual size frozen pie crusts? If so, would there be a time and temperature adjustment?
I certainly don”t see why not! As to the change in temp and time, I can’t really say, as I’ve not tested it.
Really excellent recipe. I have been trying variations of chess pie recipe most of the last year and the other one I use as a base is also quite good but I think the corn starch in this one was the missing ingredient for me because this one came out with perfect. Perfect texture, just like a restaurant near me makes it which is what has inspired me to make and remake chess pie so many times trying to match that restaurant’s version lol.
I did want to up the bougie element, so I added some grated orange peel (quite a bit to compete with the strength of the chocolate flavor, about a whole orange worth) orange extract and some reduced Cointreau, and then also put orange and cointreau in the home made whipped cream I did on top.
Everyone who had it went nuts including chocolate haters and people who are indifferent about dessert generally
So glad to hear it! And thanks for sharing your additions!
Could I use chocolate chips instead of the powder?
I don’t think that would produce the same outcome, unfortunately.
Question is: Can I put Saran wrap on top as soon as out of oven to keep the top soft and not have the crunch top. That I do not like?
Hmmm… It’s going to come out of the oven with that crunchy top. Covering it would trap some steam in and might soften it a bit, but I can’t say for sure.
I just made the pie and only covered it with Saran after it had cooled down for several hours. It comes out of the oven with a crunchy top, so if you’re looking for a soft finish this might not be for you. That being said, the pie is quite soft beneath a rather thin crust.
Thanks!
I’m curious if this recipe can be doubled and made using a deep dish pie crust.
Theoretically, yes. But I’ve not tested it, so I can’t say for sure. Obviously, the cook time would have to change, but I’m not even sure where to start with that without testing it.
I will try your recipe because it doesn’t use cornmeal. I’ve never understood the use of cornmeal as a thickener. I’ve tried a few chess pies using cornmeal and they all ended up in the garbage. I never understood the mealy appeal.
Hope you’ll enjoy this one!
This pie is heavenly! My husband and I started having a slice every.single.night. After two months of indulging in your other worldly pie, I stopped making it after stepping on the scale and seeing I had gained 3 pounds! Alas, here I am again! 😂
Awww! Thank you!!
This pie was delicious and SO easy to make! I didn’t change a thing in the recipe. It might just become a fan favorite in my house. I used a frozen Marie Callender’s crust and a dollop of Extra Creamy Cool Whip when I served it that balanced out the rich chocolate flavor perfectly. Thanks for the recipe!
Sounds great to me! Cool Whip is a must in my book! Thanks, Lindsey!
How can I print out this recipe
Just scroll down to the tan recipe card and click “Print”. Hope that helps!
Is it okay to substitute flour for cornstarch in this chocolate chess pie recipe?
You can certainly do that. You’ll need to use twice as much flour. The pie texture and color will be a little different, but still delicious!
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I do have a question: I’ve only eaten one other chocolate chess pie — it seems to have set and had a clean cut but what is the texture supposed to be like? Is it supposed to be firmer like a pumpkin pie? Or more pudding like?
Honestly, it’s a fine line between the two… It should be firm, but also fudgey.
I made this tonight and it was delicious! My daughter had bought a tiny chocolate chess pie at a fancy bakery for $10 and it was so good! So I googled and found this recipe. I had all the ingredients but saw my evaporated milk had expired, so I used heavy cream mixed with whole milk and it worked great! I also used Lakanto monkfruit sweetener as I am diabetic, and it all worked great and tastes almost as good as the sugary one my daughter bought!
I just made it without a crust in a 9×9 pan, just cooked it less time, and I’m going to make some whipped cream to put on it tomorrow. Thank you so much for this great recipe! I’ve tried to make cakes and things with almond flour, but they are like rocks in my stomach, so to find this delicious recipe that I can make sugar free and fairly low carb is a gift!
These are great tips! Thanks for sharing! Glad you enjoyed it!
Jan I cook a lot of low carb dishes including desserts. You can make crust that would be great with this pie and low carb also……make a chopped pecan crust. You can find the recipe on a google search or any of the keto/low carb facebook pages. I have used this crust several times and love it.
Thank you Sherry! I love pecans. They are a bit pricey for me on disability, but I may try this!
We plan Gods willing making this pie for Christmas, it’s easy and looks delicious.
Also I wanted to ask you if you have ever trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior? He loves you and gave His life on Calvary!!! Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house.Acts 16:31
But as many as received him to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, to them that believe on his name . St John 1:12
I made this before, but I am taking it to a dinner, and somebody is gluten-free. I was thinking of making one with crust & one without. Have you ever made this without the crust? Any suggestions? 🙂 Thank you!
No, I’ve never made this without the crust. I think getting it out of the pan would be the biggest issue. If you try it, let me know how it turns out. You could also try replacing the regular crust with a gluten free nut crust.
I use a pre-made gluten free crust (found in frozen foods) — if you’re doing this, though, be sure to use the tip above by placing it on a cookie sheet in the oven. I forgot to do that this time and took it out and slightly squeezed the sides of the aluminum pie pan and the top of the pie cracked. BUT, it will still taste delicious, I’m certain.
Glad it tasted good, regardless!
Tasted sooo good!!! I added a design on top with just a bit of powdered sugar to dress it up
Perfect! So glad y’all enjoyed it!
Great pie, but for all that is good and holy: 4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
Deep breath there, James. That’s correct, but I’m curious… Why does this bother you so?
It is a big pet peeve of mine that happens a lot in recipes. For simplicity sake they should always use the smallest possible measurement. Why call for 1.5 cups of sugar when you could just call for 24 tablespoons?
Like I said, the pie was great, I’ve made it a few times now.
Thank you James! 🤭🥰
Perfect!
Thanks!
What an easy and tasty recipe! We made this for Thanksgiving, and now I’m making it for Christmas party. This time we decided to try adding a little bit of peanut butter so I’m excited to see how that turns out! Thank you for sharing!
I’m interested to hear how it turned out with the peanut butter. Let me know!
Beautiful! I just microwaved a little bit of peanut butter, and marbled it in! If I could add a picture to this, I would!
That’s great! Thanks for letting me know.
If one were inclined to add ground coffee, about how much do you think would complement, without overpowering, the recipe?
Coffee is a great way to enhance the chocolate flavor! If adding ground coffee, I think about 1 tablespoon might work, but keep in mind that it may give the pie a gritty texture. You could also dissolve some espresso powder in the evaporated milk to get the same flavor without the grittiness.
Is this recipe for the 2 pies or is this the halved recipe?
This is just for one pie.
After years of wanting to, I finally tried making lemon chess pie a couple of times recently. It was a hit. My sister mentioned chocolate chess, so I’ll try that next. After reading the comments on here, I’m so very glad I found your recipe first instead of trial and error. I’ll have to try your Buttermilk, Peach, and Eggnog versions too. Thanks!
I hope they’ll all turn out great for you!
Made this for Thanksgiving just to have a little chocolate on the table — it was the favorite of the day.
Love hearing that!
I see chess pie in the store with flake salt on top. Would that work here? What do you think?
Heck yeah it would! I love that sweet and salty combo. It would be AMAZING here!
Awesome. I’m going to try that. I’ll let you know how it turns out! Thank you for replying so quickly!
You bet! I look forward to hearing back from you!
I just made this to serve tomorrow. Do I need to refrigerate it if not serving right away?
Technically, all custard (egg) based pies need to be refrigerated, but I’ve not had a problem keeping it on the counter for one night.
Thanks, good to know. Happy Thanksgiving!
I made this last Thanksgiving and it was fabulous. Making it again this year.
Awesome! So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Me too. Wondering if you can add mini chocolate chips to the top while it’s cooling. Or maybe add them to the hipped cream.
I’ve not tried either of those ideas, so I can’t say for sure. They both sound delicious, though!
My first try and it was over the top yummy!
Wonderful! So happy to hear it turned out great for you!
How well does this Chocolate Chess pie do if cooked and then frozen?
It works pretty well. Granted, not as well as fresh, but it’s worth it if you need to save some time.
I remember every Year at the holiday’s my mom making these pies…now she did tweak it just a little, she trippled the recipe and added chopped pecans…which when cooked would form a layer across the top of the pies…which made them taste like fudge brownies…oh they were so good…thanks for the memories….
That sounds amazing, Sylvia!
Quick, easy, and flavorful. Loved this pie. I used a store bought pie crust and added a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of bourbon to the pie filling. It turned out beautifully delicious. And I very much appreciate recipes that don’t dirty a lot dishes. The pie pan and the mixing bowl are the only dishes I have to wash. The whole family greatly enjoyed this pie and they’ve already requested that I make it again. Thanks so much for sharing all your wonderful recipes on this site.
Thanks so much, Carey! I’m so glad to hear the entire family enjoyed it!
Thank you for this great recipe! I used about 1/4 cup less sugar, and it still came out tasting fabulous. Question, though: I’ve never had a chess pie. What is the consistency supposed to be? Mine came out with a very thin crackly top crust. The rest was like a very gooey/creamy brownie. It was set, but still a bit pudding like. Does that sound right?
That’s exactly how it should be. You did great! So glad you enjoyed it!
I am hoping for an answer to my question, re reducing the amount of sugar. What would be the least amount of sugar that would still make a successful pie? Yes, I realize might seem ridiculous, but the dietary situations exist, & we still like chocolate. Planning to make for this coming Saturday.
Evaporated milk—I would have thought the amount shown on can would be liquid measurement, but one reader interprets as a weight measurement. Bit of a conundrum, but solvable.
The amount on the can of evaporated milk is the liquid measurement. I actually just measured some out this morning! Regarding the sugar in the pie, we tried to answer yesterday best we could because we have not personally made this with a smaller sugar amount. This is clearly speculation, but I would not reduce the amount of sugar to any less than 3/4 cup. Hope this helps!
I think this might just be the best chocolate chess pie recipe I have tried….and at 63 I have tried a lot 🙂
Thank you so much!
Thank you for sharing such a wonderfully delicious recipe. Followed it to the letter and it turned out perfect as usual. I found this recipe two years ago and have used it several times, and it’s always a hit.
So glad to hear you’ve enjoyed it, CeCe!!
My husband and I have been married almost 24 years. His very favorite pie in the entire world is chocolate chess pie. Specifically his beloved grandmother’s recipe. I have followed her recipe for 23 years and the pies never set. NEVER SET in 23 years. Talk about frustrating. My sweet man never complained, happily ate them anyway, even when having to eat the chocolate part with a spoon. I decided to try your recipe, because it’s very similar to his grandmothers, with the exception of a few changes in quantities of ingredients and the addition of cornstarch. I baked it today and was so hopeful when pulling it out of the oven. It looked firm and had a beautiful top. We dove into it tonight and (insert drumroll here 😀 ) IT SET!!!! And it was so delicious! I cannot begin to tell you how happy it made me to present to him a perfectly set chocolate chess pie. Will be trying some of your other recipes. Thank you so much for sharing this.
This was absolutely delicious. I only had a 12 oz can of evaporated milk so I weighed out five ounces on my kitchen scale. I made it in a regular sized Keebler graham cracker crust (which it fit exactly) covering the edges with a pie crust shield before I put it in the oven on top of a sheet pan. It did not spill over at all though. This is now my go to chocolate pie as it is that good.
Awesome! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it!
It was great and super nostalgic for me, thanks! It was the easiest recipe I’ve ever done too since you just pour everything in and bake 🙂
Such an easy recipe!
I was visiting North Carolina and I had a slice of Chocolate Chess Pie at a restaurant and it was delicious. I’m from Chicago and we don’t have it here (that I know of!). I tried your recipe today and it was perfect! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Made 2 today to take to a meeting. I love the recipe, so easy to make. As much as I love chocolate chess pie, this was a bit too sweet and a little “grainey” for me. I will work this out with your recipe because I believe this recipe is the best
Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Reducing the sugar shouldn’t be a problem.
I have been dreaming about this pie for about 30 years. A restaurant my parents used to take me to here in Maine had chocolate chess pie for dessert. It was my favorite dessert of all time. They closed. I thought they had made up the name and never really tried to find a recipe, since I didn’t know that was it’s actual name. I was watching a cooking show that mentioned chocolate chess pie last week and immediately googled recipes. Your’s was the one I landed on. It did not disappoint. 30+ years later my taste buds are happy dancing again. Thank you.
That is so sweet! I am so happy to be able to bring those memories back!
I made this chocolate chess pie for a Pi day contest two weeks ago. It was my first time making a Chocolate Chess Pie, and I was very happy with the results . Thank you for a great recipe.
I am so glad that you enjoyed it! It’s one of my favorites as well!
Fabulous. Made in a heavier duty disposable pie pan today (Did use 3.5 TBL cornstarch due to warmer humid weather on southern coast of Florida) after shedding emotional tears in a Publix – as after almost 64 years of living without baking with real dairy/milk I have discovered I can use the a2 milk and not suffer. I actually was able to get a2 Half and Half, to substitute for evap milk, at Publix. The a2 milk is a true life changer for me!!! This recipe I googled while teary was my choice – I was determined to make the pie I so enjoyed at a local restaurant years ago. And this is it – first go! God is so good. The only question is how does their premade, store-bought (shortbread?) crust seem like it’s never been in an oven at all?? Do they cook filling before filling the crust?? Covered my crust w/foil after 20 mins, maybe not soon enough? Lightly browned and okay. But restaurant’s pie crust always seemed never “re-baked.” And I ate their pie for well over a decade after church on Sundays. Not a fluke.
Thank you, and also thank you to a2 company in USA and distributors! I suggest beating eggs, then not overbeating your mixture once added in. My filling actually sat for 30 mins prior to my short re-stir and then pouring to bake. Readers may not realize lactose-free milk will not set up as well in puddings, etc. Get 2 oven therms to check for hotter areas before you cook. I lightly patted sprinkled reg flour on top/bottom of single crust prior to filling as it was a higher sugar pie.
I am storing pie in fridge and will take out to room temp to enjoy more tomorrow. Again, thank you and we do appreciate your kind responses!
That a2 milk is a real game changer for lots of folks. When it comes to the restaurant’s pie crust, it’s really hard to say. They may have covered the crust the entire time. Thanks so much for the tip about using lactose free milk.
My daughter wants to make chocolate chess pie for her 3rd grade States Fair. She has Virginia and researched this Southern staple (plus she adores chocolate). We need to make 60 mini pies for the project. I bought premade mini (3 inch) pie crusts. Any guesses on temperature and baking time for a bunch of small pies?
How fun! I wish we had projects like that when I was a kid! If I were to guess, I’d say 350° for 20 to 25 minutes. Hope they turn out great for her!
Thank you for the quick feedback. I’m a fine baker, but only because I follow recipes and instructions exactly, so I appreciate the thought from an experienced baker. I will report back after we give it a try!
Chose this for our PIE day (3-14-2022) celebration. SO GLAD I DID!!
Absolutely the BEST chocolate pie ever!! I will be serving this for every holiday and pot luck this year and probably many years to come. So easy and the ingredients are regular everyday items. Thank you!!
Thanks! So glad you enjoyed it!
I made this for my husbands 70th birthday. He loves chocolate pie and has always had chocolate pie on his birthday, since a small child. He told me a few minutes ago and I quote “in 70 years, this is the best chocolate pie I have ever eaten and I’ve eaten a lot of them!” . Thank you so much for the recipe.
This put quite the smile on my face this morning!! I’m so glad that he enjoyed it! Please tell him we said Happy Birthday!!
I recently made this with a store-bought graham cracker crust. The pie was set-up right out of the oven, no jiggling or anything! The chocolate taste was amazing.. the only problem I had was with the crust, it got overdone to the point of being dark and crunchy. My kids actually liked it, haha! But I prefer a softer, lighter pie crust and will try shortbread next time. Or make my own 😉 Thanks for the recipe!
So glad that it turned out great for you! The long cook time might be why the crust got so dark. I’ve never tried it with a graham cracker crust, but it sounds great!
Amazing! And so easy! My granddaughter and I really enjoyed making this. And eating it!
Love hearing that!!
I have made this pie several times and it has been delicious! Rave reviews from everyone. It is my go-to pie recipe to wow a crowd. I use 1/2 dark chocolate powder and 1/2 regular cocoa powder and it really gives it a deep flavor. I have never had a problem with the pie setting (though I did have to double check with the can of milk, I was using a large can and almost ruined it!).
Thanks!
That sounds delicious! So glad you caught the milk size before you used it!
is 325 or 350 to bake
Hi Kevin! You should bake the pie at 350°F.
Going to try this for Christmas as a surprise for my sister. I’m thinking of maybe trying it using either a walnut or pecan pie crust and reducing the sugar a bit. Wish me luck!
Changing up the crust sounds amazing! Hope your sister enjoys it!
Best pie ever! Thin crispy top, silky chocolate underneath. Can’t wait to make it again. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Awesome! So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Is it possible that you didn’t halve the sugar when you halved the recipe? It was way too sweet for us! The texture and everything was fine but even with ice cream it was unbearably sweet.
Pie? Too sweet? I’m kidding, of course. No, seriously, I’ve always made it this way and not had any complaints about it being too sweet. That being said, you can certainly reduce the amount of sugar if you wish.
Read only a couple of comments re amount of sugar.
What would be the least amount of sugar one could use? So important in the situations I would love to make this for— chocolate lovers. Yes, we should omit dessert!
Will really appreciate your answer.
Thanking you
I can’t say for sure as I have only ever made it with the amount of sugar that is written!
I wonder if the ones that didn’t set up right used a mixer rather than whisking or stirring with a fork by hand? The mixer will ruin this pie for sure! My crusts also recommended putting the cookie sheet you set it on it the oven to preheat, not preheating that might have done it as well.
Those things can certainly have an effect. I think in most cases it’s because folks used the wrong size can of evaporate milk.
This is my favorite pie. I have made it several times. Big hit every time. I was wondering if you have any suggestions for making this in High altitudes?
Thanks, Janice! I don’t have much experience with high altitude baking, but found this helpful: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
This is a wonderful pie!! Thank you Stacey😊
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!!
I only have one that wants pumpkin pie so I’ve been looking for weeks as to what to serve instead. This is going to be the one and a mile high apple pie. One of the things I do once I read the comments is to highlight the areas of the recipes that seem to be causing the most problem so that I don’t do the same. Can’t wait for Thanksgiving. Seeing son for 1st time in almost 2 years.
What a joy it will be to see him, Margi! I hope y’all have an incredible time together! Happy Thanksgiving!
This was the best chocolate chess pie that I have ever made. I followed the recipe and it set up perfectly with no cracks! Excellent, rich chocolate flavor. Shared a FEW slices (I was a little stingy 😈)with friends and everyone wanted the recipe. Thank you Stacey for another award winning recipe.
Fantastic! I’m so glad to hear it turned out perfect for you!!
Hey Stacey! Just wanted to say that I follow the recipe exactly and this is EXACTLY what chocolate chess pie should taste like. For the past thirty years, my family has been celebrating Thanksgiving in the Shenandoah Valley, eating chocolate chess pie for dessert. Last year, with COVID, the place we always go was closed, so we had Thanksgiving at home…I had to try to recreate the magic pie and this recipe was SPOT ON!! Fast forward a year later and I’ve made it at least 8 times–rave review from all family and friends. Thank you so very much, with love from my whole family.
This put a HUGE smile on my face! So glad to hear it turned out great for you, Corrine!
I came to the comment section to see if someone has already asked about a crustless pie. I made this pie once, and it’s amazing! I wanted to make this again for my ladies group, but we have a lady that can only eat gluten-free. The ingredients all look gluten-free except for the crust. I think I’ll try it crustless. Wish me luck! 😁
Let me know how it turns out!
I purchase gluten free cookies and crush them, add butter and sugar. Press into pie plate
Thanks for that tip!
Do you even need to read these comments? This recipe is by Stacey Little. If you still need convincing, buy his recipe book and start on page one. Probably my favorite wedding present 5 years ago… this is an amazing pie and couldn’t be easier.
Thanks so much, Stephen!
When I first started making this pie, I failed to realize that it calls for only 5oz. of evaporated milk. This caused the pie to not set completely or at all.
Oh no! So how much evaporated milk did you end up using?
My pie tasted like a brownie pie. It was good. Very rich & sweet, perfect with a cup of black coffee..My pie set perfectly, no issues.
I think brownie pie sounds amazing! Glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to let us know how it turned out!
I made this pie for my family, followed the recipe exactly ( but I used a regular, frozen, store-bought pie crust ) and it turned out amazing!!! ???? I made sure not to over-fill, and placed it on a baking sheet as well. My entire family loved it! Didn’t last very long lol
So glad to hear y’all enjoyed it!
My Grandma made chocolate chess pie. I just popped mine in the oven. Thanks for the recipe.
Hope it turns out GREAT for you!!
Love this pie! Sometimes my pie will not crackle on top and that’s my favorite part!?
Hmmm… Let me put some thought into that.
This is a SERIOUSLY good pie!!! Possibly the best pie I’ve ever made!! WHERE has chocolate chess pie been all my life?! The only change I made was cutting back the sugar by a 1/4 cup.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!!
Just cooked this pie for the first time ever and much to my surprise it turned out absolutely perfect!! I used 2 regular frozen pie crusts and this recipe filled both just right. I also used 5 oz evaporated milk and baked at 350 for 50 minutes. It set perfectly, tasted better than I imagined it would and the crust was so perfectly crispy and flaky. I don’t have a dollop or cool whip to add to it but will be sure to have some for next time. Thanks so much!! ♥️
Awesome! It’s certainly one fo my favorites!
Would replacing the corn starch with corn meal and a bit of flour work? I don’t have corn starch.
Flour will work. It can actually be made without it completely, but the cornstarch is a little insurance policy to help it set.
My pie also did not set after being baked for 55 minutes and refrigerated overnight. It was a birthday pie so frustrating! It did taste good but did not present well. Very disappointed.
Ugh! I hate to hear that! I just made this last week and had no trouble at all with it setting and I can not figure out what’s happening. A quick Google search shows that nearly all the Chocolate Chess Pies out there call for similar ingredient amounts and instructions. It’s got to be another variable like oven temperature. I’m going to test mine again with a higher temp and see if it helps.
I made this recipe exactly as written. It was delicious!! I let my pie crust come to room temperature also. This pie was fudgy goodness!!
Wonderful! I’m so glad it turned out great for you!
I try and follow this recipe to a tee. 5 and 6 year olds measure the ingredients but I watch like a hawk. It is the BEST ever. It’s my go-to, most requested, most loved. Thank you!
So glad you’ve enjoyed it! And I love hearing about little ones getting in the kitchen, too!
I just took this pie out of the oven. It has a beautiful crusty top and smells heavenly. I can’t wait to try this tomorrow for thanksgiving. Thank you for the recipe!
I can smell it now! Sure hope y’all enjoyed it!
So I know this recipe is fantastic because I made it last year. I don’t know what I’ve done wrong, but my pies aren’t setting right, and I was wondering if anyone would know a solution.
Often times, folks are using the wrong size can of evap milk. Are you sure that you’re using the small (5-ounce) can?
I have made this pie for years and it is always a hit. I usually put whole pecan halves on top and just gently dip or push them in the liquid so they get wet and then bake. It is a good version. This time I just made it without and it turned out great. But I have a question – do you know the nutritional content and for 1 piece out of what total slices of pie? Thanks!
Hi Annette! That sounds amazing! I don’t calculate the nutritional content, but a site like myfitnesspal.com will allow you to input the ingredients and calculate it that way.
Im about to make this pie. Sure hope 325°works as i usually use 350°
Yep. It works just fine. Just make sure you use a 5-ounce can of evap milk. Apparently some folks are using a 10-ounce.
O…M..GEEEEEE! THANK YOU! Yes, I just had to yell that out. I see myself as a pretty good cook and have made regular chess pies, buttermilk pies and cobblers. For some reason I wanted a nibble of chess pie. Nooooo, not an ordinary chess pie; not even a lemon would do. I wanted a taste of chocolate. After sifting through several blogs and recipes I chose this recipe. I didn’t have cornstarch or evaporated milk so I had to take a scientific chance and make some exchanges. I used 2% milk and all-purpose flour. All I can say is that I’m THRILLED with the outcome. It turned out to be a nice, sort of fluffy custard. Im pleased and will make this again. I’m going to go through your recipes to see what else I can “cook up to take a bite out of”. Thanks again.
Sweet! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to leave me this glowing review!!
do you think this could be frozen? I am catering a party and would like to make the desserts a few days in advance to get them out of the way. Refrigerating for a couple of days would be OK too, but if it could be frozen, I would make it the weekend before.
Freezing pies can be tricky. I think it would work, but I’ve not tried it myself.
I love this pie so much! I am a major chocolate fiend. The first time I ever had a chocolate chess pie was on vacation, visiting my wife’s family in the South. We had dinner at Golden Corral and I spotted the pie as part of the dessert buffet. I thought it was just a chocolate pudding pie. Boy, was I wrong! I was so much better! It is thicker, richer, and fudgier than a pudding pie. I started searching the internet trying to figure out exactly what that little slice of heaven was. Once I learned it was a chocolate chess pie, I went on a mission to try as many recipes as I could find. This recipe is my favorite one so far, and it is incredibly easy to throw together. I love it!
Awesome! Thanks so much, Michael! I’m so happy to hear this one has been your favorite! It’s certainly a favorite of mine as well!
Reading the comments, i wonder if the pies that didnt set up ended up with a whole 10oz can of evaporated milk?
That’s actually a really great point! I do wonder that now.
I have been making this pie for a while my family just loves it, however the last few times I made it, it cracked across the top and never set. What am I doing or not doing?
This pie does often crack, but I find it’s just part of the character. As to it not setting, is the entire pie not set or just the center?
I made my first pie exactly according to the recipe and it was awesome and I just made another pie identical except I put less sugar because on top of the pie I shaved white chocolate and dark chocolate and walnuts on top of it and it was awesome as well thank you for such a good recipe and an easy one at that!!
That sounds amazing! So glad you’ve enjoyed this recipe!!
Hi, how long should I cook this at a higher altitude?
I can’t say for sure, but I’d add about 5 minutes.
I made the recipe as is, and it filled completely a deep dish pie shell. When it cooked it came over the edges of the shell, all the way around, not just a little bit; luckily I had the shell on a cookie sheet so it didn’t spill into the oven floor. I don’t bake a lot of pies, so I didn’t recognized that I was probably overfilling it. Thoughts?
Check the size of the deep dish. I made two today and they worked fine as written. So glad you had them on the cookie sheet, but hate you had a little trouble.
Is this calling for 1 and 1/2 sugar or just 1/2 cup off sugar?
1 1/2 cups or 1 + 1/2 cups or 1.5 cups
Does this pie need to be refrigerated?
If it’s consumed within a day or so, it’s probably fine left out.
This was a delicious and super easy pie to make! Fantastic chocolate flavor, and though it is very sweet, easily the best chocolate pie I’ve ever made or eaten. Great texture. I did end up baking the pie longer for the middle to set (still had a slight jiggle-similar to cheesecake)…closer to 60 min. Will be my go to chocolate pie from now on. Thank you so much!
So glad you enjoyed this one so much, Amber! It’s certainly one of my favorites.
Yum!!!! Yum!!!!! Yum!!!!!!! Such a delicious, delectable, and delightful pie!! Thank you so much for this recipe of perfection!!!!!!!!!
So glad you enjoyed it so!!
Hi! So if I want the consistency to be a little thicker and fudgy (is that even a word lol), would I add in a little more corn starch or maybe cook it a little longer? I’ve attempted to make this pie about 10 times now (not this particular recipe, but similar) and every single time it comes out just a little runny. Still good and still edible, but too thin and not completely set. Although I’ve followed the recipes exactly. Any suggestions?
Hi Jenna!
Being that you’ve had trouble with several different recipes, have you checked to ensure your oven is heating to the correct temp?
Hmmm, no I haven’t ever checked that . How would I check that? My pie is in the oven as we speak. Fingers crossed! I didn’t add anything. I followed your recipe exactly!
You can grab an oven thermometer in most big box stores and on Amazon and you can just hang it on one of the racks and compare the temp it reads with the oven set temps to make sure they match. Let me know how it turned out! 🙂
Could I use something else instead of corn starch?
You can use flour, but the result may not be quite the same.
You would need to use self-rising flour if you substitute the corn starch. The corn starch would give it a smoother texture.
I think regular or all purpose should both work in this case – I just much prefer the corn starch.
I made this tonight. I did add a pinch of salt. Perfection. Thanks for the great classic.
Awesome! Glad it turned out great for you!
I have printed off some of your recipes that I am going to make, especially the peach chess pie. Looks really good. Your chocolate pie recipe looks like the one I make, so I dug out my recipe. It’s exactly the same except for the corn starch. My pie is one I’ve made many times for church dinners and funerals and I never bring home any left overs. I wonder why you use corn starch? Also I bake mine at 350 instead of 325. I will try your recipe, will you try yours w/o corn starch?
The corn starch is like an insurance policy to make sure it’s going to thicken up the way it should.
Thank you for this recipe. It is the closest anyone has came to my Aunt Bessie’s pie. This is going to be a family favorite and staple for special occasions! Bless you.
Nothing makes me happier than hearing things like that. So glad you enjoyed it!
Love this recipe! I made this yesterday and it was a hit with my family.
So glad y’all enjoyed it!!
Have you ever tried it with a graham cracker crust or Oreo crust?
I haven’t, but it sounds like something worth trying!
Just cooked one in a graham cracker crust, I think it’s better than a regular crust. I also use graham cracker crust for my regular chocolate pie as well.
I LOVE this idea!! Thanks for sharing!!
Would it work the same if you add pecans?
I’m not sure. I’ve not tried that.
Can you use a deep dish pie crust for 1 pie or do you just need to use the regular pie crust? I’m using frozen ones in the tin pies.
I just put mine in the oven in a frozen pie crust, and it filled fine, and doesn’t look too skimpy. My question is does a frozen crust need to be parbaked for this pie?
No, there’s not need to par bake, but you can. You just might need to shield the edges with some aluminum foil to keep it from getting too brown when baking the pie.
Deep dish will work, it will just not fill it all the way up.
Do you have to use unsalted butter?
It’s best to control the salt content in the pie, but salted will work just fine.
Oh my goodness, this sounds like one everyone’s gonna have to try and love! Thanks for sharing!
Sure hope you’ll enjoy!!
I made this last week was Delicious. Made two more tonight for Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing this recipe
Wonderful! So glad you’ve enjoyed this one! I just made two as well!
I just wanted to give you ALLL the stars!! This is my go to recipe, every time I’ve made it, it’s been delicious. It’s my favorite dessert to make because it doesn’t require a ton of dishes and I don’t even have to bring the hand mixer out for it! Thank you for sharing it!! I keep the link in the notes on my phone so I can find it quickly anytime I decide I want pie
You are too kind! Thank you!
Hey y’all, can you make this without the crust? Just bake it in the pie shell? Has anybody tried that?
I can’t say I’ve ever tried it that way. Is there a particular reason you want to bake it that way?
Did you really mean a 5 ounce can of evaporated milk or should it be 15 ounces?
No, it’s a 5 ounce can.
As good as this pie is, you will probably need the rest of that can of evaporated milk to make more!
Love that idea!!
I didn’t have evaporated milk on hand so I used half heavy cream and half 2% milk. Also increased the cornstarch to 4 level tablespoons and baked for one full hour. It set up perfectly.
Glad to hear it!
OOooh! I can’t wait to make this for my family for Valentine’s Day! Happy Hearts Day!
Sure hope they’ll love it!
Everyone DID love it, Stacey. You rocked our Valentine’s dessert! I just mistakenly added a whole 11 ounce can of Evaporated Milk instead of 5 ounce. I had to bake it a bit longer, but the flavor was milk chocolate goodness!
Awesome!! So glad y’all enjoyed it!!!
This looks like a winner to me…. I think I’ll make it this week. Thanks for your recipes. I’ve saved quite a few of them. All delicious!
Love hearing that!! Thanks, Deanna!
Mine was crackled when it came out of the oven. Did I over cook?
No, it often does crack, so it should be just fine.
Hello. I followed the recipe 100%. I did use a frozen deep dish crust, but mine did not set up. Even over night in the fridge, it was a cold mess. Any suggestions??
With 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, I just can’t imagine why it didn’t set up.
I attempted this pie last night and followed the recipe exactly. Mine also didn’t set.
At all or just in the middle?
Reading the comments, i wonder if the pies that didnt set up ended up with a whole can of evaporated milk?
I made this pie last night and the actual steps were pretty easy but somewhere I went wrong! The center of my pie never set. I used 5 oz of evaporated milk and cooked it at 325° for about 50 minutes when the crust was fully formed. The outside edge is perfect! Really delicious! The center has raw crust and filling the consistency of ganache. I put it in the fridge overnight to set up and it didn’t help. Tips??
I’m struggling because I’ve had a few folks complain about their pies not setting, but for the life of me, can’t get that problem to happen when I make this. It always turns out perfectly cooked. In your case, I think maybe some more time in the oven would have fixed it. Oven temps can vary a bit and since you only cooked it for 50 minutes, I’m guessing it could have stood 10 to 15 minutes more. It’s just so hard to say since I can’t be there in the kitchen with you.
I’ll try that. I still have a pie crust left in my fridge! Thank you!!(:
This was super easy. I hate to cook. Mine turned out great. Very tasty. Set in middle too. I baked 50 mins at 350°