Rich and chocolaty, dense and creamy, this chocolate chess pie recipe is a Southern classic!
The top bakes into a thin, crisp, brownie consistency while the custard underneath stays smooth and creamy.
With just one bottom layer of pastry, chocolate chess pie is easy to bake and serve!
What is Chocolate Chess Pie?
- Chess pies have a filling similar to a chocolate pecan pie without the nuts. They’re made with simple ingredients like butter, sugar, eggs, and dairy that bake into a custard-like filling.
- Just mix, fill, and bake! Chocolate chess pie is as easy as…well, pie!
- The most requested recipe at Angus Barn (Raleigh, NC), chocolate chess pies are made over 100 times a day!
- Serve chocolate chess pie fresh from the oven warm, or, for best flavor, the next day after chilling in the refrigerator.
Ingredients and Variations
Crust: Use a storebought butter pie crust or a homemade version, an Oreo cookie crust, or a graham cracker crust.
Pie Filling: Many chess pie recipes use buttermilk, but few home cooks keep it on hand, so this version uses evaporated milk instead. Choose regular cocoa over Dutch-pressed because its acidity will balance out the sugar perfectly.
Variations: Stir in some mini chocolate chips, toasted coconut, or chopped pecans.
Toppings: Top chocolate chess pie with some chocolate curls, OREO cookie crumbs, whipped cream, or powdered sugar. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a tall glass of creamy lemonade or a cup of fluffy dalgona coffee!
How to Make Chocolate Chess Pie
- Bake pie crust per recipe directions below (this step is optional).
- Sift cocoa and flour together, whisk in sugar and salt until combined.
- Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Pour pie filling into the pie crust and bake.
- Cool the pie completely before garnishing and serving.
Tips and Tricks
- Bring eggs to room temperature for faster blending.
- Sifting the cocoa powder and flour together in Step 4 is important because it removes any clumps and helps aerate the mix.
- Keep the top from cracking by letting the pie cool in the oven with the door cracked open. This keeps the pie from cracking when it hits the cooler air outside the oven.
- If the edges of the pie crust are starting to get too brown, cover them with foil or with a pie crust protector so that the pie can continue to bake without burning the crust.
- For extra clean slices, chill chocolate chess pie in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
Storing Chocolate Chess Pie
- For best results, keep leftover chocolate cheese pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Once the pie is chilled solid, freeze the whole pie or slices in plastic wrap then in zippered bags for up to 3 months.
- Thaw slices in the fridge or at room temperature until ready to enjoy!
More Delish Pie Recipes!
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Chocolate Chess Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust unbaked, store bought or homemade
- ¼ cup cocoa powder (not Dutch cocoa)
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 3 eggs lightly beaten (do not overbeat)
- 5 ounces evaporated milk 1 small can
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Optional Garnish for Serving
- chocolate to shave grated chocolate on top
- whipped cream
- vanilla ice cream
- powdered sugar
Instructions
- To a metal pie pan, add pie crust. Keep chilled while preparing the filling.
- Optional Step: For a crisper crust, par bake chilled pie crust in a preheated oven at 375°F. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Bake 15 minutes, and carefully lift out parchment paper with weights. Cool while preparing the filling.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (or reduce temperature if you par baked the crust).
- Into a medium bowl, sift cocoa powder and flour. Whisk cocoa and flour with sugar and salt.
- Add melted butter, eggs, evaporated milk, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Stir until well combined.
- Pour mixture into the pie crust, filling about ⅔ full (do not overfill).
- Bake for 50 minutes, or until the edges of the pie are set, and the center is only slightly “jiggly.” Pie is ready when a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean. Bake additional 10 minute increments until pie is baked through.
- Remove pie and cool completely on a rack for about 2-3 hours.*
- Slice cooled pie, garnish with grated chocolate, and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired. Or sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- *Optional: After baking, turn the oven off but leave the pie in the oven and crack open the oven door. Allow the pie to cool this way for about 30 minutes. This may help avoid cracks in the pie.
- Leftover chocolate chess pie will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for 4 months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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