Chocolate Chess Pie

Name: Chocolate Chess Pie
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 unbaked pie crust (I used a store bought to make it easier homemade one!); 1 cup sugar; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 4 tbsp 1/2 stick melted salted butter; 2 eggs; 3 tbsp cocoa powder; 1 tsp espresso powder (optional); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/4 cup evaporated milk

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By:

Madeline

Published: November 25, 2024

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This Chocolate Chess Pie recipe is a rich and delicious twist on the classic chess pie. It is perfect to serve at the holidays!

Side view of a chocolate chess pie with a dollop of whipped cream on it

Make-ahead

Beginner-friendly

You’ll Learn: That chilling the pie is essential for the best slice

Worth It: Easy-to-make crowd pleaser

Bonus: Freezes well

Above view of chocolate chess pie cut into slices

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Perfect easy holiday dessert – If you haven’t tried a chess pie before, the holiday season is a great time to do so. It is very easy to make since it requires pretty standard pantry ingredients and little prep time, but is still loaded with flavor. It is so tasty that your guests will rave about it for gatherings to come.
Twist on a Southern classic – Butter, eggs, and sugar combine to make this sweet and rich-flavored custard-like dessert. This chocolate chess pie recipe has cocoa added to it for a fun spin on this southern staple.
Best chocolate dessert for any occasion – The recipe for this chocolate chess pie is bursting with chocolate flavor. Make it for your family holiday gatherings, a small dinner party with friends or a romantic night at home.

Serving Suggestions

This rich chocolate chess pie recipe is the perfect dessert for your holiday gathering or celebration. It is best served cold.

I highly recommend adding some whipped cream or powdered sugar on top. You can also serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of hot fudge.

For another holiday dessert option to serve alongside this pie, you could make this sweet potato cheesecake. If you want to add some cookies to your spread, make these chocolate thumbprint cookies or almond cookies. I also love to make this Christmas Chex Mix!

what is a chess pie?

This chocolate chess pie recipe is inspired by the original chess pie, a southern dessert that originated in England. This recipe is similar but has cocoa added to it for a fun twist.

There are many stories as to how the chess pie got its name but no one seems to know for sure. One theory I’ve read is that a plantation cook made a pie similar to this and when she was asked what she had made, her response was “just pie” which in a thick southern accent may have sounded like “chess pie”.

Another theory is that the name comes from a pie chest which is how pies were stored prior to refrigerators being invented. Lastly, old cookbooks include chess pies in the cheesecake section so it is possible that this name is a derivative of cheese pie.

Regardless, no matter how the chess pie got its name, one thing we know for sure is that it is a delicious dessert!

Ingredients

Pie crust – you can use store bought crust or make your own
Granulated sugar and brown sugar – this combination of sugars sweetens the pie and caramelizes the flavor
Salted butter – I recommend using salted rather than unsalted butter for this chocolate chess pie recipe
Large eggs – allow your eggs to come to room temperature for the best bake
Unsweetened cocoa powder – you can also use dutch-process cocoa powder. In a buttermilk pie, you could use flour, but for this chocolate chess pie we are using cocoa.
Espresso powder – this is optional, but I love the addition of some coffee flavor
Vanilla extract – the vanilla enhances all of the flavors in your pie
Evaporated milk – the milk keeps the pie moist and creates the perfect texture for your filling

Ingredient substitutions

It is very easy to make this chocolate chess pie gluten-free. Just use a store-bought gluten-free crust.

To make this pie dairy free you can use some light coconut milk in place of the evaporated milk. This might result in a slight coconut taste, but hopefully the chocolate will overpower that taste.

Make an Easy Homemade pie crust

The crust for this recipe is just a classic pie crust. If you want to simplify this chocolate pie recipe, use a store bought crust from the freezer or refrigerated section of the grocery store.

You can buy the pie dough as a sheet rolled up or as an unbaked pie shell in a disposable pie plate.

If you want to make the crust yourself, use this simple recipe:

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
1 stick butter, diced and frozen
3 tbsp very cold water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Pulse the dry ingredients in a food processor and then turn on and add in the butter. Once incorporated, add the water and apple cider vinegar and pulse until everything has come together.

Roll out on a floured surface and prepare it in a pie tin. Pop in the freezer until you’re ready for it. Then, roll into a circle, place in the pie dish and crimp the edges with your fingers.

This simple pie dough freezes wonderfully so feel free to make a double batch, use one immediately and freeze the other for up to 3 months.

Step by step assembly of a chocolate chess pie recipe

How to make

Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prep Pie Crust

To start making this chocolate chess pie, preheat your oven to 375F.

Then, prepare your deep dish pie crust in a 9-inch pie tin and pinch the edges however you’d like. Place in the freezer while you prep the rest. I find you do not need to bake the crust beforehand but if you would like to, add parchment paper and pie weights and bake.

Step 2: Prepare Batter

To start making this chocolate chess pie batter, whisk together the sugars and melted butter in a large bowl. You can use an electric mixer for this or a hand whisk.

After that, whisk the eggs in and really beat them for a minute or two so that the consistency is light and fluffy. Next, beat in the three tablespoons cocoa powder, espresso powder, and teaspoon vanilla extract.

Lastly, fold in the evaporated milk. Once everything is mixed together, place the pie pan on a sheet pan, and pour in the batter.

Step 3: Bake, Cool and chill in the fridge

Next, bake at 375F for a total time of 45-50 minutes until it is jiggly like jello. You don’t want the center solid, but you also don’t want it to be too wet. It will set further as it cools.

Then, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature before transferring it to the fridge for a few hours. This chocolate chess pie is best served cold and with some whipped cream on top.

Three quarter view of a slice of chocolate chess pie with whipped cream on top

Storage

Allow the chocolate chess pie to cool completely and then transfer it to the fridge in an airtight container. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

You can also freeze individual slices by wrapping in plastic wrap and storing in a freezer safe bag. When you want to eat it, thaw in the refrigerator.

can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! It is important for this chocolate chess pie to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours before it is sliced so it is a great dish to make ahead of time.

I like to make it the day before I want to serve it so that way it can chill in the fridge overnight before it is served. Make sure it is completely cool before you place it in the fridge.

Check out these other holiday dessert recipes

You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!

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