Chocolate Chess Pie (Flaky and Fudgy)

This chocolate chess pie is a classic Southern dessert with a flaky pie crust, fudgy filling, and crackly top. It is the dream of any chocolate lover just like our no bake chocolate pie with meringue!

Do you love chess pies but you are not sold on the intensive labor sometimes required? Well, how about if I tell you that our chocolate chess pie recipe is actually as easy as pie?

To start you have the option to either make the crust at home or buy one ready as I did. Then all it is left for you to do is the filling which you can whip up in under 10 minutes and then bake.

Easy peasy, right?

And the result is even better! With not much effort put into our pie, you will wind up with one of the most scrumptious desserts ever.

It is like a fudgy brownie met a pie crust… for real! I think you can guess the rest!

Serve with berries or simply a dollop of whipped cream and you will have sweet heavenly bites. 😉

What is Chocolate Chess Pie?

Although chess pie recipes are a staple in the Southern United States, some historians agree its origin dates from the mid-18^th century in England.

The first cookbook to publish a chess pie recipe described it as a cheesecake-like filling but made without the cheese. This is because cheesecakes and chess pies share common ingredients like eggs, sugar, and butter… and even a crust although one is made out of cookies and the other has a  pie dough.

Over time, bakers created different chess pie variations. They differ sometimes in ingredients: some are made with different types of milk as milk, buttermilk, and evaporated milk while others use cornmeal, cornstarch, or flour for thickening the custardy filling.

But that is not all! There are different chess pie flavors as well: vanilla, buttermilk, lemon, vinegar, and chocolate chess pies are the most common variations.

Of course, the contemporary Milk Bar’s Crack Milk Bar Pie is the modern version of the chess pie and is getting famous! 

Why is it called chess pie?

There are basically 3 main theories on how chess pies got their name:

1. the word 'chess'
   Before the creation of refrigerators and freezers, people used to keep their food in chests or chest drawers, especially when made with ingredients that can spoil easily like eggs, butter, and cream. The name ‘chess’ would be a simplification of ‘chests’.
2. A Southern Americanization of the English word “cheese”.
   Pies with curd fillings are called “cheese pies” in England where they originated. The word “cheese” was Americanized into the word “chess” in the Southern United States..
3. the word 'chess'
   Some say the name chess pie originated from 19th-century Alabama. A freed slave used to sell pies made with the only available ingredients: eggs, sugar, flour, and butter (common to almost every chess pie). When buyers asked for the name of the pie they were buying, the woman replied “Oh, it’s just pie.” but her Southern accent made it sound like, “Oh, it’s jes’ pie.” which people interpreted as “chess pie”. 

I don’t know which theory is true but I find the first one more credible because it sounds more factual! How about you?

What Does Chocolate Chess Pie Taste Like?

There are many ways that one can use to describe the taste of a chocolate chess pie.

I find the simplest way to describe it as a dessert with a fudgy, rich, and smooth filling and crackly top encased in a  flaky crust. It is like a fudgy chocolate brownie met a pie crust! LINK

But you won’t visually see the crackly top in ours because I could not resist enough and ate piece by piece or crackle by crackle along with one of my daughters. It was addicting!

The crackled top gave the smooth filling a great contrast of texture and of course, a rustic look. 

At first, you may think you overbaked the pie because of the hard shell or crackly top but a smooth and fudgy filling sits underneath undisturbed like a perfectly baked custard.

In fact, at first, the layer below the crackly top may seem a little undercooked just like a fudgy brownie when that has been just removed from the oven. So don’t worry! You didn’t underbake it either!

Just allow the filling set completely as the pie cools and then chill it. When you slice it, you will see it was neither under nor overbaked. 

This is the part that you see yourself in trouble: A decadent chocolate chess pie filling is incased into a flaky pie crust and you’ll want to eat even the crumbs. 

Reasons to make this chocolate chess pie

• It uses a store-bought pie crust cutting down the prep time considerably!
• It takes around 10 minutes to prepare the filling.
• The recipe calls for pantry ingredients.
• The pie has a flaky crust and a fudgy filling reminiscent of a fudgy brownie. It is super delicious!
• It is a simple dessert to make but it looks like you spent a lot of time in the kitchen.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To prepare our Southern chocolate cheese pie, you will need up to 10 pantry ingredients:

• Pie crust – you can make your own or buy one in the grocery store. It is up to you! Although it is not customary, you can even replace it with a cookie crust.
• Unsalted butter – the higher the quality, the more delicious it will be your pie filling. It will help the melted chocolate to not solidify fast. Check out here how many sticks of butter in a cup and also other baking substitutions.
• Chocolate – you can either chop a chocolate bar or use chocolate chips, but by all means choose a good quality, smooth chocolate that is either dark or bittersweet. Because this chocolate chess pie recipe already contains a lot of sugar, if you use milk chocolate you can wind up with a super sweet pie.
• Cocoa powder – use a natural baking cocoa powder with no added sugar. It will give this dessert a richer flavor. By adding cocoa powder, you won’t need double the amount of chocolate to make it chocolatey.
• Sugar – it will balance the flavor of the dark or bittersweet chocolate.
• Flour – use plain all-purpose flour or replace it with cornstarch. Either one will work as a thickener.
• Salt – it is optional but it will deepen the flavors!
• Milk – use full-fat milk or replace it with evaporated milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream. The fatter, the denser will be the filling.
• Eggs – it is the rising agent and should be at room temp when added to the recipe.
• Vanilla extract – although it can be skipped, it will give the pie a better flavor.

Chocolate vs. Cocoa Powder

Most traditional recipes use cocoa powder to make chocolate chess pie recipes due to the fact it is a versatile pantry ingredient that can last longer. It’s the ideal ingredient to throw into a chess pie.

But if you compare the taste of a chocolate chess pie made with melted chocolate versus cocoa powder, you will come to the realization that the ones with melted chocolate has a richer flavor.

Just like in my favorite brownie recipe, I used both chocolate and cocoa powder to convey the flavors and texture that I want.

While the chocolate will add a dense and gooey texture, the cocoa intensifies the chocolate flavor and add a bit of chewiness to the filling just like in brownies.

The best type of cocoa to use is the natural unsweetened cocoa powder, which gives our chocolate chess pie a slight acidity that is so traditional in old-fashioned chess pie recipes. But if you only have a Dutch-processed cocoa powder you can use it instead. It will convey a darker and more neutral flavor to the filling because is alkaline.

The first option will give the pie a more authentic flavor because traditional chess pies are often flavored with a dash of vinegar to cut through the sweetness. It will add acidity without calling for an extra ingredient: vinegar! 

Evaporated Milk vs. Butter

Many chocolate chess pie recipes out there use a combination of evaporated milk and cocoa powder. It is like eating chocolate milk in my humble opinion. Instead, I preferred to use a combination of chocolate and butter to get a richer and solid flavor. Of course, I added natural unsweetened cocoa powder as well to get the required acidity so characteristic of chess pies. And yes, I added a reduced amount of full-fat milk to mine as well which diluted a little of the rich chocolate flavor but not quite. The pie was still chocolatey without tasting overwhelming!

If you test you will see the ones made with just milk and cocoa are not as good as the ones made with mostly chocolate and butter. Mine tasted more like a milk chocolate fudgy brownie instead of a dark or bittersweet one!

How to Make Chocolate Chess Pie

1. Heat the oven to 400° F (205° C). Check out for any temperature conversions needed!
2. Using a fork, prick the bottom and sides of the pie crust. Bake for about 10-11 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Let it cool before adding the filling.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Add chocolate and butter to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for about 60-90 seconds or until melted. Stir well until smooth and reserve.
4. In a large bowl, add the sugar, flour, salt, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla, and eggs. Beat for about 2 minutes with an electric mixer, or until the mixture is homogeneous and bubbly. Add the reserved melted chocolate mixture and beat for about 1 minute or until smooth.
5. Pour it into the pie crust and reduce the oven temperature to 350° F (180° C).
6. Place the filled pie crust onto a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack for about 35-45 minutes or until the top is set. It will have a hard crackly top with a fudgy filling underneath. Make sure the center top feels somewhat firm when touched before removing it from the oven.
7. If the pie crust appears to be browning too much, place a foil ring around the edge of the pie crust.
8. Let the pie cool completely over a rack. Chill in the fridge for a few hours before slicing. This will allow the filling to set and harden.

 

WATCH OUR QUICK VIDEO TO FIND OUT HOW TO MAKE THIS SOUTHERN CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE, STEP-BY-STEP!

Questions about Pre Baking Pie Crust

Pre Bake vs. Par Bake

Although several recipes make use of either term, they mean the same. Pre baking (or par baking) consists of baking an unfilled pie crust for a short amount of time to then fill it with a filling of choice and bake again to cook the filling. This is very common with one-crust pies that contain a custardy filling such as pumpkin pie or our chocolate chess pie.

When should you pre bake pie crust?

This happens when a pie crust and filling have different baking times and the crust usually needs to bake for longer. Pre baking gives it a head start. By the time you add the filling to the partially baked crust, both the crust and the filling will be done all at the same time.

But if you will add a no bake filling, the pie crust will need to be completely baked and to be then filled. This is common for ice cream pie or pudding pie, where the filling doesn’t need to be baked at all. 

How to pre bake pie crust?

Some recipes calls for lining the pie crust with either foil or parchment paper and then place weights (such as dried beans or rice) over (about ⅔ full). This will hold the dough in place when baking because the crust tends to puff up in the center and down the sides of the pan. After partially baking the crust, you will have to remove the weights and bake for a few more minutes because the bottom will not be the same as the sides.

Others ask for pricking the bottom and sides of the pie crust with a fork to help the crust not puff up so much when baking. I prefer the latter because it will avoid to take the pie crust back to the oven for additional baking time and still will mostly hold the pie shape.

How long to pre-bake pie crust?

Depending on the time that you have to spare, you may pre-bake the crust at a higher temperature for a shorter amount of time as we did. Yes, the crust will shrink a little but not significantly which justifies baking it at a lower temperature for a longer amount of time instead. 

How long to pre-bake store bought pie crust?

Most store-bought pie crusts come molded onto a disposable pie plate and have instructions on how to pre-bake the crust. Follow them! It will make a difference depending on whether the pie has an all-butter crust, lard, or a mixture of both as well as the brand. But no matter the differences, for a crispier crust, brush the crust especially in the bottom with a mixture of water and beaten egg whites. It will avoid a soggy bottom.

Chocolate Chess Pie Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQ’s

Can I use store-bought crust?

Yes! I used in mine cutting back the time to prepare this pie considerably. Just choose one that you enjoy. I prefer all-butter crusts because they are more flavorful and form a particular brand. Make sure to the package instructions to pre bake it and for a crispier crust, brush a mixture of beaten egg whites and water especially in the bottom.

How long to store chocolate chess pie?

You can store chess pies at room temperature for up to 2-3 days, covered. Or you can chill it in the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days. The longer it sits, the intenser will be the chocolatey flavors. Freezing is not recommended because it will alter the texture of its custardy filling, but if that is not a problem for you you may freeze it for up to 2 months, well wrapped. 

What do I serve with chocolate chess pie?

Chocolate chess pie has an intense flavor on its own. A dollop of unsweetened whipped cream or some fresh berries makes great garnishes to cut back on the sweetness and also rich flavors.

What should I do if my chocolate chess pie doesn’t set up?

The pie should bake until the top is crackly and it jiggles slightly in the center. If the pie is runny after cooling completely, chill in the fridge until it firms up.

Is that ok if the top of my chocolate chess pie cracks?

A little cracking is part of the character of the pie and somehow expected because the filling will rise when baking and then it will sink as it cools down. You may disguise with a dust of confectioner’s sugar on top or garnishing with berries as I did.

Other pie recipes:

• Easy Texas Pecan Pie
• Apple Hand Pies
• Apple Pie Recipe
• Best Sweet Potato Pie
• Coconut Pumpkin Pie
• Lemon Pie

PIN & ENJOY!

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