Chess Chocolate Pie

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This Chess Chocolate Pie is so decadent and delicious. Your family is sure to fall in love with this Southern inspired Chocolate Chess Pie. This dessert is always a crowd favorite dessert!

 Chocolate Chess Pie on a white plate. With a server and a blue napkin on the side.

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Chocolate fans everywhere will be obsessed with this Chocolate Chess Pie recipe, as it is rich and fudgy brownies meets buttery, flaky pie crust. What’s not to love?

Pair a slice pie with some creamy vanilla bean ice cream and fresh berries. Chocolate Chess Pie is originates from the south, to learn about the history of this pie checkout this article from The Washington Post.


MORE CHOCOLATE PIE RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

No Bake Chocolate Pudding Pie | Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie | Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pie


What We Love About This Chess Pie Chocolate Recipe

  • Easy Ingredients: You will need a total of 8 ingredients for this recipe!
  • Family Friendly: Even your picky eaters will love this chess chocolate pie, it will be a family hit!
  • Brownie Pie: This pie resembles the taste and similar texture of a brownie in the form of a pie.
Side view of  Chocolate Chess Pie.

Ingredient Notes

  • Pie Crust: I used store bought to make this process easily, but you can also make your own dough for homemade pie shell.
  • Evaporated Milk: You only need 5 oz, most cans are 12 oz so be careful not to use too much!
  • Cocoa Powder: It is super important you use regular cocoa powder for the chocolate flavor, do not use Dutch processed cocoa.
  • Unsalted Butter: This recipe calls for salt, so it is important that you use unsalted butter. You will also need to melt the butter.
  • Eggs: You do not want to over beat your eggs, give them a gentle mix.
Chocolate, butter, whipped cream and ingredients for the pie.

Equipment Needed

How to Make Chess Pie

These are the basic steps for making Chocolate Chess Pie. Please refer to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

 Chocolate Chess Pie placing the ingredients in a bowl and mixing.

STEP 1: PREPARE THE PAN

Prepare the pie dish by adding the crust. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

STEP 2: MAKE THE FILLING

First, melt the butter. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, cocoa powder, and sugar. Then whisk in the melted butter, vanilla, eggs, and evaporated milk.

STEP 3: POUR IN THE FILLING

Now pour the filling into the pan with pie crust. Make sure to fill only about 2/3 of the way. You do not want to over fill this pie otherwise it will turn into a mess.

STEP 4: BAKE CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE

Bake for 50 minutes. Then be sure to check with a toothpick, if it comes out clean and the pie is set and not jiggly then is a tell tale sign it is done! Do not remove the pie from the over, turn off the oven and let the pie sit in there will the door cracked. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

STEP 5: FINISHING TOCUHES

Slice and garnish with shaved dark chocolate. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and/or fresh berries!

Prep and Storage Tips

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE AHEAD OF TIME

This pie is perfect to make a head of time, in fact it is ideal you make this recipe a head of time as you want to allow for plenty of time for it to cool and set.

HOW TO STORE THIS RECIPE

The pie is best stored in an airtight container left at room temperature, but you can also put in the fridge wrapped in foil. Leftovers will be good for 3-4 days after.

HOW TO FREEZE THIS RECIPE

To freeze this pie, slice and wrap slices individually in plastic wrap.

Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE MAKE OF?

This chocolate chess pie recipe uses evaporated milk, eggs, flour, sugar, cocoa, vanilla, butter, and salt.

IS CHESS PIE A SOUTHERN THING?

Yes, this southern custard like pie comes from the south.

CAN THIS RECIPE BE DOUBLED OR HALVED?

If you want to make two pies, just double the ingredients and split between two pie dishes.

WHAT DOES A CHESS PIE TASTE LIKE?

This chess pie chocolate, has a rich custard center and a brownie like top, it is never too heavy or too sweet.

A top shot of a full pie with one slice taken out.

Expert Tips for Making This Chocolate Chess Pie Recipe

  • Do NOT use Dutch processed cocoa: Dutch processed cocoa powder is cocoa that has been treated with a form of an alkaline agent so it’s not so bitter. Regular natural cocoa hasn’t been treated this way so it will have a more bitter taste to it. Since you are adding sugar to this recipe, you will need the bitterness from the regular cocoa powder, so the pie isn’t too sweet.
  • A word of caution: Be very careful with the evaporated milk. You only need to use 5 oz. Most cans are 12 oz. If you use the whole can, you will use way too much, and your pie may not set up.
  • Measuring Flour: Make sure to use the scoop with a spoon and level with a knife method. If you just scoop out the flour with your measuring cup, your measurement will not be correct.
  • Sift Cocoa Powder & Flour: That way you break down any large clumps and it helps aerate the dry ingredients.
  • Letting it Cool: Once the pie has fully cooked, turn off the oven and let the pie cool down inside the oven, as the oven cools down with the door cracked open. That way the pie isn’t exposed to the sudden cool down of your kitchen. That will help the top of the pie not crack. 

What to Serve with Chess Pie

  • Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
  • Whip Cream
  • Fresh Raspberries
  • Strawberries

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Chocolate Chess Pie on a white plate.
5 from 2 votes

Chocolate Chess Pie

Yield: 8 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
This Chess Chocolate Pie is so decadent and delicious. Your family is sure to fall in love with this Southern inspired Chocolate Chess Pie.
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⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review below!

Ingredients

  • Store-bought pie crust, 1
  • ¼ cup natural cocoa powder
  • ¾ cup white granulated sugar
  • ¼ all–purpose flour
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs, slightly beaten – do not overbeat
  • 1 5 oz can evaporated milk
  • teaspoon kosher salt
  • Chocolate bar to shave grated chocolate on top, optional
  • Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for garnish, optional

Instructions

  • Prepare your pie crust. If you are going to par bake the crust, go ahead and do that now and then set aside.
  • If you pre-baked your pie crust, once that’s done, lower the oven temp to 325 degrees. If you didn’t, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • Place the butter in a microwave safe bowl and melt it and set it aside.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sifted cocoa powder, white sugar, and flour.
  • Next, add in the egg, the unsalted butter, evaporated milk, and vanilla and stir together until all of the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
  • Pour the chocolate mixture into the pie crust. Only fill the crust about 2/3rds full. Be careful not to overfill.
  • Bake for 50 minutes, then with a cake tester or toothpick, check to see if the pie is set in the middle. If the tester comes out clean and the pie is not jiggly in the middle, it is done. If there is still a lot of the mixture on the tester and there is still a lot of jiggle to the pie, continue baking at 10 minute increments until it’s done.
  • Once the pie is done, turn off the oven, and let the pie remain in the oven to cool down. By doing this you are allowing the pie to cool down at the same time the oven is. You can pull it out of the oven to let it cool, but the top of the pie may crack.
  • Once it’s cooled, slice, serve and top with vanilla ice cream and grate chocolate on top.

Expert Tips

  • Do NOT use Dutch processed cocoa: Dutch processed cocoa powder is cocoa that has been treated with a form of an alkaline agent so it’s not so bitter. Regular natural cocoa hasn’t been treated this way so it will have a more bitter taste to it. Since you are adding sugar to this recipe, you will need the bitterness from the regular cocoa powder, so the pie isn’t too sweet.
  • A word of caution: Be very careful with the evaporated milk. You only need to use 5 oz. Most cans are 12 oz. If you use the whole can, you will use way too much, and your pie may not set up.
  • Measuring Flour: Make sure to use the scoop with a spoon and level with a knife method. If you just scoop out the flour with your measuring cup, your measurement will not be correct.
  • Sift Cocoa Powder & Flour: That way you break down any large clumps and it helps aerate the dry ingredients.
  • Letting it Cool: Once the pie has fully cooked, turn off the oven and let the pie cool down inside the oven, as the oven cools down with the door cracked open. That way the pie isn’t exposed to the sudden cool down of your kitchen. That will help the top of the pie not crack. 

Estimated Nutritional Information

Calories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 84mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 315IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg
The nutritional information provided are estimates. To learn more about how I calculate this information go to www.itisakeeper.com/about-its-a-keeper/privacy-disclosure-policies/
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

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