Miss Tommie’s Chess Pie
Deep Dish Apple Pie in an Italian Shortcrust Pastry
This pie is part memory and part method. I learned chess pie from Miss Tommie, and my father—born in Kentucky—loved it most of all. The flavor is simple and right: butter, sugar, eggs, a little fine cornmeal, lemon, and vanilla.
I usually bake by hand, but here I show how a food processor and blender (on low) deliver the same old-fashioned result with steadier control. Blind-bake the crust, blend the custard briefly, and bake to the classic cues: a crackly top, set edges, and a gentle jiggle in the center.
Watch my video to follow along step-by-step.
Old-School Chess Pie
Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie; 8 slices
Time: Prep 25 minutes (plus chilling) · Bake 45–55 minutes · Cool 3 hours
Ingredients
Short Crust Pastry (Food Processor) 9-inch shell
1¼ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp fine sea salt
1 Tbsp (12 g) sugar (optional)
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, cold, ½-inch cubes
3–5 Tbsp (45–75 ml) ice water
1 tsp (5 ml) apple cider vinegar (optional)
Chess Pie Filling — All-in-One Blender
1¼ cups (250 g) sugar
2 Tbsp (16 g) fine cornmeal
1 Tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour
¼ tsp fine sea salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
½–⅔ cup (120–160 ml) heavy cream (½ cup = firmer slice; ⅔ cup = softer custard)
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted to lukewarm
1–2 Tbsp (15–30 ml) fresh lemon juice + ½ tsp finely grated zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
Method
1) Make the pastry
Add flour, salt, and optional sugar to the processor; pulse 2–3 times.
Scatter in cold butter; pulse 8–12 quick bursts until most pieces are pea-size with a few flat flakes (do not smear).
Stir vinegar into the ice water. With short pulses, drizzle in water 1 Tbsp at a time, pulsing 2–3 times after each, just until the dough holds when pinched.
Tip onto the counter, press together, and do 2–3 quick smears (fraisage). Form a disk, wrap, and chill at least 1 hour.
2) Roll, line, and blind-bake
Roll to a 12 in (30 cm) round, about ⅛ in (3 mm) thick. Fit into a 9-in (23 cm) pie plate; trim to a ½-in (1.2 cm)overhang, fold under, and crimp. Chill 30 minutes (or freeze 15 minutes).
Heat oven to 400°F (205°C). Line shell with parchment; fill with pie weights to the rim.
Bake 15–18 minutes. Remove weights and parchment; dock the base lightly.
Bake 8–12 minutes more to light–medium gold. Reduce oven to 350°F (175°C). Keep the shell warm.
3) Blend the custard (all-in-one)
Into the blender in this order: sugar, cornmeal, flour, salt → eggs → cream → lukewarm melted butter → lemon, vanilla.
Blend LOW for 5–7 seconds, stop and scrape; blend LOW for 5–7 seconds again.
Rest 3–5 minutes so bubbles rise and the cornmeal hydrates; skim foam. (Optional: strain through a medium mesh into a jug.)
4) Bake, cool, serve
Set the warm blind-baked shell on a sheet pan. Pour in the custard.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) on the middle rack for 45–55 minutes.
Doneness cues: a crackly sugar top, edges set and lightly puffed, and a 2–3-inch gentle jiggle in the center when you nudge the pan. Tent loosely if the top colors fast; add a pie shield if the rim darkens early.
Cool on a rack at least 3 hours until fully set. Slice with a warm knife. Serve at room temperature.m.
💡 Larder Notes
Why the tools: The processor keeps butter cold and visible (flake). The blender on LOW mixes without foam; resting lets bubbles rise for a smoother top.
Cream choice: ½ cup gives cleaner slices; ⅔ cup gives a softer custard and may bake toward the upper end of the window.
Cornmeal type: Use fine, yellow cornmeal for the classic chess texture.
Pie plate: Glass/ceramic often needs the full 45–55 minutes; metal can finish earlier. Trust the cues over the clock.
Make-ahead: Pastry can be made 2 days ahead; blind-bake earlier the same day. The baked pie keeps 1 day at cool room temperature, then refrigerate up to 3 days (loosely covered).
Serving: Best at room temperature. The crackly top softens if refrigerated; it firms back slightly as the pie warms.
© 2025 Gary R. Rice. All rights reserved.
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