chess pie

American  

noun

Southern Cooking.

1. a dessert of cornmeal, sugar, butter, egg yolks, milk, and flavorings baked in a pastry shell.

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Etymology

Origin of chess pie

First recorded in 1930–35; apparently for chest pie; chest perhaps alluding to its depth

Example Sentences

For special occasions, he might bring a pecan or chess pie.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 4, 2023

Upon his first bite of a dense, custardy interior slice, my dad proclaimed it "chess pie, but with coconut milk," which feels far more apt.

From Salon • Dec. 6, 2021

Though it is inspired by Ms. Lewis’s buttermilk chess pie, it allowed me to bridge the gap between my two food worlds.

From New York Times • Nov. 12, 2021

Vinegar pie is a desperate alternative to lemon chess pie, getting its tangy tartness from apple cider vinegar rather than harder-to-find and more expensive lemons for the custard.

From Fox News • Dec. 2, 2019

He always did it up right, with smoked pork shoulder, cornbread, collard greens, mac and cheese, sweet tea, and Mrs. Blankenship’s chess pie for dessert.

From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner