Lemon Chess Pie
Mar 19, 2026 01:30 PM
This Lemon Chess Pie recipe is a tangy, rich custard with clear notes of zesty lemon in a flakey, all-butter crust. Serve with coffee, just like my grandmother used to like.
This Lemon Chess Pie recipe was a first for me. I made it in honor of my grandmother whom absolutely loved all lemon desserts, especially pies.
A chess pie is a simple custard set in a pastry crust. This one is flavored with lemon for a vibrant flavor. The custard is thickened with flour and cornmeal.
The lemon chess pie crust is a par-baked, all-butter recipe.
To be honest, I was not satisfied with the shrunken edges of my partially baked shell. So I added the braided trim between bakes. Not only did it add a decorative element, the braid stayed a nicely toasted color, instead of burning from being baked twice.
Basically a happy accident, if you will.
The custard comes together incredibly easy, but the real trick is knowing how long to bake it. The custard continues to cook as it cools. In other words, if everything is completely set when you take it out of the oven, you probably went too far.
Lastly, serve this lemon chess pie recipe with black coffee like my grandmother would drink from the moment she woke until the moment she went to bed.
Ingredients:
Single All-Butter Crust
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold, cut into ½ inch pieces
- ½ cup cold water
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ice
Lemon Filling
- zest of 1 large lemon
- 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon salt
- 5 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 5 large eggs
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 10 tablespoon fresh lemon juice from 3 to 4 lemons
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
60 minutes
Total Time:
330 minutes
Write a comment
No comments