This ooey-gooey, sweet and tart lemon chess pie bakes up with a sweet delicate candy-like top crust. Made with simple ingredients and easy directions, this pie is an old-fashioned southern favorite that everybody loves.
Recipe Timeline
- Par-bake a store-bought frozen pie crust. (5 minutes)
- Pour all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. (5 minutes)
- Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake it until it's set. (30-40 minutes)
- Chill it before serving. (1 hour)
Jump to:
Reasons to Try This Lemon Chess Pie
Let's highlight this pie's best features, shall we!
Easy crust shortcut! This delightfully easy recipe comes together in almost no time thanks to using a store-bought frozen pie crust. A bright and tangy lemon pie, this recipe is sure to please anyone who tries it.
Are you a lemon lover? I absolutely love everything lemon. Lemon pie, lemon cake, lemon chicken, etc., are just the best!
And it's a super easy dessert! Not just for a summer or holiday dessert either, this beautiful lemon chess pie is a wonderful dessert any time of the year. Make this simple and classic southern dessert and bring a little sunshine into your day no matter what time of year it is!
For a fantastic no-bake lemon dessert, check out this Lemon Lush! It's a layered dessert that's served cold so it's another great summer dessert!
Reader Praise and Comments
Patty - "Yummy, easy and very lemony."
Natalie - "Made this super easy, on the sweet side. Deff wait to power sugar the top till completely cooled"
Miriam - "It came out great! My family loved it! It didn't last a day"
Ingredients with Notes
Deep dish pie crust - make sure you use the 9-inch, deep dish version; I prefer the deep dish crust because the filling is runny, and a deep pie crust helps keep the filling from spilling over while handling it. A frozen pie crust is just fine and very handy.
Sugar, flour, eggs, and butter - basic ingredients you probably already have on hand. Just make sure to use real butter.
Lemon juice and lemon zest - the stars of the pie! Lemon juice gives the pie that classic lemon tartness. For this recipe, I prefer bottled lemon juice solely for its flavor consistency.
Yellow cornmeal - the cornmeal gives the top of the crust a nice, sweet crisp!
These Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes are another favorite lemon dessert recipe! Oh that sweet lemon icing is my favorite part!
Ingredient Swaps
- Use a 9 oz graham cracker pie crust instead of a flour crust.
- Use a refrigerated pie crust instead of a frozen pie crust.
- You can use fresh lemons instead of the bottled version. You will likely need 4-5 large lemons to get ½ cup of lemon juice.
- For an added flavor and garnish, use the zest of one lemon for the filling and save the peel to make lemon peel curls for garnish.
How to Make Lemon Chess Pie
Here's a quick summary of the recipe steps with photos. But for the best results, please follow the recipe card!
Step 1. Combine sugar, cornmeal, flour, and eggs in large bowl.
Step 2. Stir in melted butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Step 3. Pour into prepared pie crust and bake for 35 minutes. Tip: to prevent the edges of the pie crust from getting too browned, use a pie crust protector shield like this one from Mrs. Anderson's Baking. Available now on Amazon.
Step 4. Cool on a wire rack. Transfer to refrigerator to chill and firm up.
Fancy Tip: When fully chilled, sprinkle with powdered sugar or top with whipped cream.
Recipe Tips You Should Know
- Place the pie on a cookie sheet, fill it, then place it into the oven to bake it. The cookie sheet makes it easier to handle in and out of the oven.
- It's OK if the pie filling doesn't appear to be fully set when you remove it from the oven. As the pie cools, it will thicken. Once completely cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar, or top with whipped cream.
- If the crust starts to brown too quickly while baking, take a strip of foil and cover just the edges of the pie crust. Continue to bake as directed.
- Buy a ready-made pie crust and pre-bake (blind bake) according to package directions.
- Alternatively, you could press the thawed, ready-made pie crust into a tart pan for that fancy crinkled pie look; then bake as directed.
- Use leftover lemon juice to make this tart and creamy lemon dill sauce! Check it out!
Frequently Asked Questions
So now that you've made this delicious lemon chess pie, what is the best way to transport it? I recently discovered a plastic carrier that's perfect for transporting pies, muffins, and cupcakes. It's the Southern Homewares 3-in-1 Plastic Holder Container. It offers easy-grip handles, a snap-tight lid, and it's made out of durable plastic. Available now on Amazon!
Vinegar pie and buttermilk pie can both be categorized under the broad term "chess pie." Any sort of acid added to the eggs - whether citrus juice in this recipe, or buttermilk or vinegar in others - will help lower the temperature at which the egg will achieve a custardy consistency.
So, in short, vinegar pie and buttermilk pie are types of chess pie. Vinegar pie gets its twang from vinegar instead of lemon juice. Lastly, buttermilk pie usually contains evaporated milk whereas chess pie typically doesn't contain dairy.
While I happen to LOVE lemon everything, there is nothing at all preventing you from trading out different citrus for this recipe. Lime would easily be the most comparable switch and you likely wouldn't need to change anything else about the recipe. Lime chess pie sounds intriguing doesn't it?
Bitter citrus like grapefruit might require more sugar, depending on your taste preferences. Oranges and mandarins, which are naturally sweeter, would likely require less added sugar.
One large, ripe lemon will give you about 4 tablespoons of juice. You'll need 4-5 large lemons to have enough lemon juice for this pie.
More Pies to Try
If you'd like more easy recipes sent straight to your email, subscribe and get a free 5-day meal plan! How easy is that!
If you tried this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment! I'd love to hear from you.
Recipe
Lemon Chess Pie
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
- measuring cup(s)
- measuring spoons
- wire rack
- cookie sheet or sheet pan
Ingredients
- 1 ready-made pie crust baked and cooled per package directions See Recipe Note #1
- 1-½ cups sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cornmeal
- 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 3 Tablespoons melted butter
- ½ cup lemon juice I use bottled lemon juice, ReaLemon brand
- zest of one lemon (optional) wash and dry the lemon before zesting it
Optional Garnishes
- powdered sugar
- whipped cream
- lemon peel curls
Instructions
- It's a good idea to read through the ingredients, directions, and notes once or twice before you begin making the recipe for a smoother and more successful baking experience.
How to Make Lemon Chess Pie
- Heat oven to 375F. Place the baked and cooled pie crust on a cookie sheet.1 ready-made pie crust baked and cooled per package directions
- Combine sugar, cornmeal, flour, and eggs in large bowl using a whisk. Stir in melted butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix well (the filling will be very runny and that's fine). Pour into the pie crust and bake on the center oven rack for 25-35 minutes, or until filling is mostly set and golden brown. Tip - If the crust is starting to brown too quickly -- see recipe note #3. When the pie is done, remove it from the oven.1-½ cups sugar, 1 Tablespoon cornmeal, 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour, 3 large eggs, 3 Tablespoons melted butter, ½ cup lemon juice, zest of one lemon (optional)
- Set the pie on a wire rack to cool, then transfer it to the refrigerator to chill.
- When chilled, sprinkle the pie with powdered sugar or top with whipped cream but this is totally optional. Tip: Can be served at room temperature but the filling won't be as firm. I think it tastes better served cold.
Notes
- Buy a ready-made pie crust and pre-bake (blind bake) according to package directions. Be sure to take it out of the oven before it starts to get too browned. Also, when you prick the crust with a fork, be sure to press the fork all the way down to the pan; this will keep the crust from bubbling up while it's baking.
- Alternatively, you could press the thawed, ready-made pie crust into a tart pan for that fancy crinkled pie look; then prick, bake, and cool as directed.
- If the crust starts to brown too quickly while baking, take a strip of foil and cover just the edges of the pie crust. Continue to bake as directed.
- Placing the pie on a cookie sheet makes it easier to handle in and out of the oven, with less spills and drips.
- If your oven cooks hot, lower the temp to 350F.
- It's OK if the pie filling doesn't appear to be fully set when you remove it from the oven. As the pie cools, it will thicken. Once completely cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar, or top with whipped cream.
- Chess pie is at its best flavor and texture when fully chilled, but some people eat it while it's still warm or room temperature. Either way, it's oh so delicious.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2019 and was updated in 2025.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy to my readers. I'm not a nutritionist and I don't guarantee the accuracy of this data. The data may differ according to the brands I used versus the brands you use. To calculate the data yourself using your brands, try using an online nutrition calculator or app.
Marilyn leblanc says
Recipe calls for cornmeal, I’m sure it should be cornstarch.
Anne Clark says
Hi Marilyn! The recipe is correct - it's cornmeal! The cornmeal gives the top of the pie a nice, sweet crisp after it bakes. Thank you for visiting My Kitchen Serenity!
Gayle says
I think it's GREAT and I appreciate how kind you are to the ones who had issues. Not everyone is as gentile these days. Kudos and thank you! (from the old lady reader with a graduate degree in English and Rhetoric)
My 84-year old Dad is known in our family as the "Lemon Chess Pie" judge. He gives this a blue ribbon!
Gayle
Anne Clark says
Hey Gayle! Well, thank you very much for YOUR kind words! Let your dad know I'm honored to receive his blue ribbon approval! I appreciate you both 🙂
Dancermum says
So easy, so good…but too much sugar; i did 1cup and I will be reducing it to 3/4C next time
Shelly says
The filing tastes great, but never set up. It got super dark in the oven, so I took it out to cool and hopefully set, but it never did. Q we
Anne Clark says
I'm sorry the pie did not work out for you, Shelly. I'm not sure why the filling got super dark and never set. My lemon chess pie filling is supposed to be somewhat gooey like curd pie (not firm like a cream pie). The top browning too quickly sounds like your oven cooks at a higher temperature than what you set it on, perhaps? I am glad you liked the flavor. Thank you for letting me know!
Tarya says
Same thing happened to me. The top browned really quick and the pie never set. The flavor was so good. I just wish the consistency turned out how it was supposed to. Not sure what I did wrong.
Anne Clark says
I'm sorry to hear about this, Tarya! This recipe has been published for 5 years and it wasn't until recently that I've heard of 2 instances that this has happened with the filling not setting. So, I will ask my husband to make the pie (he will gladly do it!) and see what happens. Then, we'll go from there. Thank you so much for the feedback!
Beth says
Made recipe as posted but should have doubled to fill my deep dish crust. Very disappointing.
Anne Clark says
Beth, I'm sorry the pie didn't turn out like you'd hoped. What I can say is, the filling isn't supposed to come all the way to the top of the crust; it should be about an inch from the top. The reason for this is because before baking the pie, the filling is very thin and has the consistency of water and would spill over while trying to put it in the oven. Before baking the pie, it should look like the photo in my process shots. Hopefully, it tasted OK. I appreciate you letting me know!
Amanda McKee says
Have you ever used the refrigerated pie crusts that you mold yourself to the glass pie plate ? I did and the pie crust slide down the sides of the pie plate. Not sure if i needed to prick with a fork before hand? I am going to try again tomorrow and maybe make sure the crust is not below the rim. Any help would be great! I am making this for my husband god father’s day as lemon chess pie is a longtime favorite of his.
Anne Clark says
Hi Amanda. I have not used the refrigerated pie crust before. I’m not sure why the crust slid down. I went to the Pillsbury website and they had some suggestions to prevent that from happening. You can check out their website
https://www.pillsbury.com/everyday-eats/desserts/pies-tarts/how-to-make-pie
I hope this helps! If you think about it, let me know how it turned out. Thank you!
Rebecca Smith - Glutarama says
I am going to give this Chess Pie a go for sure, I LOVE to read on the history of food and it's origins and this was a lovely post to read. I used to have a shop bought lemon tart when I visited my grandparents and this reminded me of them so I'm going to give it a go in their memory. #MealPlanMonday
MyKitchenSerenity says
Thank you for letting me know, Rebecca! I hope the pie brings back those wonderful memories. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Maya Cichowicz says
I haven't made it yet but it's sounds great and seems super easy. I was wondering if you could use Keebler Ready Crust Graham pie crust where you just put it in the oven for five minutes for the pre baking. It's all I can find in the stores right now.
MyKitchenSerenity says
Hi Maya. Thanks for your question. Although I have not tried it myself, I don't see any reason why a graham cracker crust wouldn't work. In fact, it sounds really good to me. If you try it, let me know how it turns out; I'm curious!
Maya Cichowicz says
My Graham cracker crust got pretty burnt, but it was still very good. Very lemony which is my boyfriends favorite. Wasn't really enough for a deep dish though, not sure if that was on me or not.
MyKitchenSerenity says
Thanks for letting me know, Maya. I’m glad the flavor was good. It sounds like with a little tweaking, the graham cracker crust could be a winner!!
Jean says
I made the pie and it turned out great. So tasty. The bottom stuck to the pie pan, but it's still delicious.
JW says
I made this filling and it turned out super watery/ liquid so I tossed it and used another recipe but that one used less lemon which I didn’t like. The texture of that was more thick though almost as thick as pudding. I would like to try this one again but is that how the texture of the filling is supposed to be?
MyKitchenSerenity says
Hi JW. I'm sorry the pie didn't turn out right for you. I know the filling doesn't appear to be fully set when you remove it from the oven, but as the pie cools, it will thicken. I just made this pie last week, and it set just fine so I'm not sure what with wrong on your end. Did you follow the instructions in the "recipe card" at the bottom of the post? Did you leave any ingredients out or make any substitutions? Do you live in a high altitude area? Maybe it just needed to bake a little longer. I wish I had the answer for you. I know how disappointing it is when a recipe doesn't turn out just right. If you do decide to try this recipe again, please let me know.
JW says
My apologies I wasn’t clear with my statement. I only made the batter, I didn’t pour it in the shell and bake it because it was watery. I didn’t want to take the chance of it not baking correctly and then I would have to make another shell as well. So the consistency of the batter is typically watery/ runny until baked fully? I figured maybe it was because it says 1/2 C. Of lemon juice where most recipes say 2-3tbsp. I just wanted to be sure because I want to try this recipe again tomorrow
MyKitchenSerenity says
Ahh, thanks for clearing that up, JW. Yes, 1/2 cup of lemon juice is correct. The filling will be watery/runny before baking it...you may want to place the pie on a cookie sheet before placing into the oven for easier handling. After the pie bakes, it will be a little jiggly but will firm up after it cools off. The consistency after it cools off will be ooey gooey, sweet & tart! I can't wait to hear back from you!
Brandie says
Easy and good.
MyKitchenSerenity says
Thank you so much, Brandie! I'm glad you liked the pie. I appreciate your feedback!!
Rae says
So easy to make, and delicious. This is the first pie I’ve ever made, and it turned out pretty well. I was so surprised at how simple it was. The center was still a litte runny, which I think may have been a combination of the size of the pie crust I bought, or my oven. However, it still tasted great. I think the next one I make will be much better. Thank you!
MyKitchenSerenity says
I'm glad you liked this pie, Rae. Thank you for letting me know how your first pie turned out! I'm a BIG lemon lover so this lemon chess pie is my favorite. I'm so happy you enjoyed it, too!
MyKitchenSerenity says
Cynthia, thanks for the question. I'm excited you are giving it a try! You can use either, but I used salted. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. Happy Thanksgiving!
Anne
Joleisa says
Such a lovely recipe and I will be sure to try this one. Like you, I like all things lemon. Just today I made a lemon mascarpone cake.
MyKitchenSerenity says
Thanks Joleisa! Lemon mascarpone cake is one my favorites!
mykitchenserenity says
Hi Shannon! Thanks for your nice comment. If you make, let me know what you think
Shirley says
I love all the lemons! This recipe looks delicious and perfect for a summer get together. Thanks for posting...adding it to my recipe file now.
mykitchenserenity says
Hey Shirley! I love lemons and this pie is wonderfully sweet and lemony! Thanks for your comment! Hope you enjoy it!