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.
Beth
Made recipe as posted but should have doubled to fill my deep dish crust. Very disappointing.
Anne Clark
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!
Shelly
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
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
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
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!
Dancermum
So easy, so good…but too much sugar; i did 1cup and I will be reducing it to 3/4C next time
Gayle
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
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 🙂
Marilyn leblanc
Recipe calls for cornmeal, I’m sure it should be cornstarch.
Anne Clark
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!