Angus Barn Chocolate Chess Pie is a Southern classic dessert. This recipe is a copycat of the most popular pie at Angus Barn Steakhouse in Raleigh, NC.
The top has a brownie texture and the middle is creamy chocolate custard. It's served with whip cream and chocolate shavings on top.
This delicious chocolate chess pie is spectacular on your Thanksgiving or Christmas menu.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This copycat recipe for the Angus Barn chocolate chess pie is a classic for a reason. Rich chocolate brownie crinkle topping a creamy chocolate custard filling. Yes please! Plus, it's easy to make and always a hit with guests.
Whether you're looking for an impressive dessert to serve at your next holiday gathering or just want something cozy and comforting to enjoy at home, this Angus Barn chocolate chess pie recipe is the perfect choice. Get ready to fall in love with this delicious recipe!
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What is a Chess Pie?
Chess pies are a Southern specialty that has a simple filling of eggs, sugar, butter, and a small amount of flour. Some recipes include cornmeal and others are made with vinegar for a tart pie similar to lemon.
Originally adapted from settlers from England in the 1700's. "Chess" pie became corrupted from "cheese" pie when frugality prompted cooks to use flour or cornmeal to thicken the filling instead of soft cheese.
Flavorings, such as vanilla, lemon juice, or chocolate are also added to vary the basic recipe. Common types of chess pie are buttermilk, chocolate, lemon, and pecan.
Chess pies are easy to make using whatever you have on hand, as seen in the buttermilk cornmeal version, or the vinegar & molasses version.
Ingredients
Other than the store bought pie crust, you probably have everything to make this pie and several varieties of it already in your pantry. If making a pie crust from scratch visit our recipe for the copycat Marie Callender's Pie Crust recipe, it is nice and flaky.
- Store bought pie crust or homemade single pie crust.
- Hershey's Cocoa powder
- Sugar
- All purpose flour
- Butter, melted
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Evaporated milk
- Pinch of salt
- Chocolate bar to grate shaving garnish (optional).
- Whipped Cream to garnish (optional).
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make a Chocolate Chess Pie
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Set the rack to the middle of the oven. Make your pie crust and roll onto the pie pan. Crimp the edges. If using a store bought crust, unroll it onto the pie pan and crimp the edges. Do not pre bake (blind bake) the crust.
Step 1. Roll out the Pie Crust
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 2. Measure the Ingredients
Measure the flour and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Sift the cocoa powder into the flour and sugar mixture, to get all the lumps out. Add the pinch of salt and whisk the dry ingredients to blend well.
Mix the eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla, and melted butter into a small mixing bowl and whisk until blended.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 3. Mix the Pie Filling & Bake
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk together to blend the filling fully. Pour into the pie shell. If using a deep dish pie shell, pour all of it. If using a shallow pie shell, only fill to ⅔'s full.
Bake for 55 minutes at 325 F. Check to see if the pie is done by piercing the center with a tooth pick. If it comes out clean, the pie is done. If filling is on the tooth pick, cook in 5 minute intervals until a tooth pick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
Once done, do not immediately remove from the oven. The temperature difference between the oven interior and kitchen will cause the top of the pie crust too cool too fast and crack.
Turn the oven off, open the oven door completely or prop it open a few inches. Let the pie cool off as the oven cools down. Remove and set on the counter after 30 minutes, it should be safe and not cause the top to crack.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Serving Suggestions
Angus Barn Chocolate Chess Pie with our Air Fried Turkey Breast, Ocean Spray Cranberry Orange Relish and Baked Sweet Potato Slices.
We have some additional Holiday side dishes that would be perfect for completing your Holiday meal also.
Take a look at our Spinach Artichoke Baked Pasta, Baked Brie with Cranberries, Gouda Au Gratin Potatoes, Sauteed Spinach and Onions, Southern Sweet Potato Casserole, and for a delicious dessert, Pecan Upside Down Bundt Cake.
Substitutions
If you don't like evaporated milk, you can use half and half.
Variations
There are quite a few variations of Chess Pie, all of them marvelous. Here are just a few:
- Coconut Chess Pie - omit the cocoa powder, increase the flour from ¼ cup to ⅓ cup, add 1 cup of sweetened, shredded coconut.
- Buttermilk Chess Pie - omit the cocoa powder and increase the flour from ¼ cup to ⅓ cup, use buttermilk instead of evaporated milk, and add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar.
- Pecan Chess Pie - omit the cocoa powder and increase the flour from ¼ cup to ⅓ cup, use brown sugar instead of white sugar. Add 1 cup pecans to the mixture and pour into pie shell. The pecans float to the top during the baking.
Storage
Store any leftover pie in the refrigerator, covered for up to 1 week.
Tips for Success
- If using salted butter, omit the salt from the recipe.
- You do not par bake (blind bake) the crust for chess pies. The baking is long enough to cook the crust and prevent it from being soggy.
- Be sure to sift the cocoa powder and flour, it breaks the cocoa lumps up best.
- Use a pie shield if the crust edges start to get too browned.
Frequently Asked Questions
When you first take the chess pie from the oven, the center will have a tiny jiggle to it. As long as the tooth pick comes out clean, the pie is cooked. It will firm up more as it chills.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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📖 Recipe
Angus Barn Chocolate Chess Pie
Equipment
- 1 pie pan
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust store bought
- ¼ cup Hershey Cocoa Powder
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 4 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 5 oz evaporated
- pinch of salt
- chocolate bar to shave for garnish optional
- whipped cream for garnish optional
Instructions
- Set the oven rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat your oven to 325° F. Get your pie pan if you are using a pie crust you unroll fit it to the pie pan and crimp the edges. If using a store bought pie crust in a pan, set it out to fill.1 pie crust
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk the cocoa powder and flour together so the cocoa lumps break up. Add the sugar and the pinch of salt, whisk together to blend.¼ cup Hershey Cocoa Powder, ¼ cup white granulated sugar, ¼ cup all purpose flour, pinch of salt
- Break the three eggs into a small bowl, which lightly. Add the melted butter, evaporated milk, and vanilla and whisk to blend.4 tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 large eggs, 5 oz evaporated
- Pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk together to blend.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared pie crust. Only fill ⅔ full if using a shallow pie shell, pour all of it if using a deep crust pie shell. Bake in the middle of the oven for 55 minutes.
- Using a tooth pick, check to see if the pie is set in the middle. The tooth pick should come out clean. If there is pie filling on the tooth pick bake in 5 minute increments until it is done.
- When the pie is done, turn off the oven and let the pie remain inside to cool down. This will let the pie cool down at the rate the oven cools and prevent the top of the pie from cracking. I crack the oven open so both the pie and the oven cool down at the same time, just faster.
- Once cooled, slice and plate. Serve with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.
Notes
- If using salted butter, omit the salt from the recipe.
- You do not par bake (blind bake) the crust for chess pies. The baking is long enough to cook the crust and prevent it from being soggy.
- Be sure to sift the cocoa powder and flour, it breaks the cocoa lumps up best.
- Use a pie shield if the crust edges start to get too browned.
Nutrition
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