Southern-Style Buttermilk Chess Pie with Cornmeal Crust

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-25 · Updated 2026-05-25

A classic Southern chess pie featuring a tangy buttermilk filling and a subtly crunchy cornmeal crust. This American-inspired recipe, ready in about 105 minutes, layers all-purpose flour, fine yellow cornmeal, granulated sugar into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 390 calories and feeds 8, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 8 tbsp (1 stick), cold and cubed unsalted butter
• 3-4 tbsp ice water
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick), melted unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

The food processor we’d make this in → Best Food Processors in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a food processor, pulse together 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt. Add 8 tbsp cold cubed unsalted butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add 3-4 tbsp ice water, pulsing until dough just comes together.
2. Step 2: Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Step 3: Roll out chilled dough to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Transfer dough to plate, trim edges, and flute. Refrigerate crust while preparing filling.
4. Step 4: In a large bowl, whisk 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, 3 large eggs, 2/3 cup buttermilk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tbsp cornstarch until smooth and well combined.
5. Step 5: Pour filling into prepared crust and bake for 50-60 minutes until filling is set and golden on top. The center should not be liquid but may have a slight jiggle.
6. Step 6: Cool pie completely on a wire rack before slicing to allow filling to fully set.