The classic pie gets a little tweak in this Butterscotch Chess Pie Recipe. Brown sugar and melted butter create a rich butterscotch filling that is encased in a flaky pie crust. Sliced pears are arranged on the bottom of the crust and are baked to a syrupy sweetness.
Butterscotch Chess Pie
The pears rise to the top of the golden surface of the pie as it bakes. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds a little bit of citrus to partner with the sugary filling in this delicious dessert. Looking for easy Thanksgiving pie recipes? Here is one that you can prepare the day before with simple ingredients.
What is a chess pie
A classic recipe popular in the southern United States, old-fashioned chess pie has a long history. It is thought to have been brought from England as early as the 17th century. There are many theories on the origin of the name. One thought is that the name is a mispronunciation of cheese pies, once popular in Europe. Others believe the pie got its name from being stored in a pie chest.
Typically made with eggs, sugar, butter, and flour or cornmeal, chess pie is often a recipe handed down through the generations of families. No matter the history of the name, this is a simple pie recipe comprised of pantry ingredients. However, the flavor of the rich and thick filling of this Butterscotch Chess Pie Recipe is anything but simple.
Add a dollop of whipped cream!
Simple ingredients
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- kosher salt
- unsalted butter
- pears
- light brown sugar
- heavy cream
- lemon juice
- vanilla extract
- eggs
Prepare the dough
This is a recipe for Buttery, Flaky Pie Dough - https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/buttery-flaky-pie-dough/
Make sure the butter is cold when making pie dough.
- Only a bottom crust is needed.
- Prepare 1 recipe of pie dough. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar to the flour before adding the butter and processing the dough. Chill the dough in the refrigerator.
- After the pie dough has chilled for 30 minutes, roll it out until ¼-inch thick.
Assembling the pie shell
- Line a 9-inch pie pan with the pie dough. Lay the dough across the top of the pie plate and gently fit it into place. If you are interested in crimping the edge of the crust, refer to the pie dough recipe for instructions. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork to dock the dough.
Crimp the dough edge for a pretty pie.
- Chill the pie crust for at least 30 minutes.
- Once the crust is cold, line the interior of the pie plate with aluminum foil. Press the foil gently into the crimped edges of the dough. This is to help maintain the pretty edge of the pie. Add the pie weights up to the top of the pie plate.
Add pie weights or dried beans before blind baking the pie dough.
- Blind bake the pie crust before adding the filling. Place the pie plate on a sheet pan and place it in the oven.
- Bake the crust for 15 minutes. The edges of the crust should be lightly golden brown.
- Remove the crust from the oven. Take the pie weights out of the pan by using the aluminum foil as a sling.
- Place the pie plate back in the oven to dry the bottom surface of the crust.
- After 5 minutes, remove the pie plate from the oven. The crust bottom should look dry.
Prepare the filling
- While the crust is baking, continue to prepare the butterscotch filling and the pears.
- Combine brown sugar, flour, and kosher salt in a large bowl.
Whisk the ingredients together.
- Add the melted butter, heavy cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Whisk everything together.
- Add the four eggs to the large bowl and combine with the filling. Set aside.
Add the pears
Red Starkrimson Pears
- Remove the peel from the pears with a vegetable peeler.
Peel and slice the pears.
- Cut each side of the pear from the core until you have 4 sections. Cut each section into ¼-inch slices.
- Working in a concentric pattern, lay the pear slices into two circles, the smaller one on top of the larger one. It is important to take time with the pattern since it will be seen in the finished pie.
Lay the pear slices in a circular pattern.
- Slowly pour the filling over the pear slices so you do not disturb the circles.
Ready for the oven!
Bake the pie
- Place the pie on the sheet pan in the oven. Bake for 1 hour. Cover the edges of the pie crust with foil if they start to get too brown.
- After an hour, the top of the pie will be brown and feel solid. Use a skewer to test the center of the pie. If the inserted skewer comes out of the pie clean, remove it from the oven.
Fresh out of the oven.
- As the pie bakes, the pears will rise to the top of the filling. You should see a faint outline of the slices in a circle.
- Let the pie cool to room temperature before slicing. Store the pie in the refrigerator after it cools. However, it is better to serve it at room temperature.
Tips
- Prepare the pie crust ahead of time. Refrigerate for a day or two before you prepare the pie.
- Serve with sweetened whipped cream for a decadent touch.
- The pears in the recipe are Red Starkrimson which is a small red pear. You can use any pear such as bartlett, bosc, or anjou.
- It is easier to peel and slice pears that are not fully ripe. They will soften as the pie bakes.
Heavenly pie recipe
As it can be made the day before, this is an easy pie recipe you can prepare for Thanksgiving. Filled with rich and syrupy pears, this is a decadent dessert worthy of your family holiday celebration.
Ready to serve.
This Butterscotch Chess Pie Recipe is the best type of dessert. It is an uncomplicated recipe to prepare, but there is nothing simple about the flavor.
Recipe
Butterscotch Chess Pie Recipe
Equipment
- 1 food processor
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 pie plate
- aluminum foil
- pie weights or dried beans
- 1 sheet pan
- 1 large bowl
- 1 whisk
- 1 vegetable peeler
- 1 paring knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
Buttery, Flaky Pie Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (8.5 ounces/240 grams)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (6 ounces, 168 grams)
- ½ cup ice water (118 ml)
Chess Pie
- 3 pears (1.13 ounces/490 grams)
- 2 cups light brown sugar (14.3 ounces/405 grams)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (1.1 ounces/30 grams)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (4 ounces/112 grams)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup heavy cream (59 ml)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
Prepare pie shell
- Prepare 1 recipe of Buttery, Flaky Pie Dough. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar to the flour before adding the butter and processing the dough. Chill the dough in the refrigerator.
- After the pie dough has chilled for 30 minutes, roll it out until ¼-inch thick.
- Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pie dough. Lay the dough across the top of the pie plate and gently fit it into place. If you are interested in crimping the edge of the crust, refer to the pie dough recipe for instructions. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork to dock the dough.
- Chill the pie crust for at least 30 minutes.
- The pie crust needs to be blind-baked before adding the filling.
- Once the crust is cold, line the interior of the pie plate with aluminum foil. Press the foil gently into the crimped edges of the dough. This is to help maintain the shape and pretty edge of the pie. Add the pie weights up to the top of the pie plate.
- Place the pie plate on a sheet pan and place it in the oven.
- Bake the crust for 15 minutes. The edges of the crust should be lightly golden.
- Remove the crust from the oven. Take the pie weights out of the pan by using the aluminum foil as a sling.
- Place the pie plate back in the oven to dry the bottom surface of the crust.
- After 5 minutes, remove the pie plate from the oven. The crust bottom should look dry.
Prepare pie filling
- While the crust is baking, continue to prepare the butterscotch filling and the pears.
- Combine brown sugar, flour, and kosher salt in a large bowl.
- Add the melted butter, heavy cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Whisk everything together.
- Add the four eggs to the large bowl and combine with the filling. Set aside.
- Remove the peel from the pears with a vegetable peeler.
- Cut each side of the pear from the core until you have 4 sections. Cut each section into ¼-inch slices.
- Working in a concentric pattern, lay the pear slices into two circles, the smaller one on top of the larger one. It is important to take your time to make nice circles. The pears will be visible in the finished pie.
- Slowly pour the filling over the pear slices so you do not disturb the circles.
- Place the pie on the sheet pan in the oven. Bake for 1 hour. If the edges of the pie crust start to get too brown before the pie is fully baked, cover them with foil.
- After an hour, the top of the pie will be brown and feel solid. Use a skewer to test the center of the pie. If the inserted skewer comes out of the pie clean, remove it from the oven.
- The pears will have risen to the top of the filling as the pie is baked. You should see a faint outline of the slices in a circle.
- Let the pie cool to room temperature before slicing. The pie should be stored in the refrigerator after it cools. However, it is better to serve it at room temperature.
- Serve with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.
Notes
- Prepare the pie crust ahead of time. Refrigerate for a day or two before you prepare the pie.
- The pears in the recipe are Red Starkrimson which is a small red pear. You can use any pear such as bartlett, bosc, or anjou.
- It is easier to peel and slice pears that are not fully ripe. They will soften as the pie bakes.
Nutrition
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