Chess Pie
In Southern and Appalachian speech, a "chess pie" means a simple, old-timey dessert made with pantry staples like sugar, eggs, and butter. The name itself has become shorthand for plain Southern sweetness.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Oh 'chess pie' is a favorite around here! Hillbilly Dude Says...
Oh 'chess pie' is a favorite around here! Pronunciation
[CHESS pie]
Meaning & Usage
- A traditional Southern pie (noun)
Mae:
What’s for dessert?
What’s for dessert?
Earl:
Mama baked a chess pie - sweet as can be.
Mama baked a chess pie - sweet as can be.- A symbol of plain Southern thrift (noun, figurative)
Mae:
Ain’t no fruit? No nuts?
Ain’t no fruit? No nuts?
Earl:
Nope, just a chess pie - simple’s the best.
Nope, just a chess pie - simple’s the best.★ Chess pie shows how Southern cooks made something sweet out of almost nothing. It’s rich and satisfying without needing fruit, nuts, or cream. ★
Origin and Etymology
The exact name origin is debated: some say it came from "It’s jes’ pie" (just pie), others tie it to old English "cheese pie" (meaning curd/custard). Whatever the source, the dessert became a staple of Southern kitchens by the 1800s.
Usage Notes
Still well-known across the South and Appalachia, but outside the region many have never heard of it. To Southerners, "chess pie" immediately calls up home kitchens and church suppers.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "chess pie." No drawl tricks here, just country sweetness.