One of my favorite simple desserts is this brown butter bourbon chess pie! It has a flaky, buttery pie crust and a rich custardy filling! It's simple and absolutely delicious! All you need is a little homemade whipped cream to top it off!

brown butter bourbon chess pie with homemade whipped cream and slices cut out

What is chess pie?

Chess pie is a classic southern dessert that features a simple filling made of eggs, sugar, and butter. Like many classic southern dishes, it's made with ingredients that were cheap and readily available since luxuries like chocolate weren't always available.

If you've ever had Christina Tosi's Crack Pie from Milk Bar (I've been to both the NYC and DC locations and omgggg), this brown butter bourbon chess pie is similar to that!

how to par bake pie crust

In order to get a super crispy, flaky pie crust I use a method call par baking. It literally means "partially bake" and it's a great way to get the crust to set before adding in a soupy filling like this chess pie.

I use my perfect pie crust for this recipe, so you can also check out that blog post for all my pie making tips and tricks!

Chill the pie crust in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before baking (if you skip this step, the pie crust will shrink). While the crust is chilling, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Place a piece of parchment paper or heavy duty aluminum foil inside the pie crust and fill with pie weights* (uncooked rice or dry beans also work great).
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Carefully lift the parchment paper and pie weights then return the pie crust to the oven to bake for another 5 minutes until the bottom of the crust is just starting to brown.
Remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly while you prepare the filling!

how to make brown butter

Browning the butter is technically optional (you can use melted butter instead)...but it adds so much amazing flavor to this chess pie!!

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Once melted, stir frequently and watch closely for the formation of brown specs on the bottom of the pan and a nutty aroma.
Once you see brown specs, stir for just a few more seconds (it browns super quickly).
Remove from the heat and immediately pour into a different bowl to prevent it from burning.
Set aside and let the butter cool slightly (5-10 minutes) before using.

If you make these brown butter bourbon chess pie, please leave us a star rating at the bottom of the page! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. Happy baking!

Brown Butter Bourbon Chess Pie

Author: Kyleigh Sage
Prep Time: 20 minutes + 1 hour chilling time
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Yield: 8 slices 1x

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Scale

Ingredients

½ perfect pie crust recipe
½ cup unsalted butter, browned
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons bourbon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons cornmeal
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup heavy cream

Top with

powdered sugar
homemade whipped cream

Instructions

Prepare one half of my perfect pie crust dough according to directions. Form a disk and place into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
While the pie dough is chilling, make the brown butter. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, stir frequently and watch closely for the formation of brown specs on the bottom of the pan and a nutty aroma. Once you see brown specs, stir for just a few more seconds (it browns super quickly). Remove from the heat and immediately pour into a different bowl to prevent it from burning. Let cool for at least 10 minutes.
Remove the pie dough from the fridge and on a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to about ¼ inch thick and about 2 inches wider than your pie pan. Roll the pie crust into the pie pan and be sure to poke the bottom a few times with a fork to allow air to escape during baking. Cut away any undesired excess crust and crimp, curl, or decorate the edges however you like!
Chill the pie crust in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before baking (if you skip this step, the pie crust will shrink). While the crust is chilling, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Place a piece of parchment paper or heavy duty aluminum foil inside the pie crust and fill with pie weights (uncooked rice or dry beans also work great).
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Carefully lift the parchment paper and pie weights then return the pie crust to the oven to bake for another 5 minutes or until the bottom of the crust is just beginning to brown.
Remove from the oven and set aside.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk together the browned butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, bourbon, vanilla, and eggs until fully combined and smooth.
Add in the cornmeal, salt, and heavy cream and whisk until fully incorporated.
Pour the filling into your partially baked crust, then bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until the center of the pie is set and the top is a light golden brown color.
Let the pie cool at room temperature for 1 hour and then place in the fridge to fully set (at least 2 hours but overnight is best).
Lightly dust with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream!

Notes

Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: brown butter bourbon chess pie, brown butter chess pie, bourbon chess pie, chess pie, southern chess pie, homemade pie crust, southern pie, thanksgiving pie