Simple Amish Chess Pie Recipe

While the origins of chess pie are pretty clear, the history of it's peculiar name is less obvious. This pie originated in England and was brought to America by the early settlers. Over time the pie grew in popularity among Southerners, and eventually it became emblematic of Southern desserts.

But where does the name chess pie come from? There are a couple theories, but nobody really knows for sure the origins of this interesting name. Some say it is derived from the somewhat similar British cheese pie. Others say it came from people trying to write "just pie" in a Southern accent. However, the most popular explanation is that it's a shortening of "chest pie." Because this pie has so much sugar in it, it would have kept well in pie chests in the days before refrigerators.

Chess pie is delicious no matter the origins. This pie is basically a cheesecake but without the cheese, and it would have been a handy recipe to have when cream cheese was less accessible as it is now. Different variations of this pie pair it with different types of fruit and sometimes chocolate. Whichever way you like your chess pie, you know it will be delicious!