How To Make Better-than-Grandma's Buttermilk Chess Pie

Step 1

Heat the oven and prepare the pie crust. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Line a regular 9-inch pie pan (not deep dish) with the pie crust. Be sure to press the dough into the sides, without any cracks or holes in the pie crust. Roll the edge of the crust down on itself about 1/4 inch and use your fingertips to flute the edge. Refrigerate the pie plate while preparing the filling.

Step 2

Make the filling. Place the eggs, sugar, flour, and cornmeal in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the buttermilk, butter, vanilla, and salt and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute.

Step 3

Fill the pie crust. Place the prepared pie crust on a baking sheet. Pull out the oven rack halfway and place the baking sheet on it. Pour the filling into the crust. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the top — it's OK if it appears to sink into the filling slightly. Slide the oven rack back into place.

Step 4

Bake the pie until set, about 60 minutes. Bake, rotating halfway through, until the center of the pie is barely set in the center, reaches 200°F, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes total.

Step 5

Cool the pie completely before slicing. Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack before serving, 3 to 4 hours.