Orange Chess Pie is a variation on the Southern classic chess pie. Made with buttermilk, eggs, butter and sugar, it can best be described as a type of custard pie with a fresh orange flavor.
This pie is very easy to make. The ingredients come together quickly with an electric mixer and are poured into an unbaked pie crust.
You can use a store bought crust or make your own. Check out Foolproof Pie Dough if you want to make your own. It can be made in the bowl of a food processor or in a bowl with a pastry cutter. You can roll it into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin.
Orange Chess Pie is one that you could really serve at any time of the year. It is light enough to serve during the summer yet shines when citrus season brings us the best assortment of oranges.
Oranges are wonderful to bake with. Check out Orange Olive Oil Cake, Orange Ricotta Cookies, Blueberry Orange Yogurt Cake, Orange Muffins and Orange Blossom Honey Madeleines.
If you would like try another fresh fruit chess pie recipe check out Pineapple Coconut Chess Pie. If you would like a lemon chess pie simply replace the orange juice and zest with lemon juice and lemon zest.
SOME THINGS TO KNOW:FAQ’S
INGREDIENT TIPS:
- Fresh squeezed orange juice works best for the recipe and if you can find Blood oranges or Cara Cara oranges, the pie will have a much deeper color.
- If you do not have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitute by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a cup of whole milk and letting it sit for about 5 minutes.
- Use fresh, large eggs for consistency in baking. Room temperature eggs mix more evenly into your batter. Read Do You Really Need to Bake With Room Temperature Eggs?
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- Pie Dish: A standard 9-inch pie plate is ideal for this recipe. You can use either a glass or metal pie dish, depending on your preference. Glass dishes make it easier to check the doneness of the crust.
- Mixing Bowl: You will need a large mixing bowl for preparing the filling.
- Electric Mixer or Whisk: An electric mixer (stand or hand-held) is useful for creaming the butter and sugar together until smooth. However, if you don’t have one, a whisk and some elbow grease will also do the job.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: Accurate measuring cups and spoons are essential for measuring your ingredients, especially for baking, where precision is key.
- Zester or Microplane: To zest the oranges, a zester or microplane grater will give you the best results. These tools allow you to remove just the colored part of the orange peel without getting the bitter white pith.
- Citrus Juicer: While you can squeeze the oranges by hand, a citrus juicer can make the process easier and more efficient.
- Spatula: A spatula will help you scrape out all of the filling from the bowl into the pie crust, ensuring you use every bit of your mixture.
- Cooling Rack: After baking, it is important to let the pie cool on a wire rack to prevent the bottom from becoming soggy.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- You can substitute the white sugar with an equal amount of light brown sugar for a deeper flavor.
- If you are out of butter, margarine can be substituted in the same quantity.
- Mix one cup milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes to make a quick buttermilk substitute.
- If you are out of all-purpose flour, cake flour can be a suitable replacement.
- If you do not have cornmeal, use semolina or polenta as they offer a similar texture.
HOW TO STORE ORANGE CHESS PIE:
- Orange Chess pie can be refrigerated for up to 4-5 days. Keep in mind that the crust may soften a bit over time. Allow the pie to cool completely at room temperature. This is important because storing the pie while it is still warm can cause condensation and make the crust soggy. Once cooled, cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can also place it into an airtight container if you have one large enough.
HOW TO FREEZE ORANGE CHESS PIE:
- To freeze Orange Chess Pie, first cool it completely. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil, or place it into a freezer safe container. Properly wrapped, the pie can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Thaw the pie in the refrigerator overnight.
Line a 9 inch pie plate with a single pie crust. Crimp the edges of the crust with your fingers along the rim of the pie.
In a large bowl cream the butter. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy.
Beat in the eggs and buttermilk.
Add the flour, tablespoon cornmeal, orange juice and orange zest. Combine the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and mix until smooth.
Pour mixture into your crust lined 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the center top of the pie is set and golden brown.
Orange Chess Pie
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Ingredients
- 9 inch pie crust unbaked
- ½ cup unsalted butter ( 1 stick) at room temperature
- 1½ cup granulated white sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 3 tablespoons orange zest (2 large oranges)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 9 inch pie plate with a single pie crust. Crimp the edges of the crust with your fingers along the rim of the pie.
In a large bowl cream the butter. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy.
Beat in the eggs and buttermilk.
Add the flour, tablespoon cornmeal, orange juice and orange zest. Combine the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and mix until smooth.
Pour mixture into your crust lined 9-inch pie pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until the center top of the pie is set and golden brown.
Let the pie cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Garnish the top with orange slices.
