Chess pie is a dessert with a filling composed mainly of flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and sometimes milk, characteristic of Southern United States cuisine.

[5][6] The 1881 cookbook Buckeye Cookery—With Hints on Practical Housekeeping included a recipe submitted by Mrs. J. Carson of Glendale, Minnesota.

The pie was thought to be so simple any home cook with eggs, butter and sugar would know what to do.

Recipes for "Chess Pie" made without milk can be found in early 20th-century cookbooks.

[14][15] Recipes dating from the 19th century typically including eggs, butter, sugar, and vinegar baked in a pie crust, with regional variations.