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This chess bars recipe is one of the easiest and best desserts out there! Sometimes referred to as chess cake or gooey butter cake, these bars use cream cheese and yellow cake mix for a delicious dessert that's requested year-round!
Does everyone have a favorite dessert from when they were growing up? I think this might be mine. Chess bars (also referred to as chess squares or gooey butter cake).
We've been eating these for years, ever since I was little, and this is a tried and true family recipe. Whenever I mention to my mom how much I love them, she'd say that they were so easy, she should make them more often.
And do you know what? They ARE so easy.
What are chess bars?
These chess bars have a layer of cake-likeness on the bottom and a layer of gooey cream cheese + powdered sugar on the top. I just love how the top tends to get all crackly too.
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix - this recipe has been tested with both 15.25 oz mixes and 13.25 oz. No adjustments are needed for a smaller size, the recipe still works great.
- 1 stick butter (softened) - 4oz
- 4 eggs
- Cream cheese (softened)
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
Recipe tips
- I'd recommend letting the chess bars completely cool before cutting. You'll get much better results that way. And they are easier to cut. It's hard to resist eating them right away, but trust me.
- I typically cook my chess bars in a parchment-lined pan so I can easily take them out and cut them, but you can also just make them in a cake pan with no parchment and then cut them in the pan. Either works!
- I use my Kitchen-Aid Mixer to make these chess bars, because it makes it so easy, but a simple hand mixer like this works well too!
Do chess bars need to be refrigerated?
Yes! At least, I do. Most things that have cream cheese do better with refrigeration and it keeps them fresh.
If I'm serving for a gathering, they are fine if you have them out for a few hours. I do try to put them out at least 30 minutes before serving, just so they get that bit of gooeyness back.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Use wax paper in between each layer of chess bars so that they don't stick to one another.
Can you make other flavors?
Absolutely! I've made a pumpkin version of these before and they were delicious.
An easy way to mix it up is to use something other than yellow cake mix in the base. You can try strawberry, lemon, whatever you want. I can't guarantee they will come out perfectly since I've never tested it out, but it SEEMS like it should work!
If you like this recipe, you'll love these
- Gooey confetti cake bars
- No bake lemonade pie
- Easy pecan banana bread
- Dutch apple pie with crumb topping
- Pineapple cherry dump cake
How to make the chess squares
Making the chess bars, or squares, is so easy!
First, make sure your butter and cream cheese are softened. Then you can get started!
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper for easy removal and cutting of the chess bars.
In a large bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer), mix together 1 egg, the softened stick of butter, and the cake mix. Mix until blended and combined.
Take this mixture and pat down into a 9x13 pan.
Wash and dry your mixing bowl, then add the cream cheese, 3 eggs, vanilla, and powdered sugar to the bowl. Then mix that until combined and pour over the cake mixture.
Put in the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F, then turn down the oven to 325 and bake for another 45-50 minutes. Let cool, then cut into squares!
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator with wax paper in between each layer.
Chess Bars
Recipe by Aimee
These chess bars (or chess squares) are an easy and sweet dessert using cream cheese and yellow cake mix.
4.87 from 72 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 28 bars
Calories 197 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 stick butter softened 4 oz
- 1 egg for base
- 3 eggs for topping
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 16 oz powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Take the cake mix, 1 egg, and softened stick of butter and mix together.
Pat down into a 9x13 pan.
Mix together remaining eggs, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla and pour over cake.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to 325 and bake for 45-50 minutes.
This cake will sink in the middle after it cools.
Let cool completely before cutting. Cut into squares and place any remaining bars in the refrigerator in an airtight container (between layers of wax or parchment paper).
Notes
This recipe has been tested with both 15.25 oz mixes and 13.25 oz. No adjustments are needed for a smaller size, the recipe still works great.
Some tips when making the chess bars recipe:
- I'd recommend letting the chess bars completely cool before cutting. You'll get much better results that way. And they are easier to cut. It's hard to resist eating them right away, but trust me.
- I cook mine in a parchment-lined pan so I can easily take them out and cut them, but you can also just make them in a cake pan with no parchment and then cut them in the pan. Either works!
Do chess bars need to be refrigerated? Yes! At least, I do. Most things that have cream cheese do better with refrigeration and it keeps them fresh. If I'm serving for a gathering, they are fine if you have them out for a few hours. I do try to put them out at least 30 minutes before serving, just so they get that bit of gooeyness back.
Nutrition
Calories: 197kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 198mgPotassium: 30mgFiber: 1gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 244IUCalcium: 52mgIron: 1mg
If nutrition info is shown, values are based on an online calculator and are estimates. Please verify using your own data.
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