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–+ servings
Chess bars up close

Chess Bars

Recipe by Aimee
These chess bars (or chess squares) are an easy and sweet dessert using cream cheese and yellow cake mix.
4.79 from 83 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 28 bars
Calories 197 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1 stick butter softened 8 tablespoon (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 into pan over cake mix layer.
  • Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to 325 and bake for 45-50 minutes.
  • This chess bars will sink in the middle after they cool.
  • 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 for southern chess squares 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 take them out of the fridge 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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