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–+ servings
Square pieces of chess bars placed next to each other

Chess Squares

Easy and delicious chess squares with a buttery crust, a gooey center, and a flaky caramelized crust on top. This classic Southern dessert is made with 6 simple ingredients, and is also known as chess bars, gooey butter cake, or chess pie squares.
5 from 3 votes
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Southern
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Calories: 230kcal
Author: MinShien

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 1 egg

Topping

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 lb powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350℉.
  • In a mixing bowl, add cake mix, softened butter, and one egg. Mix thoroughly with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Press into the bottom of a greased 9'x13' pan.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, vanilla, and 3 eggs until smooth. Slowly add in powdered sugar until completely combined. Pour over the first set of ingredients on the 9'x13' pan.
  • Bake at 350℉ for 30-35 minutes. Middle should be set and the top slightly browned.
  • Cool for ~ 1 hour. Slice into 24 small squares. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Bake time could be slightly longer if using a glass pan (versus a metal pan).

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 198mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 283IU | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Take a pic and tag me at @joyous.apron, or hashtag #joyousapron on Instagram!