Perfectly gooey with the delightful combination of crushed pineapple and flaked coconut these Pineapple Coconut Chess Bars are the perfect handheld sweet treat that everyone will love.
Easy Pineapple Coconut Chess Bars Recipe
What's the difference between chess bars and gooey butter cake? In short, very little. The only variation of note is, often chess bars have a bit more mix-in ingredients in the filling than a standard gooey butter cake. Gooey butter cakes made this way have been rotating through Southern kitchens for eons. Made with a cake mix foundation and transformed into a variety of flavor combinations, they remain a Southern dessert favorite for potlucks and holiday parties. Chess bars are the same concept and they use many of the very same ingredients as well as the technique for assembling the layers. This recipe is for chess bars or another name, chess squares. No matter what they're called, it all spells delicious.
How to Make the Best Pineapple Coconut Chess Bars Recipe
This chess bar recipe features gooey squares of island inspired deliciousness. The beauty of this kind of dessert is, that bakers of all skill levels can make them since they require only simple ingredients to make. The only challenge is not to over bake them. When chess bars are done, they will still have a "jiggle in the middle" when gently shaken. As they cool, they'll setup and should be allowed to cool completely before you attempt to cut into bars.
- Ingredients you'll need to make Pineapple Coconut Chess Bars: One box yellow cake mix, butter, large eggs, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract crushed pineapple and sweetened flaked coconut.
- You'll need a large mixing bowl and a hand mixer or a stand mixer to combine the ingredients together. It wouldn't be effective to try and do it by hand or using a whisk.
- It's important to fully drain the crushed pineapple before adding to the filling.
- This bar recipe starts with a cake mix, eggs and melted butter base. Use a mixer to combine them together then press the cake mixture onto the bottom of the prepared baking dish or pan.
- Use a mixer, either a stand mixer or a hand mixer to blend the cream cheese, powdered sugar, eggs, melted butter. (yes there's more!) Mix in the crushed pineapple and coconut by hand. Pour this over the cake mix bottom layer already pressed into the pan. While baking, the two layers magically combine to form gooey chess bars.
- It's important not to overbake. When the center still has a little movement when the pan is gently shaken, that's a sign that they're done.
- Store leftover pineapple coconut chess bars chilled in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Other Southern Style Chess Bars Recipes to Make
Whether you call them chess bars or gooey butter cake the end result is always delicious. More gooey butter cake recipes you may like to try:
- Pretty as a picture Strawberries and Cream Gooey Butter Cake
- Banana Pudding Gooey Butter Cake is a fusion of two all-time favorites.
- Mocha Molten Lava Gooey Butter Cake is made using Nutella for the filling.
- Caramel Chocolate Almond Gooey Butter Cake features dulce de leche in the filling.
- Orange Creamsicle Gooey Butter Cake is like a bite of sunshine.
- Cheesecake Chess Squares from Six Sisters Stuff
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Pineapple Coconut Chess Bars
Ingredients
- 1 15.25 box yellow cake mix
- 1 cup butter melted separately
- 4 large eggs
- 1 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 8 oz cans crushed pineapple well drained
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spritz a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer orr with an electric hand mixer, beat together the cake, mix, ½ cup (1 stick) melted butter and 1 large egg. Press onto the bottom of the baking dish.
- In the same mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar. remaining ½ cup of melted butter and vanilla. Add 3 large eggs. Continue to beat for 2 minutes until creamy and fluffy. Mix in the crushed pineapple and flaked coconut by hand. Pour over the cake mix crust.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center still "jiggles" when gently shaken. Cool in pan on a cooling rack to room temperature before cutting into bars.
- Store leftovers chilled or upo to 5 days.
Nutrition
My name is Melissa and I'm the Creator of Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen. Cooking, baking, developing recipes and kitchen tips is my passion. I love sharing my dishes and connecting with people through the food that I create.
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MonaATL
This recipe is EXCELLENT! I followed it exactly as written. I cooked for 40 minutes. At the end, I turned the broiler on and brushed the top with a little butter and browned for 5 minutes with the oven rack set mid-level. Don't walk away from the broiler. Mine look just like the picture!!! My family LOVES THEM!!! This is definitely in my keeper file.
Melissa
Thanks so much!
Bernice Knight
Is there a way to leave out the pineapple? I LOVE coconut but am not a pineapple fan.
Melissa
I've not made this recipe without the pineapple as it's a major ingredient. That said, you likely could leave it out, if you must. I can't attest first-hand how it will turn out, though. if you try it, let us know how it goes.
Kat
I did them without pineapple and they turned out great!
Cheryl
Will these be firm up enough to individually wrap up?
Melissa
Yes, once completely cooled.
Joyce Fratt
Is this right ----2 , 8 oz cans crushed pineapple. ??
Melissa
Yes, it's right. Crushed pineapple often comes in a 20 ounce can which is too much. If you can find a 15 ounce can that will work, of course.
Joan
My mom found them a little sweet, do you think it would work if i used less icing sugar.
Melissa
Chess bars are sweet by nature. I make this recipe as stated so, if you try it by adjusting the amount let us know how it goes.
Nancy
I made these and baked exactly as recipe says! However, no way did they ever get Brown On tip!
Melissa
If you wanted them to be more brown on top, you certainly have the option of broiling for a minute or two.
Erica
This is soooo good! My whole family of 6 loves it! Thanks so much for the recipe!
I couldn't find a 15oz can of crushed pineapple, only 8 or 20. I could've bought two 8s to be close to 15, but I already had two 20s in the pantry. So I used one of those. I just drained it and weighed what was left and used 3/4 of it. I hate to waste the rest of it... I'll find some way to use it.
I used neufchatel cheese, which is the same as cream cheese but with 1/3 less fat. I use it in recipes all the time and you can't even tell the difference. It's great!
Melissa
Hi Erica, sounds great, thanks!
Rebekah
Is there a substitute for the cream cheese?
Melissa
You could use mascarpone cheese in the same amount.
Amy
Can I freeze these
Melissa
I think you could just be certain you cool them completely before wrapping to freeze and thaw them in the refrigerator.
Ruth
My crust looks nothing like the pictures. It looks more like slightly moistened sand...pressed it into the pan but dont think its going to come out. I feel one stick of butter and one egg is not enough moisture for a whole cake mix. ????
Melissa
I assure you it is. The butter should be melted and mixed into the cake mix, it sounds as if perhaps you cut it into the cake mix. Chess bars also known as gooey butter cakes all begin this way no matter the flavor. It works every time.
Senia johnson
These are amazing, soooooo delicious
Melissa
Thank you!
Aly
Did you ever think of substituting the milk with coconut milk for a more pina colada flavor?
Melissa
There's no milk in this recipe.
Liz
Thank you Melissa for the nice bar recipes.
Melissa
My pleasure Liz ☺
Mary @chattavore
These sound amazing! I've never thought of pineapple and coconut in chess bars. Yum!
Melissa
Hi Linda, I'll share with you anytime my friend. ☺
Linda
This recipe was made for me! Thank you for your wonderful recipes. Have to do this, maybe this weekend.
Melissa
The recipe calls for 1 cup of butter. That is equal to 2 sticks. So, 1 stick goes into the crust. 1 stick in the filling.
Anonymous
In the recipe it says 1 stick of melted butter added to the cake mixture but then it says to add remaining 1 stick of butter to the cream cheese mixture but the recipe only calls for 1 stick of melted butter divided so how much is suppose to go in each mixture
wilma Gaustad
The recipe calls for two sticks of butter, which equals 1 cup.
Carol at Wild Goose Tea
Wow, I was going to make a pineapple coconut coffee cake to take to a function on Saturday. I think you have just changed my mind. These look MUCH better.
Melissa
My pleasure Connie ☺
Connie Branecki
These do look delicious! Once again , I have coconut in the house, I buy it when its on sale, but I can never decide what to do with it. There are so many desserts to choose from! This looks like somthing my family will like , I know I will! Thanks Melissa!