Chess Bars Recipe

These easy Southern Chess Bars feature a buttery cake mix crust topped with a rich, creamy cream cheese filling that bakes to golden perfection. Soft, sweet, and wonderfully decadent, they're a classic Southern dessert that's perfect for holidays, potlucks, bake sales, and family gatherings.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword chess-bars-recipe, southern-chess-bars

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Cooling time 2

Total Time 2 55

Servings servings

Calories 327kcal

Ingredients

Crust:
1 15.25 oz yellow cake mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter or salted butter melted
2 large eggs
Filling:
1 8 oz block cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter or salted butter
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar plus additional for dusting tops

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line one 13x9-inch inch baking dish with parchment paper leaving a 1-2 inch overhang. Spray the parchment with cooking spray.
In a large bowl use an electric mixer on medium speed, mix cake mix, melted butter, and 2 eggs until a thick dough forms. Press mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
In the same bowl, use the mixer on medium-high speed to beat together cream cheese and melted butter until smooth.
To the cream cheese mixture add the eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract until combined.
Lower the speed of the mixer and gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat until all is incorporated, increasing the speed to medium at the end.
Pour the filling over the crust and spread evenly.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes or just until the edges are set, the top is lightly golden brown and the center is still slightly gooey when the pan is gently shaken. Do not overbake.
Let chess squares cool in the pan on a wire rack.
Lift chess bars from pan using parchment paper.
Slice and serve warm or chilled sliced into bars, dusted with powdered sugar, if desired.

Nutrition