Get the Recipe:
Chess Squares
These creamy chess squares start with a soft and buttery cake mix crust topped with a layer of sweet cream cheese filling.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 15.25 or 18.25 oz (432 or 517 g) package yellow cake mix*
- 3/4 or 1 cup (170 or 226 g) unsalted butter, melted*
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 cup (120 g) finely chopped nuts
For the filling:
- 16 ounces (454 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 16 ounces (454 g) confectioners' sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
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Instructions
To make the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9" x 13" x 2" baking pan.
- Combine the cake mix, butter, and egg. Stir in the nuts. (The mixture will be thick.)
- Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan.
To make the filling:
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth and well-blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition.
- Pour the mixture over the crust in the pan, and spread evenly.
- Bake 40-45 minutes or until filling is set.
Notes
- *Cake mixes have gotten smaller over the years, and I've tried a few ways to account for that. For simplicity, I prefer using a single box of cake mix. You'll most commonly find 15.25-ounce mixes and I find those work best with 3/4 cup of butter. However, I've left the original quantities (18.25-ounce mix and 1 cup butter) for those who prefer to make the original version. You'll need to use part of another cake mix for those missing ounces.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
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