Chess Squares Recipe | Simple Southern Dessert Recipe (2024)

These easy Chess Squares are a simple and comforting Southern dessert! Flaky and buttery, this sweet treat goes perfectly with tea or coffee.

Chess Squares

When I was in New York a few weeks ago we stopped by one of the most unique bakeries I’ve ever visited, Momof*cku Milk Bar. Noted for their unusual concoctions like cookies made with potato chips, birthday cake truffles, and cereal milk ice cream, I’d been wanting to visit Momof*cku’s and try a slice of their famous Crack Pie since I came across the recipe in the LA Times last year.

The thought did cross my mind that I could actually, you know, make the recipe myself, but one thing kept stopping me. It’s decidedly fussy.

With 22 ingredients (including 8 egg yolks, ugh) and the advertised one-and-a-half hours of labor-intensive preparation, I just kept putting the whole thing off.

When I did finally get the chance to taste it two weeks ago, I immediately flashed back to my college days when my girlfriends and I would flounce around in the kitchen, throwing dinner parties for our boyfriends, and making sinfully sweet treats for church Bible studies. Crack Pie reminded me of one of my old standbys, Chess Squares, an unbelievably indulgent southern dessert staple and one of the first desserts I remember making on my own.

I proclaimed this revelation to my foodie friends (except I was really thinking that chess squares are so much better), but all I received were blank stares. They’d never heard of chess squares. Chalking it up to being a “southern thing”, I knew as soon as I got home I had to share this ridiculously delicious recipe with you guys.

The best part is, chess squares couldn’t be easier to make. Just five simple ingredients here.

If this is looking familiar to you, you’re doing better than I was at this point. More on that in a minute.

How to Make These Classic Chess Squares

You start by mixing a yellow cake mix with melted butter and one egg to form a soft dough .

It was at this point that I started to think myself, Huh. This seems a little familiar.

But I pushed the thought out of my head and carried on.

You then mix a pound of powdered sugar with softened cream cheese and the remaining two eggs to create a decadent gooey filling. No wonder they’re so good!

But… Haven’t I seen this recipe somewhere before… recently?

Oh right. That’s when it dawned on me. It’s almost the exact recipe for…

Gooey Butter Cake.

Doh.

How did I not realize that my beloved chess squares were also masquerading under the famous Paula Deen recipe until… just now?

Doh. Again. I wrestled with myself whether or not I should even post the recipe, scolding myself that you’ve all surely heard of gooey butter cake.

But I ultimately decided that no matter what you call them, this delicious dessert definitely deserves a second look.

From its decadent, chewy crust…

To its rich, gooey filling…

And the flaky, sugary, satisfyingly crispy crust…

To the way it makes your whole house smell so divinely sweet and buttery.

If you’ve never made chess squares or gooey butter cake… Give these a try. You won’t be disappointed.

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Chess Squares Recipe | Simple Southern Dessert Recipe (16)

Chess Squares

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 27 reviews

  • Chess Squares Recipe | Simple Southern Dessert Recipe (17) Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Chess Squares Recipe | Simple Southern Dessert Recipe (18) Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Chess Squares Recipe | Simple Southern Dessert Recipe (19) Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Chess Squares Recipe | Simple Southern Dessert Recipe (20) Yield: About 12 squares 1x
  • Chess Squares Recipe | Simple Southern Dessert Recipe (21) Category: Dessert
  • Chess Squares Recipe | Simple Southern Dessert Recipe (22) Method: Oven
  • Chess Squares Recipe | Simple Southern Dessert Recipe (23) Cuisine: American

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Description

These easy Chess Squares are a simple and comforting Southern dessert! Flaky and buttery, this sweet treat goes perfectly with tea or coffee.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 3 eggs
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
  • 4 cups (1 lb) powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 and spray a 9×13 dish with cooking spray.
  2. Mix cake mix, melted butter and one egg to a soft dough. Press into the bottom of the pan.
  3. Mix powdered sugar, softened cream cheese and remaining two eggs until smooth, about 1-2 mins. Pour on top of crust.
  4. Bake at 300 for 40-50 minutes until top is golden brown.

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Chess Squares Recipe | Simple Southern Dessert Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are chess squares called? ›

Chess is played on a board of 64 squares arranged in eight vertical rows called files and eight horizontal rows called ranks. These squares alternate between two colours: one light, such as white, beige, or yellow; and the other dark, such as black or green. The board is set between…

Why do they call it lemon chess pie? ›

Compared to other custard-based pastries, the chess pie holds up relatively well at room temperature. Often, it was stored in something called a "pie chest." The word "chest," some say, eventually became "chess." Southern gentlemen liked to enjoy the dessert after dinner while they played chess.

Where did chess cake come from? ›

Over 4,000 years ago in the fifth century BC, the ancient Greeks on the island of Samos created the earliest known cheesecake. This rudimentary cheesecake was made with patties of fresh cheese that were then pounded smooth with flour and honey.

What is Queen Elizabeth cake made of? ›

Queen Elizabeth cake is a dessert cake prepared with sugar, flour, dates, eggs, and butter, and topped with a sugary icing infused with shredded coconut. The cake is named after Elizabeth II. It is a popular cake in Canada. The coconut topping is prepared by broiling or grilling.

What does N mean in chess? ›

K = king Q = queen R = rook N = knight B = bishop. Then we need to figure out which square we're moving to.

What is the best square in chess? ›

The strongest squares or the best squares are the ones defended by pawns. These squares are also very good for knights and bishops. Pieces that are defended by pawns on these squares are also difficult to attack.

What is the main square in chess? ›

Mainly, it is the four squares in the middle of the board: d4, d5, e4, e5. The 12 squares surrounding them are also sometimes considered part of the center. Highlighted in blue, the main four central squares, generally considered to be the center; the broader definition is in orange.

Is chess pie the same as pecan pie? ›

You can also think of pecan pie as an extension of chess pie, with brown sugar and corn syrup taking the place of granulated sugar and pecans adding nuttiness and crunch. And then there is Kentucky bourbon and walnut pie (aka Derby pie), which adds Bourbon, chocolate, and walnuts to the chess pie formula.

Are buttermilk pie and chess pie the same? ›

Both pies are very similar but have a few distinct differences. Like a chess pie, buttermilk pie starts with the same main components of butter, sugar, and eggs. But instead of milk and lemon juice (or vinegar), it uses straight buttermilk to give it a tart lusciousness.

What is Cumberland pie made of? ›

Minced beef with turnip, onion and swede in a rich, red wine gravy, topped with mashed potato.

What is a genoise cake What is it made of? ›

Genoise is a light and fluffy sponge cake, named after the city of Genoa, Italy. It's known for its delicate, foam-like texture and is often used as a base for various bakes, including madeleines and ladyfingers. It's made with eggs, sugar, flour and butter.

What is chess pie made of? ›

Classic chess pie pairs a traditional butter pie crust with a sweet, custardy filling made with sugar, butter, and eggs. Flour and cornmeal thicken the filling and vanilla enhances the creamy custard. And did we mention that the unlikely secret ingredient of this sweet and gooey pie is vinegar?

What is chess flavor? ›

What does a chess pie taste like? Chess pie is a decadent combination of butter, sugar, eggs, and milk—and tastes as sweet and custardy as you can imagine! Cornmeal gives the filling a little bit of texture and all of the sugar in the pie bakes to a crispy, caramelized layer on top.

What does chess mean in baking? ›

During a time when pecans and other nuts were hard to come by, she made a sugar pie, combining eggs, sugar, flour or cornmeal, butter, and spices or citrus to cut the sweetness. Asked what kind of pie she had made, the woman replied, “Oh it's jes' pie.” And so, supposedly, the name “Chess Pie” was coined.

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