Easy Chocolate Chess Squares recipe. Made with a box of cake mix, this classic Southern recipe will quickly become your favorite dessert.
Not to be confused for chocolate chess pie.
This was one of the first desserts that I saw in a store after moving to the US that I had no idea what it was. So obviously, I bought it right away. These ooey-gooey bars satisfied my sweet tooth so well that the next time I went to the grocery store, I bought some more.
That is until I looked up a recipe for Chocolate Chess Squares. And I was honestly shocked at how this wonderful dessert is so easy to make. All you need to do is combine cake mix with 5 more pantry essentials, and you have yourself this sweet treat in no time. This recipe is seriously dangerous.
Chocolate Chess Squares Ingredients
You just need 6 simple ingredients to make these chocolate chess bars. All you need is:
- 1 box Devil’s Food Cake mix
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 large eggs
- cream cheese
- powdered sugar (also called confectioner’s sugar)
- cocoa powder
Tips
Use an hand mixer on the cream cheese mixture. When trying to combine cream cheese with the rest of the ingredients, it is very difficult to do without an electric mixer. Either a hand mixer or putting the cream cheese layer ingredient into the bowl of a stand mixer works. Just mix it at medium speed to medium-high speed with the paddle attachment to make this cake extra easy to make.
Storage: First allow the chocolate chess cake to cool to room temperature. Then cut it into squares and place in an airtight container in the fridge for around 7 days.
Variations
Try different cake mixes! You can really use any dry cake mix for this recipe. Chocolate cake mix is the obvious swap, but a yellow cake mix would work just as well. Really, just use what you have on hand!
Enhance the chocolate flavor. One of my favorite tricks to bring out the chocolate flavor is to mix in some espresso powder to the dry ingredients. Or you can mix some chocolate chips into the batter too for a less conventional version of these easy chess squares.
More Great Recipes
Like these Chocolate Chess Squares? Then you will love easy delicious dessert recipe ideas:
And if you try this recipe, let me know! Rate it, leave a comment and tag me with #atasteofmadness on Instagram! I always love seeing what you are creating!
Chocolate Chess Squares
Ingredients
- 1 box Devil's Food Cake mix
- 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
- 3 large eggs, divided
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the cake mix, melted butter and 1 egg until fully combined. Press this mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, cocoa powder and the remaining 2 eggs until smooth. Spread over top of the cake mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes until golden brown, or until the tops and edges begin to crack.
So gooey, so delicious and so easy to make! I’ll be making these all the time! Thank you for the recipe
So glad you liked it!
Thank you for this recipe – so fun and easy to make!
You’re welcome!!
The combination of the buttery crust and creamy chocolate filling is irresistible. They are easy to make and always a hit at any gathering.
That makes me so happy to hear!
First time having Chocolate Chess Squares and they were delicious. I will definitely be making them again. Thanks for another great recipe!
Yay! So glad you liked them 🙂
I was looking for a chocolatey treat and this recipe really hit the spot! Rich and indulgent, this dessert is my go to when I need a pick me up!
That makes me so happy to hear!
These are so tasty! This was my first time making them. I don’t bake often but these were so easy! Will definitely make them again.
So glad you liked them 🙂
We loved this chocolaty dessert. They’re so easy to make and delicious. I will make it again for sure!
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear 🙂
These are so chocolatey and gooey. Never heard of them before I found your recipe and we loved them. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome 🙂
Am I missing when to add the cocoa powder? I’ve read it 18 times and either my eyes don’t see it, my mind won’t let me see it, or it’s not included in the steps.
So sorry! Thank you for catching that, you combine it with the powdered sugar. I just added it into the recipe now.