Strawberry Chess Squares
These easy Strawberry Chess Squares are a gooey, sweet dessert made with cake mix, fresh berries, and a creamy custard-style topping—rich, soft, and full of flavor!
Servings: 12 squares
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce strawberry boxed cake mix (I use Duncan Hines Perfectly Moist Strawberry Supreme)
- ½ cup unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly (8 tablespoons)
- 4 large eggs , room temperature (divided)
- 8 ounces brick-style cream cheese , softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ to 1 teaspoon almond extract (see note)
- 4 cups powdered sugar (16 ounces, see note)
- 1 cup diced strawberries (about 5 ounces, see note)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the center. Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking pan and set it aside (see note below).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the strawberry cake mix, melted butter, and 2 eggs. Mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth—the mixture will be thick. Don’t over-beat.
- Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Lightly moisten your hands or spray them with cooking spray to press the dough without sticking. Sprinkle the diced strawberries over the top.
- In a separate bowl, add the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, and remaining 2 eggs. Beat with a hand mixer on low speed, gradually increasing to medium speed, until smooth and fully combined.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture over the base layer and spread it out evenly with a spatula.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and the topping is set. Don't over-bake—the center of the cream cheese layer should jiggle slightly. Let cool completely in the pan.
- Cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
Notes
Almond Extract: I use Nielsen-Massey, which has a fragrant almond aroma. If your extract is milder—or you love a bolder almond flavor—feel free to increase the amount to 1 teaspoon.
Strawberries: If your diced strawberries are juicy, pat them dry with paper towels before sprinkling them over the dough. Adding too much juice to the recipe will affect the texture.
Powdered Sugar: Traditional Chess Squares are meant to be very sweet, and this recipe follows the classic quantity of 1 pound (about 4 cups) of powdered sugar. If you’d like to tone down the sweetness a bit, you can reduce it to 3 cups (12 ounces). Just keep in mind—whether you use 3 or 4 cups, this dessert will be quite sweet.
Baking Pan Tip: If you’re using a dark or nonstick metal pan, I recommend reducing the oven temperature to 325°F. These pans conduct heat more efficiently and can cause the base to rise too much at 350°F. I noticed this with my Goldtouch pan—lowering the temperature helped the layers bake more evenly. You may need to extend the baking time slightly, but start checking around the 40-minute mark.
Recipe Variation: The egg ratio can be adjusted for different textures. Many traditional Chess Square or Ooey Gooey Bar recipes use 1 egg in the base (for a firmer, chewier texture) and 2 to 3 eggs in the cream cheese layer (more eggs = richer, custardier topping). I’ve tested all the combinations, and while my family couldn't pick a favorite, I prefer the version above (2 eggs in each layer).
Nutrition
Serving: 1square | Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 401mg | Potassium: 98mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 58g | Vitamin A: 338IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 1mg
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