Dessert Bars are a great way to get a jam-packed treat with a lot of flavors. These Lemon Chess Bars are the perfect soft and chewy texture. The sweet and citrus flavor is so good and great addition to a dessert buffet. The tangy sweet taste of these lemon gooey butter bars are going to have you coming back for more.
Lemon Chess Bars
These Lemon Chess Bars are so delicious and so simple to make! All you need is a cake mix and a few extra ingredients to combine together, then pour into a baking dish to pop in the oven. These Dessert Bars an excellent choice to try out along with other great recipes like this Chocolate Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars or this No-Bake Monster Cookie Bars.
Ingredients
- Cake Mix- You will need to use lemon-flavored cake mix.
- Butter- Use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt.
- Egg- Use the egg at room temperature.
- Cream Cheese- Use this softened or at room temperature.
- Powdered Sugar- This will be dusted on top of the finished bars.
- Lemons- Use fresh lemon juice.
- Lemon Extract- Use pure lemon extract for the best flavoring.
- Lemon Zest- Be sure to zest your lemons before juicing them.
How to Make Lemon Chess Bars
Crust:
Set your oven to 350 degrees and use pam to grease a 9×13 inch baking dish or use parchment paper to line the pan.
Add the cake mix, melted butter, and egg into a large bowl and beat to combine.
Begin to press the dough-like batter into the bottom of the pan.
Place the cream cheese and powdered sugar into a large bowl and combine.
Add in the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract and beat to combine.
Add in the melted butter and beat again.
Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35-45 minutes or until it’s a light brown color.
Take out of the oven and let it sit to cool thoroughly.
Sprinkle some powdered sugar on top and slice into bars.
Serve and Enjoy!
Do I Have to Use Real Lemon to Add Flavor?
Using fresh lemon is the best option for flavor. Using fresh ingredients enhances flavor immediately and has the best results. You can use a large lemon and use the juice and zest from it.
Do Lemon Chess Squares Have to Be Refrigerated?
Butter Bars do indeed need to be placed in the fridge. This recipe needs to be stored in an airtight container for longer shelf life as well. The reason that this recipe needs to be in the fridge is because of the perishable cream cheese.
More Bar Recipes:
Lemon Chess Bars
Ingredients
- 1 box lemon cake mix
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 large egg
Lemon Filling:
- 1 - 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 large eggs
- 2 C powdered sugar
- 1/2 C butter melted
- 3 Large Lemons juice
- 1 tsp pure lemon extract
- 2 large lemons zested
- 1 -2 tsp powdered sugar to sprinkle on top of bars
Instructions
Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking dish with pam baking spray or line with parchment paper
- Using a large bowl, beat until combined the cake mix, melted butter, and egg
- Press evenly into the baking dish
- Using a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until combined and smooth
- Beat in the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract until combined
- Beat in the melted butter until combined
- Pour the batter on top of the crust
- Bake in the oven for 35-45 or until a light golden brown
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely
- Dust with powdered sugar and cut into bars and enjoy!
Last Step:
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3 comments on “Lemon Chess Bars”
Great flavor!
I forgot to leave my 5 stars!
These are the best & easiest to make! I’m pretty sure I’ve made about 10 dozen, so far!