Old-Fashioned Lemon Chess Bars

Two stacked lemon chess bars on a white plate, topped with powdered sugar, showing a golden cake mix crust and gooey lemon-cream cheese filling, with a lemon twist garnish on the side.

Old-Fashioned Lemon Chess Bars

Lemon chess bars are a gooey Southern dessert with a buttery cake mix crust and tangy cream cheese filling—ready in under an hour

Course Bar cookies

Cuisine American - Southern

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 355kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

Crust

15.25 oz. lemon cake mix
1 large egg
½ cup butter melted

Filling

8 ounces cream cheese softened
½ cup butter soft or melted
3 large eggs
¼ cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest grated
3 cups powdered sugar plus more for dusting

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch pan like it just insulted your casserole. Nonstick spray, butter—whatever floats your boat.
In a medium bowl, mix together the lemon cake mix, one egg, and the melted butter until it’s thick, sticky, and slightly rebellious. Press that mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan to make a crust. It’s not delicate—just pack it down like you mean business.
No need to dirty another bowl—we’re not made of dish soap. In the same bowl, beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth. Add the softened butter and mix until everything’s cozy and blended.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, because there's no rush. Then stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and all that powdered sugar until it’s smooth, silky, and just begging to be poured over the crust. After you dip your finger in for a taste.
Pour that luscious lemon layer right over the crust and spread it out evenly. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the edges are set and golden but the center still gives a little wiggle when you shake it. It’s not a cheesecake—it’s a vibe. An instant read thermometer will register 160- 170F halfway between the center and the edge.
Let it cool at room temperature for at least an hour. Then pop it in the fridge to chill and firm up. Same reason you go to the gym.
Just before serving, give it a pretty little dusting of powdered sugar—because life is too short not to be a little extra. Store leftovers in the fridge, if you have any (you probably won’t).

Notes

Storage:

Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or store slices in an airtight container with waxed paper between the layers, and they’ll stay fresh for about 4–5 days. Want to keep them longer? Wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

Tips

Don’t overbake. The filling should still have a slight jiggle when you pull it out—it sets as it cools. It should read about 170F on an instant read thermometer when removed from the ovem.

Nutrition