Chess Pie Cookie Bars
A unique take on a Southern classic, these bars feature a dense, sweet custard filling made with cream of wheat instead of cornmeal. Baked until set and dusted with cinnamon, they offer a rich and satisfying dessert that's simple to prepare. They are best served chilled, allowing the smooth, rich texture to shine.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 3 hr 55 min
- Serves
- 12
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 203 kcal
Allergen information: may contain eggs, gluten, and milk. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
- 1 tbspbutter, softened, for greasing
- 2 cupwhole milk
- 1.5 cupgranulated sugar
- 0.25 tspsalt
- 1 cupinstant wheat farina cereal
- 4 pcslarge egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 1 tspground cinnamon, for garnish
Equipment
9x13-inch baking pan · saucepan · spatula · wire rack · mixing bowl · whisk · oven · knife
The method
Step by step
- 1
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F).
About 1 min
- 2
Grease a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking pan with the softened butter.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: You can also line the pan with parchment paper for easier removal.
- 3
In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, granulated sugar, and salt.
About 1 min
- 4
Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally to ensure the sugar dissolves completely.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Don't let the milk boil over; reduce the heat if it starts to rise too quickly.
- 5
Gradually whisk in the instant cream of wheat until it's fully incorporated.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Whisking continuously prevents lumps from forming.
- 6
Continue cooking and stirring for 1-2 minutes until the mixture thickens considerably.
About 2 min
- 7
Remove the saucepan from the heat.
- 8
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the lightly beaten eggs and the vanilla extract.
About 1 min
- 9
Temper the eggs by slowly pouring about a cup of the hot cereal mixture into the egg bowl while whisking constantly.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: This crucial step gently raises the temperature of the eggs without scrambling them.
- 10
Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cereal mixture.
- 11
Whisk everything together until the batter is smooth and uniform.
About 1 min
- 12
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and use a spatula to spread it into an even layer.
About 1 min
- 13
Bake for 40 minutes, or until the center is set and no longer jiggles when the pan is gently shaken.
About 40 min
- 14
Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature.
Cook’s note: Allowing it to cool fully is essential for the bars to set properly.
- 15
Once cool, dust the top evenly with the ground cinnamon.
- 16
Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until thoroughly chilled and firm, before slicing into bars to serve.
Cook’s note: Chilling makes for cleaner slices and enhances the dense, custard-like texture.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 202.9kcal
- Protein
- 4.8g
- Carbs
- 36.9g
- Fat
- 4.2g
- Fibre
- 0.5g
- Sugar
- 27.2g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
These bars are best served chilled and do not require reheating.
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