Dessert Squares Recipes

These delicious dessert squares recipes come from my mother's vintage recipe scrapbooks dating from the 1920s. Each treasured recipe captures the sweet nostalgia of homemade treats that Grandma used to make, from old-fashioned raisin squares and colorful marshmallow delights to nutty chocolate treats.

Whether you're craving the simple goodness of shortbread-based squares or fruity raspberry cream delights, these time-tested recipes promise to bring back fond memories of family gatherings and special occasions. Get ready to experience the authentic taste of traditional home baking!

Dessert Squares Recipes: Old-Time Marshmallow & Nut Treats

Mom's Recipe Scrapbooks (1920s)

Vintage Raisin Squares

1 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup shortening (or 1/3 cup butter)
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 egg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup quick cooking rolled oats

Melt shortening and pour into mixing bowl, stir in brown sugar and molasses. Add unbeaten egg and beat mixture thoroughly. Sift flour, salt, and baking soda into the mixture. Then blend in rolled oats and raisins that have been rinsed and drained.

Turn mixture into greased 8-inch square pan and bake at 350°F for about 25 to 30 minutes until done. Remove from oven, let cool, and cut into squares for serving.

Colored Marshmallow Squares

Shortbread Base Layer:

3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups flour
Pinch of salt

Mix as shortbread, press in pan, and prick with fork. Bake 15 to 20 minutes at 350°F.

Marshmallow Topping:

2 tablespoons gelatin powder in 1/2 cup water; soak as directed on gelatin package.

Bring to a boil 2 cups white sugar and 1/2 cup water, let boil 2 minutes. Add hot sugar mixture to gelatin and beat by hand or mixer until like marshmallow. Spread over baked layer.

May add chopped cherries, or almond flakes with a bit of almond extract to all or part of mixture. Color all or part of mixture pink, white, or green to suit the occasion.

Old Time Nut Squares

Cream 1/2 cup shortening. Blend in 1 cup white sugar, 2 eggs beaten well, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Add 1-1/2 cups flour which has been sifted with 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour into a shallow greased cake tin. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Beat the white of 1 egg until stiff and then fold in 1 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. Spread carefully over the nuts and bake in a slow oven (275°F) for 15 to 20 minutes. Makes about 15 delicious squares.

Chocolate Walnut Squares

Beat one egg with one cup brown sugar. Pinch of salt; then add one cup of chopped walnuts, one tablespoon grated chocolate, six tablespoons sifted flour with a little, very little, baking soda. Bake for twenty minutes. When cold, cut in squares. —Neighborhood Cook Book (1914)

Raspberry Cream Squares

16 Graham wafers
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 package frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 package whipped topping

Roll Graham wafers and mix with sugar and butter. Set aside 1/4 cup of crumbs for topping. Press remaining crumbs in 8 x 8-inch pan and bake at 325°F for 5 minutes or until brown.

Defrost package of frozen raspberries. Drain off juice, then heat, and thicken with 1 tablespoon cornstarch. When cool, add berries and spread on crust. Whip 1 package of topping and when stiff, spread evenly on berries and sprinkle remaining crumbs on top.

Marshmallow Shortbread Squares

Submitted by E. Pearson

Baked Layer:

Mix...

3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups flour

Pat in 8 x 8 inch or larger pan — bake 15 minutes at 350°F.

(We double this quantity for a 9 x 13 inch pan and then it's a little thick, so it has to bake longer; check at 25 minutes, in this case.)

Topping Layer:

Bring to boil, simmer 15 minutes...

1 envelope Knox gelatin
3/4 cup cold water
3/4 cup sugar

Add food coloring of choice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or almond, as desired), dash of salt. Add 3/4 cup powdered confectioners sugar slowly to gelatin mixture. Beat until stiff, then pour over baked layer. Optionally, sprinkle coconut on top.

I hope this dessert recipe is close enough that you can make it like the ones that you fondly remember! :)