Cake Mix Cookie Bars

Let Me Tell You About These Cookie Bars…

I have a bit of a soft spot for low-effort desserts (don’t judge me, all right?). These cake mix cookie bars started as a quick fix one Saturday when the kids’ friends showed up unannounced—again—and I only had about half a stick of butter and an ancient box of cake mix languishing at the back of the pantry. The first batch came out kinda ugly, but oh man, they disappeared like snow in July. Even my anti-dessert husband (he claims) gobbled up two before admitting defeat. I suppose sometimes the simplest recipes are the true kitchen workhorses, or maybe I’m just that easily swayed by anything involving chocolate chips. (Both things are true.)

Why You’ll Love This (Trust Me!)

I make these when I’m craving cookies but can’t be bothered to scoop out a dozen neat little blobs. My family goes a bit wild for them because you get that thick, chewy, cake-like middle—without all the fuss. Plus, I keep tinkering with the mix-ins (sometimes too much), and occasionally it’s gone hilariously wrong, but usually it’s delicious. Oh, and if you, like me, have battled that sticky dough versus clean hands struggle—this dough’s more like heavy batter, so you just smoosh it in there. Satisfying in a weird way.

What You’ll Need (Ingredients)

• 1 box yellow cake mix (432-500g or so; honestly, white or even funfetti works—though my grandmother would only use Duncan Hines, I just grab whatever’s on offer!)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (about 115g) unsalted butter, melted (sometimes I use margarine if I’m out, but shhh…)
• 1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk, or a ‘handful’ of whatever’s left lurking in your baking drawer; chopped-up chocolate bars work too)
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional; walnuts are good, but pecans or no nuts at all—suits picky eaters)
• A little dash of vanilla extract (truth: I eyeball this, and it’s fine)

How To Make ‘Em (Real Talk)

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. If you only have an 8×8 pan, it’ll be thicker and need extra time…maybe not a bad thing.
2. Dump the cake mix, eggs, and melted butter into a big bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula; don’t fret about a few lumps. This is the gooey bit—resist the urge to add milk, it should be thick.
3. Add in your chocolate chips and nuts (this is where I sneak a couple of chips, purely for quality control). Stir until just combined.
4. Spread the batter evenly into your pan. It’ll seem sticky and stubborn; I press it in with my fingers when the spoon gives me grief. Don’t worry—if it looks messy now, it’ll be fine once it bakes.
5. Bake for about 20–25 minutes. My oven runs hot so I start checking at 18. You want the top golden and just set, but still a bit soft in the middle. If it starts to pull away from the edges, you’re golden.
6. Let it cool in the pan (or at least try—sometimes I can’t wait). Slice into bars. Eat warm for maximum gooeyness!

Notes From My Many Attempts

• If you overbake, they get a bit dry. Learned that the hard way—keep an eye out!
• I think these taste even better the next day, especially if you whack ’em in the microwave for 15 seconds. But honestly, they rarely survive that long in my house.
• Oiling your fingers before pressing in the batter works wonders. Trust me.

Switching It Up (Some Wins…And One Fail)

• I swapped in white cake mix and added crushed Oreos once—major hit with the teenagers.
• Using peanut butter chips instead of chocolate chips? Brilliant.
• Tried tossing in dried cranberries and coconut—eh, the texture went odd, wouldn’t recommend (unless you’re into that sort of thing, no judgment).

Equipment (Or What I Cobbled Together)

A basic mixing bowl and a 9×13 baking tin do the heavy lifting. If you don’t have parchment paper, grease it up good and proper. Once, I used a lasagna dish—worked fine, just needed a bit longer. A stand mixer is nice but not essential; your arm will survive.

How To Store (In Theory…)

Supposedly, these keep for 3–4 days in an airtight tin at room temp. In practice, they vanish within 24 hours—sometimes less if the kids’ mates are around. Fridge works if you want extra chewiness. You can freeze bars too, though honestly, I forget they’re there and then find a rock-hard block months later!

Serving Them Up

I love these slightly warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. My daughter likes to stack two bars and eat them like a sandwich (creative, if not messy). If it’s a movie night, cut them smaller and serve with bowls of popcorn—salty/sweet heaven.

Pro Tips Learned (Usually The Hard Way)

• I once tried to skip greasing the pan because I thought parchment would be enough. Big mistake, unless you like chiseling out your dessert.
• Don’t rush the cooling step. If you slice in too soon, the bars kinda collapse—not the end of the world, but messier.
• Mix-ins are great, but too much and you’ve got a crumbly mess.

Your Questions, Answered For Real

• Can I use gluten-free cake mix? Yep, I’ve tried it! Just watch for dryness—maybe add an extra egg yolk if it looks crumbly.
• What if my bars turn out dry? Honestly, I’ve had this happen if I baked too long or forgot the butter (oops). Try less time or a splash more butter next round.
• Can I double the recipe? You brave soul. Use two pans; otherwise, the middle takes ages to bake through and can end up gooey in a bad way.
• How do I get them out cleanly? Let them cool—or chill them—then run a butter knife around the edges. Worst case, call them “rustic.”

Oh, slight tangent here, but if you’re curious: I once tried to make these as cupcakes because I thought it’d be adorable. Nope, they fell flat—literally. Stick with bars (unless you love scraping sticky bits out of muffin tins; your call).

★★★★★ 4.20 from 42 ratings

Cake Mix Cookie Bars

yield: 12 bars

prep: 10 mins

cook: 25 mins

total: 35 mins

These Cake Mix Cookie Bars are a quick and delicious dessert made with a few simple ingredients. Soft, chewy, and loaded with chocolate chips, they’re perfect for parties, bake sales, or a sweet treat at home.

🖨️ Print Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 box yellow cake mix (about 15.25 oz)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
2. 2
   In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir until well blended.
3. 3
   Fold in the chocolate chips, brown sugar, salt, and walnuts if using.
4. 4
   Spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan.
5. 5
   Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. 6
   Let the bars cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares and serving.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 220 caloriescal

Protein: 2 gg

Fat: 10 gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 29 gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Did you make this recipe?

Please consider Pinning it!!