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I am giving you not one, not two, but thirteen different flavor combinations for these cake bars! Made in less than 30 minutes, with just four base ingredients (and whatever add-ins you want), these soft, chewy cake mix cookie bars are always a huge crowd-pleaser!
Cake Mix Cookie Bars
Four steps! That’s all it takes to make this incredibly easy dessert recipe. I am a huge fan of easy cake mix recipes, and I’m so excited to add these cake mix cookie bar recipes to the collection. Below, I am sharing the base recipe plus 13 variations, so you have a perfect quick dessert for every occasion.
These gooey cake bars are an easy dessert winner all around: they taste amazing, they’re highly customizable, you will only dirty one bowl, and they’re super quick and easy to make.
I recommend just keeping a box of cake mix in your pantry with all your other pantry staples so you can whip these cake bars up any time you need a last-minute dessert.
Ingredients for Cake Mix Bars
4 simple ingredients, plus whatever add-ins you want. That’s all it takes to make these cake bars. Get the full recipe with measurements and instructions in the recipe card below. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Cake mix: pick any flavor!
- Eggs
- Unsalted butter: melted
- Vanilla extract
- Add-ins
How to make Cookie Bars with Cake Mix
The easiest way to make a last minute dessert is to pull out a box of cake mix and make these cookie bars! Everyone will love these gooey bars! Get the full recipe in the recipe card below. Here are the 4 easy steps:
- Prep oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Mix batter and add-ins. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, large eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir in the add-ins. The batter will be very thick.
- Add batter to pan. Transfer the batter to the pan and use a spatula or your hands to evenly distribute the batter across the pan. Top with additional add-ins if desired.
- Bake, cool and cut. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until the edges puff up and begin to set. Cool the bars completely to room temperature before cutting.
Cake Bar Combinations:
There are so many different ways to make cake mix cookie bars. Here are 13 ideas, so you can have a perfect dessert for any special occasion, a holiday party, Valentine’s Day and more:
- Chocolate Chip: yellow cake mix plus chocolate chips
- Double Chocolate: chocolate cake plus chocolate chips
- Christmas Sprinkle: yellow cake plus Christmas sprinkles
- Reese’s Pieces: chocolate cake plus Reese’s pieces
- Funfetti: Funfetti cake plus white chocolate chips
- Red Velvet: red velvet cake plus white chocolate
- M&M: yellow cake plus M&Ms
- Strawberry: strawberry cake plus white chocolate chips
- Chocolate Peanut Butter: chocolate cake plus chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups
- Chocolate Chip: yellow cake plus chocolate chips
- Andes Mint: chocolate cake plus Andes mint pieces
- Lemon: lemon cake plus white chocolate chips
- Carrot Cake: carrot cake plus walnuts
Substitutions and Variations for Cake Cookie Bars
While I don’t recommend substituting any of the main ingredients in this recipe, here are some substitutions if you need to:
- Substitute the melted butter: Swap this for canola or vegetable oil.
- Substitute the extract: Only do this if you really want to alter the flavor. For example, you could replace the vanilla extract with peppermint or coconut extract, but only if you’re really going for a strong flavor to fit a certain combination.
- Choose any cake mix: There are so many different cake mix flavors, and you can get all the combination ideas in the list above. For example, lemon cake mix and white chocolate chips make delicious lemon cookie bars, and strawberry cake mix with white chocolate chips is another great combo!
How to Store Cake Mix Bars
Store leftover cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. You can also freeze the bars for up to 3 months. To freeze, make sure they are cooled completely and then freeze in a single layer, or layered between parchment paper, in an airtight container or freezer safe bag.
FAQs for making Bar Cookies from Cake Mix
The main difference between cookie mix and cake mix is the amount of ingredients. Cookie dough tends to be thicker and normally requires chill time.
The main different between cookies and cookie bars is the way they are cooked and divided. Cookies are baked separately, normally by rolling into balls or cut into shapes before baking. Cookie bars are cooked by spreading all the batter/dough into a pan, and then cutting into bars after baking.
Cookie bars are finished when the center is golden brown and the edges are set.
Cookie bars get hard if they are over-baked. Be sure to remove from the oven as soon as the edges are set and center is golden in color, then let them fully cool in the pan. They will finish cooking during this time in the pan, resulting in a soft, chewy center that is not over-cooked.
Yes, try returning them to the oven at a lower temperature to finish baking the center without over-cooking the edges.
If your cookie bars came out too dry, you can try adding them to an airtight container with a slice of bread overnight. The cookie bars will soak up the moisture from the bread.
More Cake Mix Recipes
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Cake Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz cake mix, pick any flavor!
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups add-ins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir in the add-ins.The batter will be very thick.
- Transfer the batter to the pan and use a spatula or your hands to evenly distribute the batter across the pan. Top with additional add-ins if desired.
- Bake for 17-20 minutes or until the edges puff up and begin to set. Cool the bars completely before cutting.
Notes
- Chocolate Chip: yellow cake plus chocolate chips
- Double Chocolate: chocolate cake plus chocolate chips
- Christmas Sprinkle: yellow cake plus christmas sprinkles
- Reese’s Pieces: chocolate cake plus reese’s pieces
- Funfetti: funfetti cake plus white chocolate chips
- Red Velvet: red velvet cake plus white chocolate
- M&M: yellow cake plus M&Ms
- Strawberry: strawberry cake plus white chocolate chips
- Chocolate Peanut Butter: chocolate cake plus chopped reese’s peanut butter cups
- Chocolate Chip: yellow cake plus chocolate chips
- Andes Mint: chocolate cake plus andes mint pieces
- Lemon: lemon cake plus white chocolate chips
- Carrot Cake: carrot cake plus walnuts
Hi Beth,
I tried sending this and it kicked me out so let’s try again.
Betty Crocker is now 13.25 ounces…can it be used or no?
Try and find the 15.25 oz version! It’s available!