Cake Mix Cookie Bars Dessert Recipe (2024)

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ByAnn DrakeFebruary 7, 2023January 13, 2022

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These cake mix cookie bars are rich and delicious, but are so easy and take just a few minutes to assemble. This treat can be served warm and gooey straight from the oven, or let them cool and serve perfect little bars.

Something I would love to do at some point in my life is sort through and organize the recipes in my recipe box.

Yes…I still have a recipe box, and if you’ve followed me for even a little while, you know it’s full of cards, bits of paper, and pages torn out of magazines.

I could never give it up.

In that recipe box, is a card for “Almost Candy Bars.” The recipe card is in my handwriting, but the space for “recipe from the kitchen of” says Mom. Since my mom passed away several years ago, any reminder of her is always a good thing. I wish the card was in my mom’s handwriting, but just the fact that it was her recipe makes it very special. For this post, I renamed her recipe “cake mix cookie bars,” but all the easy ingredients are the same. It takes just a few minutes to assemble, and pop in the oven.

Ingredient Notes + Variations

Even though it has just six ingredients, these cake mix bars can still be adapted to your family’s tastes.

Any type of nut can be substituted for the walnuts. Pecans or sliced almonds would be delicious.
I recommend using the chocolate chips to keep the signature flavor, but the butterscotch chips can be swapped out with another variety. White chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or caramel chips would be beautiful as well as very tasty.
Coconut can also be added as a topping. If your family’s tastes are divided where coconut is concerned, just sprinkle it on half of the pan.
I’ve never tried it, but I’m sure a yellow cake mix can be substituted for the white cake mix. Update: an OSP reader left a comment to say that she used a yellow cake mix and the bars were delicious! If anyone has tried a chocolate cake mix, please let us know in the comments!

How to Make

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the box of cake mix and butter until tiny crumbs form. Use a pastry blender or your fingers.
Apply cooking spray to the sides of a 9 x 13 glass baking pan with nonstick spray.
Press the cake mix/butter mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, smoothing it out, and making it as even as possible.
In layers, sprinkle the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and walnuts.
Drizzle the can of sweetened condensed milk over entire pan.
Bake for 25 minutes. Top should be golden brown when done.
Cool completely. Cut into bars.

Tips for Perfect Cake Mix Cookie Bars

I used a 9 x 13 inch baking dish for these cookie bars, but the original recipe says to use a 10 x 15 inch pan. The bigger pan would give you a thinner bottom crust, and the sweetened condensed milk would spread out more. Both versions are delicious!
The exact amount of cake mix included in a box has been varying over the past vew years. It doesn’t affect this recipe. Use whatever cake mix brand you like best.
To serve these cake mix cookie bars warm from the oven, just scoop portions out of the pan with a large spoon. Bowls work best, and it’s delicious to add a bit of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
To serve the recipe as bars, make sure to let it cool completely. Use a very sharp knife to slice the pieces, and then remove them with a spatula. (Do not use a ceramic knife to cut the bars…it may break!)

This easy dessert recipe for cake mix cookie bars are definitely a splurge, but when you make them, there are plenty to share with family and friends. I took some to my dad, and told him the story of the recipe card. He gave these cake mix cookie bars two thumbs up, and said I could make them anytime!

Shop + Source

Click the links below to be taken directly to the product listing. Every effort has been made to provide sources for the items found in this post. Where actual items were no longer available, I’ve provided similar options. If an item is out of stock but may be restocked, I left it on the list.

*Affiliate links included. See my disclosure statement. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you store these cookie bars?
Storage is easy. Place these cake mix cookie bars in an airtight container (or just cover the pan with plastic wrap) at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze these bars?
Yes! Place the already-cut and cooled bars in a freezer safe container. Use parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Do I have to use the whole can of sweetened condensed milk?
Definitely not. When you think it’s gooey enough, just stop pouring!

More Cake Mix Recipes

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Cake Mix Cookie Bars Dessert

These cake mix cookie bars are rich, delicious, and they take just a few minutes to assemble.

Rate this Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe

4.63 from 75 votes

Servings: 20 bars

Author: Ann Drake

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Cooling time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

1 box white cake mix
1/2 cup butter (1 stick very soft)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup walnuts (chopped)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz.)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and butter until tiny crumbs form. Use a pastry blender or your fingers.
Spray the sides of a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with nonstick spray.
Press the cake mix/butter mixture into the bottom of the pan, smoothing it out, and making it as even as possible.
In layers, sprinkle the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and walnuts.
Drizzle the can of sweetened condensed milk over entire pan.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Cool completely. Cut into bars.

Nutrition

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If you make this recipe, and love it, please come back to leave a comment and a 5-star review. I would really appreciate it, and it would help me so much. Thank you!