Our Cake Mix Cookie Bars are easy, yummy dessert bars made with yellow cake mix, instant pudding mix, mini M&M’s, chocolate chips, eggs, oil, and water. They come together quickly in one 9×13 pan and bake up golden and get topped with mini M&Ms.
We love this dessert because they are simple enough for weeknights but cute enough for parties, lunchbox treats, bake sales, and family gatherings. The pudding mix helps keep the bars soft, while the M&M’s and chocolate chips make every bite sweet and delicious.
If you love these bars, try our Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars and Sugar Cookie Bars, and Cake Mix Snickerdoodles next.
Why you’ll love it + Why it works:
- A Quick Treat: You’ll enjoy every bite of this cookie bar recipe ready in only 30 minutes!!
- Our Favorite Shortcuts: This easy dessert recipe uses both a cake mix and a pudding mix for an easy shortcut with loads of flavor!
- Feeds a Crowd: This recipe makes a pan-full – around 16 servings! They are great for sharing.
- Cake Mix Base: Yellow cake mix creates a consistent, tender cookie bar without measuring a long list of dry ingredients.
Cake Mix Cookie Bar Ingredients
- Yellow Cake Mix (1 (15.25-ounce) box): Creates the easy cookie bar base and provides sweetness, structure, and classic yellow cake flavor. We used Betty Crocker, but other brands and cake mix flavors can work too.
- Instant White Chocolate or Vanilla Pudding Mix (1 (3.4-ounce) small box): Helps create a soft, gooey texture while adding another layer of sweetness and flavor. Be sure to use instant pudding mix and only the dry powder.
- Water (¼ cup): Adds the moisture needed to bring the cake mix and pudding mixture together into a thick cookie batter.
- Vegetable Oil (¾ cup): Adds moisture and helps keep the finished bars soft and tender. Canola oil is also a good option.
- Eggs (2): Helps bind the ingredients together while giving the bars structure and a soft texture.
- Mini M&Ms (1 cup, divided): Adds little pops of chocolate and color throughout the bars and on top. Regular M&Ms can also be used if that is what you have.
- Chocolate Chips (½ cup): Adds extra chocolate flavor and melty chocolate pockets throughout the cookie bars. Milk, semi-sweet, dark, white chocolate, peanut butter, or butterscotch chips can all work.
- Optional Toppings: Chocolate Syrup, Caramel Sauce, or a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream
How to Make Cake Mix Cookie Bars
PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F.
BATTER. In a large bowl combine cake mix powder, pudding powder, water, oil, and eggs using a mixer. Mix until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips and mini M&Ms.
BAKE. Pour the cookie dough into a greased 9×13 pan (a metal pan works best). Sprinkle with remaining M&Ms. Bake for 24-28 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- A metal 9×13 pan works especially well for these bars and can help them bake more evenly.
- Pull the bars when the edges are golden brown so the centers stay soft and chewy.
- Give the bars time to cool before cutting so they hold their shape better.
- Swap the chocolate chips for white chocolate, peanut butter, or butterscotch chips when you want to switch things up.
Cake Mix Cookie Bars Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix, I used Betty Crocker
- 1 (3.4-ounce) small box Insant White chocolate or vanilla pudding mix
- ¼ cup water
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup mini M&Ms, divided
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl combine cake mix, pudding, water, oil, and eggs using a mixer.
- Mix until well combined.
- Fold in chocolate chips and ½ cup mini M&Ms.
- Pour into a greased 9×13 pan.
- Sprinkle with remaining M&Ms.
- Bake for 24-28 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.
Notes
- A metal 9×13 pan works especially well for these bars and can help them bake more evenly.
- Pull the bars when the edges are golden brown so the centers stay soft and chewy.
- Give the bars time to cool before cutting so they hold their shape better.
- Swap the chocolate chips for white chocolate, peanut butter, or butterscotch chips when you want to switch things up.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Store cooled cake mix cookie bars in an airtight container for up to 5 days or wrap each bar with plastic wrap and place them all in a freezer ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
More Like This
Bar Recipes
Cake Mix Recipes
Gooey Butter Cake
47 mins
Funfetti Blondies
35 mins
Lemon Bars with Cake Mix
47 mins
Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
48 mins
Collections
Recipe adapted from Parent Pretty.
My rating is based on both the ease of the recipe and the results.
I used Betty Crocker Super Moist Butter Recipe Yellow Cake Mix, melted butter instead of oil, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. My 9×13 is Glass, not metal, but I have no complaints. This recipe was extremely easy and the bars are very good.
Glad you enjoyed them!
Betty Crocker cake mixes have gone from 18 to 16 to 15.25 and now like 13 ounces. As they are now 13 ounces, how do I remedy that for this recipe? I guess by 2 cake mix boxes and weigh the mix til I get 15.25 oz for this recipe.
We looove these cookie bars so much!! Thank you for recipe 🙂
You’re welcome!! Yes, you could do that. It’s crazy how the mix sizes are so small now. You could also look for a different brand that is still 15.25 oz. Some still are.
Thanks, so many options & delicious too
Love this recipe! I have used funfetti chips and topped with sprinkles or decorated them for whatever occasion. They come out great every time!, I keep the cake mix and a bag of funfetti or white chocolate chips so that I can make them on the fly for a tailgate or party!
Made these with yellow cake mix and vanilla pudding, Reese’s pieces, chocolate chips, mini PB cups and white chocolate chips for Halloween. They were a big hit!
Easy and baked beautifully. I used a white cake mix with white choc pudding. Will make these again.