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Cake Mix Cookie Bars are a simple, quick, and delicious treat everyone will love! They are a fab option for lovers of cake and cookies.
They are quick and easy to make and even easier to devour! Thick and delicious cookies make a perfect accompaniment to milk. For more cookie goodness try Cookie Bars, 3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies, and Almond Cookies.
The Easiest Cookie BArs
Hi. It’s me – Lily! Today’s recipe is for Cake Mix Cookie Bars. I think cookies are yummy, and I think cake is yummy and this recipe is those things put together.
It also has M&MS and chocolate chips which are so good. By the way, I LOVE M&Ms but not as much as Milky Ways. 😉 This recipe was really simple and delicious, and I think you’ll like it.
It’s especially easy because you use a box of cake mix instead of having to put together ingredients from scratch.
How to make them
PREP. Preheat oven to 350.
MIX. 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.
BAKE. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan. Sprinkle with remaining M&Ms. Bake for 24-28 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.
Recipe Notes:
- Use ONLY the cake mix and the pudding powder. DO NOT add the other ingredients from the box that you normally would.
- Use instant pudding mix. A small box is 3.4 oz.
- Glass pan: Glass pans take longer to heat up and distribute the heat through your batter. They also hold onto heat for much longer than metal pans. If using a glass pan, lower the oven temperature by 25°F from what the recipe calls for, and bake 10 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Different brands of cake mixes may have slightly different baking instructions. Refer to the cake mix box for guidance in oven temperature and bake times.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before cutting. Using a plastic knife helps make clean slices.
Variations, storing + More
Variations: The Betty Crocker Yellow Cake Mix that I used is a 15.25 oz box. You can easily substitute the cake mix with another brand of the same size.
You can also use other flavors of instant pudding mix (3.4oz box) Substitute the chocolate chips and M&Ms for other flavors, candies, or nuts. There are so many delicious combinations. Here are a few suggestions to get the ideas flowing:
- Strawberry cake mix with white chocolate pudding. Use white chocolate chips.
- Chocolate Cake Mix with chocolate pudding. Use peanut butter chips and top with reeses pieces.
- Lemon cake with cream cheese pudding. Dust the top with powdered sugar.
The cookie bars also make a delicious base for adding a scoop of ice cream on top along with your favorite sundae toppings like chocolate, caramel and whipped cream.
Storage: Store cooled bars in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the cookie bars. Wrap each bar with plastic wrap then you can wrap again with aluminum foil, or place them all in a freezer ziploc bag. Store for up to 3 months.
For more recipes, check out:
- Frosted Cake Mix Lemon Cookies
- Pumpkin Cake Cookies
- Jello Poke Cake
- Ooey Gooey Butter Bars
- Funfetti Cookies
- Gooey Rolo Cookies
- Sugar Cookie Bars
Cake Mix Cookie Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
- 1 small box White chocolate or vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup mini M&Ms (divided)
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- 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.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from Parent Pretty.
I read all the ingredients no where does it list chocolate chips. I quickly read how to make it. I went grocery shopping buying the ingredients I needed. It wasn’t until I started making the recipe that I saw chocolate chips were needed. I did have them in the house so I made them without the chocolate chips. This recipe is very easssy to make. It came out very moist and pretty to look at due to the M&M but its bland. The chocolate chips would have given it that extra flavor. I don’t know if there is a way to revise the recipe, if there is, you really should.
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I will add them 🙂 Thanks for catching it! You could add 1/2 to a cup. The more the merrier for me 🙂 Thanks again!
Mine turned out more cakey than chewy. Did I over bake them? Took them out at 25 minutes.
Were all your ingredients fresh? I know sometimes that can change the recipe.
Made these and same problem as other they rose really well then when cooled the edges are good but collapsed in the middle. Was it determine why? They are still really good and I’ll try again because they are so good
After reading some reviews where people had problems with these bars setting up, I was weary about making them, but I figured what the heck. I made them per directions, with the exception of the oil, I replaced that with the equal amount of melted butter. I used non-stick baking spray in my pan, and baked it for about 28 min, then allowed it to cool completely before cutting. They came out perfect, both in looks and taste. My grandson loves them, and my husband had one and had to be alone because he was having a moment lol.
Love hearing that! That is hilarious about your hubby! Thanks for sharing!
“TY” SO much for your post/tip on using BUTTER instead of oil! Made them for hubbs company picnic. They looked SO good, perfectly brown, looked like photo – Best part, SO EASY! ????
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SO happy to hear that! They’re always a hit when we make them and it sounds like they were a hit at your husband’s company picnic!
Could I use semi sweet chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate?
Of course you can 🙂 Enjoy!!
Thank you for sharing these! These are my family’s favorite cookie bar. Today I made cookie bars following your recipe using pumpkin cake mix, white chocolate pudding, 1C cinnamon chips, and 1/2C of white chocolate chips and they are AMAZING!!
That sounds amazing!! Thank you!!
Puedes traducirlo en español me gustaría serlo pero no entiendo lo que dice porfa
For those of you who said they didn’t turn out like the photos…check the color of your metal dish (dark vs light metal or glass) and use the appropriate oven temp according to the box. I did this twice using my glass dish. Once at 350 with average results, and once at 375- the higher setting on the box mix for shiny light aluminum and they came out perfect. good luck.
I made these today in a 10×15 jelly pan and they came out like yours!
Oh, I’m so glad they turned out!! Did you like them?
This looks good! Could make my Monday a lot nicer.
It could make any day better:) They are delicious!!