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Chocolate chip gooey cake bars are easy Cake Mix Cookie Bars! They’re a fun twist on an old favorite gooey bar with chocolate chips and so easy to make with just 5 ingredients. Every bite of these bars is full of ooey-gooey goodness. They’re always a favorite when I make them!
Bar Cookies from Cake Mix
I am a bit of a gooey bar aficionado – you can see that I have a ton of gooey bar recipes. These are so good and full of chocolate! I like Betty Crocker cake mix cookie bars and have made all kinds of versions like chocolate cake mix, brownies, red velvet, and lemon cake mix. Bar cookies from cake mix are the best!
If you’ve never made gooey bars, the secret ingredient is sweetened condensed milk. It’s a type of canned milk where 60% of the water has been removed, and sugar is added. It’s cooked to a thick and gooey state before being canned. There is no substitution – the only way to make ooey gooey cake is with condensed milk!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- This bar cookie recipe is easy because it starts with a cake mix.
- You can use any flavor cake mix you want.
- You just need 5 ingredients!
5 Ingredients Needed
- Cake Mix: One 15-ounce box of yellow cake mix – or use your favorite cake flavor to change it up.
- Softened unsalted butter: Soft butter helps it mix easier – you can substitute salted if needed
- Large egg
- Sweetened condensed milk: Be sure to get a 14 ounce can
- Chocolate chips: Any size or flavor are fine
How to Make Bar Cookies with Cake Mix
- Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Mix the ingredients until they form a crumbly-looking batter.
- Mix in some of the chocolate chips.
- Press 2/3 of the batter in the bottom of a prepared 9×13” baking pan. It will be a thin layer.
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the batter, leaving a 1” border around the edge. Sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips over the top.
- Scoop one tablespoon of the batter and press it between your hands. Lay it on the chocolate chips. Repeat this with the rest of the batter. Try to cover the edges as much as possible, but it’s okay if there are gaps between the pieces in the center of the bars.
- Bake the bars at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and milk is bubbling up.
- Cool the cake bars at room temperature, and then chill them until they are set before slicing and serving.
Variations
I’ve already mentioned it, but switching up the cake mix is the easiest way to change the recipe. Oh, the possibilities!
- You can also use any chocolate chip flavor that you like – try dark chocolate, semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate chips.
- Or skip the chocolate and use other baking chips like peanut butter or butterscotch.
- You can also add chopped nuts sprinkles and omit the chocolate if you want.
FAQs
Store bar cookies from cake mix in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
For best results, store them in layers with paper towels in between each layer. They will keep for up to three months.
Believe me when I say: these are the best cookie bars made with cake mix and sweetened condensed milk!This recipe is always one that gets rave reviews. People love cake mix gooey bars, especially with chocolate. I know you’re going to love them!
Chocolate Chip Gooey Cake Bars
Ingredients
- 1 about 15 ounce box yellow cake mix
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 14 ounces can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups (340g) chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with foil and spray well with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place cake mix, egg, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. You can also use a hand mixer but it will take longer (just keep mixing!)
- Press 2/3 of the batter in the bottom of the prepared pan. It will be a thin layer.
- Top with the can of sweetened condensed milk, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. If it’s touching the foil it has more chances of bubbling up and/or sticking.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips over sweetened condensed milk.
- Press tablespoon sized balls of the remaining dough between your hands and place on top the chocolate chips. It won’t be a solid cover. Try to make the edges as solid as possible.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown and milk is bubbling up. Cool completely, then chill until set so you can remove the foil and slice. These won’t slice nicely until they are completely chilled.
- Store in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- you can use any cake flavor that you like for these chocolate chip bars with cake mix. Just be sure to buy a box that is approximately 15 ounces.
- Using a stand mixer makes it easier and faster to mix the batter. You can use a hand mixer, but it will take longer, so keep mixing until your batter looks like the photo in step two.
- Beware: condensed or sweetened condensed milk is NOT evaporated milk. Do not substitute one for the other.
- When you add the condensed milk, be sure to leave a one-inch border around the edge. You want the milk to stay away from the foil – otherwise, it will caramelize and stick to the foil, making it hard to remove the bars.
- Line your pan with foil and coat it with spray to make it easy to remove the bars in one piece before slicing. Make sure there is some foil overhanging the pan to make it easy to lift the bars out.
- I know it’s hard to wait, but don’t skip the chilling step. The cake bars won’t slice nicely unless they are really cold, so be patient, and you’ll be rewarded!
Recipe Nutrition
Other Cake Bar Recipes
These Chocolate Chip Gooey Cake Bars are a mix between cake and chocolate chip cookies – they are so moist and delicious!
I followed this recipe carefully. Double checked all measurements including dimensions of my baking dish. I *precisely* divided the dough into thirds as directed, pressing 2/3 of it into the pan. I used 1 cup chocolate chips for the dough mix, then an additional 1 cup sprinkled on top of sweetened condensed milk. After adding the sweetened condensed milk & 2nd portion of chocolate chips, I *barely* had enough dough left (remaining 1/3) just to create a 1.5″ edge around the pan. Other than the edges, entire pan was completely open with exposed sweetened condensed milk & chocolate chips. I get that not every bit was expected to be covered, but having the vast majority of the pan uncovered doesn’t seem right. I’d think this recipe would be better suited for a smaller pan or with adjusted amounts that would yield more dough. Or maybe with dough divided into halves instead of thirds. While my end product WOULD satisfy ANY sweet tooth, it just didn’t look right.
I’m sorry that happened. Did you flatten the pieces beteween your fingers to try and make them cover more?
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