Cake Mix Cookie Bars

Name: Cake Mix Cookie Bars
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2/3 cup vegetable oil; 1/3 cup water; 1 large egg; 15.25 ounce yellow cake mix; 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (reserve 2 Tablespoons for topping)

These cake mix cookie bars are quick and easy to make with only 5 ingredients! They’re chewy, soft, speckled with chocolate chips, and come together in 25 minutes.

Sheet of Cake Mix Cookie Bars cut up into squares on parchment paper

Why this recipe works

Cake mix cookie bars are born from a simple boxed cake mix, water, eggs, vegetable oil, and chocolate chips. Mix the ingredients together in a bowl, transfer to a baking dish, top with additional chocolate chips, and bake away. They couldn’t be any easier to make!

There are so many different ways to use a cake mix aside from a classic cake – chocolate cake mix cookies, peach cobbler, and cake balls are all prime examples. Today, the star of the show are these chewy chocolate chip cookie bars that will become a staple for a quick, last-minute dessert for potlucks and parties (or for snacking on whenever!).

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

CAKE MIX – Grab a standard-sized yellow cake mix (15.25 oz) from the store, the kind that uses oil, water, and eggs. If you want to experiment with different flavored cake mixes, go right ahead!

CHOCOLATE CHIPS – Semisweet chocolate chips are our go-to, but you can absolutely substitute with cinnamon chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, dark chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips if desired. Additionally, you can substitute the chocolate chips with M&M’s, which come in all kinds of different colors to match holidays or themes.

ADDITIONS – To make these bars even more decadent, use 1/3 cup melted unsalted butter instead of the water. It’s not necessary, but to take the flavor of these bars to the next level, you can also add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the wet ingredients, and once they are out of the oven, sprinkle 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt on top.

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with 2 pieces of parchment paper so it hangs over all 4 sides.
Add the oil, water, and egg to a large bowl and whisk together.
Add the yellow cake mix to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
Stir in the chocolate chips (reserving 2 tablespoons for topping).

EXPERT TIP – The thickness of the batter should be fairly similar to the thickness of blondie batter.
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips on top.
Bake until the bars are starting to turn light golden brown along the outside, but still look a touch doughy in the center, about 20 to 25 minutes.

EXPERT TIP – For the best texture, be careful not to overbake. These bars set as they cool.
Cool fully to room temperature and then cut into bars.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

How do I store cake mix cookie bars?

Once they’re cooled, store these bars in an airtight container layered between pieces of parchment paper at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Serving Suggestions

Mix, bake, slice, and serve! These cake mix cookie bars are really that easy. Serve with a tall glass of cold milk. Optionally warm a cookie bar in the microwave and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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