I love finding easy recipes to bake for my family and these Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies are so easy because they start out with a cake mix! They’re so easy to make and are the perfect treat for the kids or for school bake sales. Using a cake mix to bake bar cookies is just another one of my favorite Cake Mix Hacks that I love to share with you!
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I have a great bar cookie recipe for Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies that I’m sharing with you today. I know these will become a regular for my family AND…they start out with a cake mix!
This recipe is very similar to the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars that you might like if you have a peanut butter lover in your life!
Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies
I always try to stock up on cake mixes when they’re on sale at our local grocery store. Sometimes you can get 10 boxes for $10.00 and yes, I will buy 10 boxes of cake mix because you never know when you have to bake for some function or your family is craving something sweet.
I did a lot of baking when my son, Michael, was in school. Michael always seemed to be offering my “services” when he was in school and I really didn’t mind. I actually miss having to bake and cook for the weekly football dinners that the parents were in charge of every Thursday night.
Not to mention the baked goods we needed to supply the snack stand with for the Friday night games or bake sales. It was work, but I enjoyed it. It’s funny how you look back on things that used to exhaust you and now that they’re gone, you miss them, right?
Tips for Baking Perfect Bar Cookies
Did you know that any cookie recipe that yields 36 to 42 cookies will make perfect bars when baked in a 13×9-inch baking dish/pan? Here are a few tips when baking bar cookies so they come out perfect every time.
- Always line the baking dish/pan with parchment paper to help you lift the baked cookie bar out of the baking dish/pan.
- Sometimes spreading the cooking dough mixture can be difficult. Spray the back of a rubber spatula with non-stick cooking spray to help.
- Insert a toothpick into the center of the bars to see if they are done. You’ll know if they’re done if the toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cookies cool completely before slicing.
- Using a plastic or serrated knife will give you clean slices.
Which is better for baking glass or metal?
For this recipe, I used a glass baking dish, but you can use a metal or aluminum baking pan.
If you are using a baking pan, which is usually metal, you’ll need to reduce the baking temperature by 25 degrees. You should also check the bar cookies often as they may be ready ten minutes earlier than if you were using a glass baking dish.
Glass baking dishes do not heat up as quickly as a metal baking pan.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Glass Baking Dish
- Rubber Spatula – really helps you spread out the raw cookie dough.
- Serrated Knife – works best when slicing bar cookies. Even a plastic knife works!
Ingredients
Make sure you print out the recipe below and save it for later!
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 egg
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Directions
In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the water and egg. Then add the yellow cake mix and combine well. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts; if using.
How to Line a Baking Pan with Parchment Paper
If you’ve been a reader of this site for awhile, you know how much I love using parchment paper. In particular, I love these Parchment Baking Sheets. For awhile now I’ve been using them to line baking sheets when I bake bar cookies, brownies or even loaf pans!
They make it extremely easy to remove the baked goods from the baking dish without sticking. I find that using clips or even old clothespins helps to keep the parchment paper in place while you’re filling a baking dish or even a loaf pan with the batter.
How to Bake Bar Cookies
Pour the bar cookie mixture into a 9 X 13 size pan that has been lined with parchment baking sheets or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly before cutting in serving pieces.
Sometime the easier the recipe is, the more yummier it tastes! Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies start off with a cake mix and are so delicious!
More Easy Cake Mix Dessert Recipes:
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies
- Four Different Cake Mix Cookie Recipes
- Chocolate Chunk Muffins
- Favorite Dessert Recipes
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Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies from a Cake Mix
Ingredients
Instructions
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 235Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 195mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 1gSugar: 21gProtein: 2g
Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, click here.
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Will it make a difference if I use white cake mix instead? I’ve never cared for yellow cake.
I love how it starts out with a box of cake mix. Makes it so much easier to bake these without all of the extra fuss. Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty Pinned!
So happy to see you at Tuesdy Turn About! Hope to see you each week! These bars look amazing, and I love easy recipes from cake mixes!
I have made cookies from a boxed cake mix but for some reason I never thought to make cookie bars;; which are always so much easier. These look delicious! Pinned.
What was the tip for getting perfect slices everytime?
Here’s the tip: Using a plastic or serrated knife will give you clean slices. Let me know if it works for you! Thanks for visiting.
I made these and they are amazing. Really easy one bowl prep and mere minutes to get in the oven. Super rich, perfect with a glass of milk.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe! Always love to read comments like this.
I’d love to have one of these bars with a tall glass of milk. YUM! It’s so great that you start out with yellow cake mix. So easy!
Lovely to have a recipe that is so quick to put together – looks delicious xx
Thank you Maria! Thanks for visiting too.
What butter is best? Which ones should I stay away from as the percentage doesn’t work?
I’m not sure I understand your question. I use regular salted butter in all my baking. Let me know if you need more help! Thanks for visiting.
G'day! Never had one of these Lois, true!
I could go for one right now too!
Cheers! Joanne
What a great idea!
I like the idea of baking cookies from cake mix very delicious and easy to put together though.