Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies with Cake Mix

stacked bar cookies made from a cake mix with chocolate chips.

4.41 from 139 votes

Skip the scooping and bake a pan of these easy Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies with Cake Mix. They're soft, chewy, and made with just a few ingredients—perfect for a quick dessert!

Prep Time15

Cook Time24

Rest Time20

Total Time59

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake mix cookies, chocolate chip bar cookies

Servings:

Calories: 156kcal

Author: Lois

Equipment

Ingredients

1 13.25 ounce yellow cake mix
½ cup vegetable oil
⅓ cup water
2 eggs
¾ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and set it aside.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together all the ingredients—except for the chocolate chips—until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. Gently fold in ¾ cup of chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top, then bake for about 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly gooey. You want them slightly underdone, as they’ll continue to cook as they cool.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the bars rest for 20–30 minutes in the pan before slicing. If you cut them too soon, they may fall apart.
Once cooled, slice into bars, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

This recipe was originally created and published in 2013 using a 15.25-ounce box of cake mix. Most cake mixes today are 13.25 ounces, but the recipe still works well with the smaller size.
When updated in 2025, a 13.25-ounce cake mix was used with great results. If you'd like to match the original recipe more closely, you can use a few spoonfuls from my Homemade Mason Jar Cake Mix to bring your box mix up to 15.25 ounces.
Leftover bar cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
You can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Wrap each cookie individually in plastic wrap or wax paper. This will help to prevent them from sticking together and drying out.

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