These Soft & Chewy Cake Mix Cookie Bars are the ultimate shortcut dessert, transforming a simple box of cake mix into rich, dense blondies. Enhanced with instant pudding mix, they stay incredibly soft for days and are studded with colorful chocolate candies for a fun, festive treat.
Perfect for potlucks, birthdays, or just a Tuesday night sweet craving, these bars come together in one bowl and bake up golden and delicious in under 30 minutes.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: A classic buttery vanilla flavor that tastes like a cross between a sugar cookie and a blondie, loaded with sweet chocolate.
- Texture: Dense, chewy, and exceptionally soft thanks to the addition of pudding mix and oil.
- Time: 5 minutes prep, 25 minutes bake time.
- Difficulty: Very Easy. It is a foolproof mix-and-bake recipe.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a 9×13-inch baking dish and nonstick cooking spray. A medium bowl and a sturdy spoon or spatula are all you need for mixing no electric mixer required! The ingredients rely on pantry staples like boxed cake mix, instant pudding, oil, and your favorite chocolate candies.
Ingredient Notes
- Cake Mix – Use a standard 15.25-ounce box of yellow or butter flavored cake mix. This provides the flour, sugar, and leavening all in one. Do not prepare the cake mix according to the box instructions; just use the dry powder.
- Instant Pudding Mix – A 3.4-ounce box of vanilla instant pudding mix is the secret ingredient. It adds moisture and ensures the bars stay soft and chewy rather than cakey.
- Vegetable Oil – This fat source keeps the bars moist and dense.
- Eggs – Two large eggs bind the batter together. Room temperature eggs mix in more easily.
- Chocolate Candy – You can use M&Ms, chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate bars. Use about 1 cup, or go up to 2 cups if you love them loaded.
- Water – Just a splash of water hydrates the batter without making it too loose.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Flavor Swap – You can use chocolate cake mix and chocolate pudding for a double chocolate version.
- Mix-ins – Feel free to add white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or chopped nuts along with or instead of the candy.
- Sprinkles – Add 1/4 cup of rainbow sprinkles to the batter for a “funfetti” cake bar style.
How to Make Soft & Chewy Cake Mix Cookie Bars
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Mix Batter: In a medium bowl, stir together the dry cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Mix until the batter is smooth and combined. It will be thick.
- Add Mix-ins: Stir in the chocolate candy – reserving about 1/4 cup to sprinkle on the top for a pretty presentation.
- Spread: Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. It may be sticky, so use a spatula. Sprinkle the reserved candy over the top.
- Bake: Bake for about 25 minutes, or until just barely golden brown on the edges. The center mixture may still seem slightly jiggly or not completely set, but it will firm up as it cools.
- Cool: Cool completely in the pan, then slice into squares and serve.
Pro Tip: Don’t overbake! The key to the chewy texture is pulling them out when they still look slightly underdone in the middle. If you bake them until they are firm, they will be dry and crumbly once cooled.
Recipe Tips
- Spreading the Batter: The batter is thick and sticky. Spraying your spatula or your hands with a little nonstick spray helps you press it into the corners of the pan easily.
- Cooling is Key: Because they are so soft when hot, trying to cut them too early will result in a messy crumble. Let them set completely for clean slices.
- Pudding Mix: Make sure you buy Instant pudding mix, not the Cook & Serve kind. The starches work differently.
FAQs
- Can I use butter instead of oil? Yes, you can use melted butter, but the texture will be slightly crispier on the edges and a bit less chewy than the oil version.
- How do I store these? Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days.
- Can I freeze them? Yes! Wrap the cooled bars individually in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Serving Suggestions
- Ice Cream: Serve a warm bar with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Milk: These rich, sweet bars pair perfectly with a cold glass of milk.
- Party Platter: Cut them into smaller bite-sized squares for a dessert buffet.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Bake Ahead: These bars actually taste even better the next day as the moisture equilibrates, making them perfect for making ahead of a party.
- Freezing: You can freeze the whole slab (uncut) if you want to prep a dessert for later in the month.
Soft & Chewy Cake Mix Cookie Bars
- Total Time: 30 minutes (+ cooling)
- Yield: 20-24 Bars 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Soft & Chewy Cake Mix Cookie Bars are the ultimate shortcut dessert, transforming a simple box of cake mix into rich, dense blondies. Enhanced with instant pudding mix, they stay incredibly soft for days and are studded with colorful chocolate candies for a fun, festive treat. Perfect for potlucks, birthdays, or just a Tuesday night sweet craving, these bars come together in one bowl and bake up golden and delicious in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
The Batter Base
- 1 box (15.25 oz) Yellow or Butter flavor cake mix (dry, do not follow box instructions)
- 1 box (3.4 oz) Vanilla Instant Pudding mix (dry)
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
The Mix-ins
- 1 cup chocolate candy (M&Ms, chocolate chips, or chunks), plus extra for topping
Instructions
Prep
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix Batter
In a medium bowl, combine the dry cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water.
Stir
Mix by hand until the batter is smooth and combined. Note: The batter will be very thick and stiff; this is normal!
Add Mix-ins
Stir in the chocolate candy. Tip: Reserve about 1/4 cup of the candy to press onto the top later for a prettier presentation.
Spread
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish. Technique: Because the batter is sticky, spray your spatula or your hands with nonstick spray to help press it evenly into the corners.
Top
Sprinkle the reserved candy over the top.
Bake
Bake for 25 minutes.
Check
The edges should be barely golden brown. The center may still look slightly jiggly or underdone this is perfect. Do not overbake!
Cool
Let the bars cool completely in the pan. They will firm up and set as they cool. Slice into squares once room temperature.
Notes
The “Underbake” Rule: The secret to the chewy texture is pulling them out when they look slightly underdone in the middle. If you bake them until the center is firm, they will turn out dry and crumbly once cooled.
Pudding Type: Make sure you buy Instant pudding mix. Do not use “Cook & Serve,” as the starches work differently and won’t yield the same soft texture.
Sticky Batter Hack: If the batter is sticking to your spoon, lightly grease your hands with oil or cooking spray and press the dough into the pan manually.
Make Ahead: These bars actually taste better the next day as the moisture settles. They stay soft for 4–5 days in an airtight container.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert / Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bar (assuming 24)
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: cake mix cookie bars, cake mix recipes, pudding cookies, easy blondies, m&m bars, potluck desserts, 4 ingredient dessert
