These Eggless 3-ingredient cake mix cookie bars are the ultimate easy dessert recipe for soft, chewy cookie bars made with simple ingredients. Perfect for when you need a quick dessert or a fuss-free sweet treat!
3 ingredient Cake Mix Cookie Bars
We’ve been making Christmas recipes all month long, and as home bakers, moms, and grandmoms gearing up to make cookies for the kids, we all need a great recipe that doesn’t take much time and comes together effortlessly.
These chewy cake mix cookie bars are the perfect quick dessert—made with store-bought cake mix and just two more ingredients, making them the ultimate lazy cookie bars that are also eggless!
Simply mix, and bake, and you’re done! If you’re looking for a simple, soft, and chewy treat, this is the perfect recipe for you!
And if you loved this, don’t forget to check out our other easy treats like the Coconut Ice or the Pinecone Truffles—both equally simple and perfect for the holidays!
Ingredients
- Cake Mix:
- Use any store-bought cake mix of your choice—yellow cake mix, vanilla, chocolate, or even funfetti. It’s the base for these bars, making the recipe quick and effortless.
- A 400-500g box works perfectly for this recipe.
- Butter or Oil:
- Melted unsalted butter gives a rich, buttery flavor and chewy texture.
- If you prefer a dairy-free option, use neutral-flavored oil like sunflower or vegetable oil.
- Milk / Eggs:
- Use 1/4 cup of milk to keep the recipe eggless and achieve a soft, chewy texture.
- Alternatively, you can replace milk with 2 large eggs for a richer flavor and slightly firmer bars.
- Optional Add-Ins:
- Customize your bars with add-ons like dark or white chocolate chips, M&M’s, peanut butter chips, chopped nuts, or sprinkles for a festive touch.
Scroll to the end of the post to get the printable recipe card with all the details you need to make these quick and easy cake mix bars
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350 degrees F).
Line a 9x9-inch or 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper or grease it lightly with nonstick cooking spray or butter/oil.
Prepare the Dough
In a large bowl, add the box of cake mix. Pour in the melted butter (or oil) and milk (or eggs, if using) (image 1).
Mix everything together using a spatula or a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms.
If the dough feels too dry, add a tablespoon of milk at a time to adjust the consistency.
Add Optional Mix-ins
Fold in your choice of add-ons like chocolate or butterscotch chips, M&M’s, nuts, or sprinkles to the dough (image 2).
Transfer to the Pan
Transfer the dough to a baking dish or baking pan, using a rubber spatula or your hands to spread and level the dough evenly.
Bake
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Keep an eye on the bars to avoid overbaking.
Cool and Slice
Allow the cookie bars to cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes.
Once cooled, carefully remove them from the pan, slice them into squares or bars, and enjoy!
Serve and Store
Serve the bars as-is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of melted chocolate for a festive touch.
Note: The first batch of lazy chocolate chip cookie bars that I made (as seen in the pictures above) accidentally knocked onto the table while unmolding and broke! But no worries—I quickly made a second batch, and since I had no more chocolate chips left, I used M&M’s instead (as seen below). This recipe is so easy and came together in no time—sometimes, happy accidents lead to fun new twists!
Storage Instructions
- Room Temperature:
- Store the cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Place parchment paper between layers to prevent them from sticking together.
- Refrigeration:
- For longer storage, refrigerate the bars in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
- Allow them to come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
- Freezing:
- For easy cake mix cookie bars on the go, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. These can be frozen for up to 3 months, making them a great bake sale item or a huge hit at family gatherings.
- To serve, thaw the bars at room temperature for about 30 minutes or microwave for a few seconds to enjoy them warm.
Best Tips
- A 9x9-inch pan works perfectly for thick, chewy bars. If you prefer thinner bars, use a larger pan, like an 8x12-inch pan, and reduce the baking time slightly. Keep in mind that thicker bars may sometimes taste more like cake due to their soft, dense texture.
- Mix the dough until just combined. Overmixing can make the bars dense instead of soft and chewy.
- Add chocolate chips, M&M’s, nuts, or sprinkles to make these bars festive and fun. Keep add-ins to about 1/2 to 3/4 cup total to avoid overwhelming the dough. You can also add a teaspoon of vanilla extract for extra flavor.
- Bake until the edges are golden and the center looks set. The bars will continue to firm up as they cool. Overbaking can make them dry.
- Allow the bars to cool for at least 10-15 minutes in the pan before slicing. For clean, neat edges, let them cool completely.
- Use 1 egg for softer, chewy bars or 2 eggs for slightly firmer bars. If keeping it eggless, stick to 1/4 cup of milk for the perfect dough consistency.
- If you’re baking for a crowd, simply double the recipe and use a 9x13-inch pan. Adjust baking time as needed.
- These bars freeze beautifully! Wrap them individually for a quick grab-and-go treat during busy days.
- For extra flavor, drizzle melted chocolate or sprinkle sea salt on top right after baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can use any boxed cake mix flavor you love—chocolate (devil's food cake mix), vanilla (yellow or white cake mix), spice cake, funfetti or red velvet cake mix all work perfectly. The versatility of this base means you can create different varieties of chocolate chip cake mix cookie bars!
If you use a smaller pan, like a 6x6 or 7x7-inch pan, the bars will be thicker and can sometimes taste like cake. For thinner, chewier bars, use a larger pan.
No chilling is required! Just mix, press the dough into the pan, and bake right away.
Absolutely! Add a bag of chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, or toffee bits for an extra burst of flavor. If you want a more festive touch, consider using dark chocolate chips or gooey chocolate chips for a richer taste!
Related Recipes
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Just 3 ingredients Cake Mix Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 box store-bought cake mix (yellow, vanilla, chocolate, or funfetti)
- 1/2 cup Melted Butter or Oil
- 1/4 cup Milk
- 3/4 cup Chocolate chips or MandM's optional
Instructions
Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper or grease it lightly with butter or cooking spray.
Prepare the Dough:
- In a large bowl, add the box of cake mix.
- Pour in the melted butter (or oil) and milk.
- Mix everything together using a spatula or wooden spoon until a soft dough forms.
- If the dough feels too dry, add a tablespoon of milk at a time to adjust the consistency.
- If desired, fold in optional add-ins like chocolate chips, M&M’s, or chopped nuts.
- Transfer the cookie dough into the prepared baking pan.
- Use your hands or a rubber spatula to spread and level the dough evenly in the pan.
Bake
- Bake the dough in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Keep an eye on the bars to avoid overbaking.
Cool and Slice
- Allow the cookie bars to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.
- Once cooled, carefully remove them from the pan, slice them into squares or bars, and enjoy!
- Serve as-is, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce for a festive treat.
Video
Notes
- A 9x9-inch pan works perfectly for thick, chewy bars. If you prefer thinner bars, use a larger pan, such as a 9x13-inch pan, and reduce the baking time slightly.
- For softer, chewier bars, use 1/4 cup milk. For a firmer texture, replace the milk with 2 eggs. Adjust the number of eggs to your preference: use 1 egg for slightly softer bars or 2 eggs for more structure.
- Add-ins like chocolate chips, M&M's, or chopped nuts are optional but make for a festive and delicious touch.
- I personally preferred the cookie bars made using oil over butter, as the oil made them slightly lighter and softer.
- Keep an eye on the bars towards the end of the baking time. They will continue to set as they cool, so take them out when the edges are golden and the center is just set.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate for up to 7 days. For longer storage, freeze the bars for up to 3 months.
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