Julie Clark
Posted:
Lemon Cake Mix Cookie Bars
An easy dessert recipe that bakes up in about 30 minutes. Lemon Cake Mix Cookie Bars are topped with a melt in your mouth cream cheese frosting.
Looking for a quick dessert recipe? These Lemon Cake Mix Cookie Bars are as delicious as they are easy.
Boxed cake mixes make a great base for so many dessert recipes, and these cookie bars are just one more option.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- A tasty combination of sweet, tangy, sour, and creamy.
- Starts with a box cake mix for ease.
- Topped with a cream cheese frosting.
- Recipe variations galore! {See below}
Can you make cookie bars out of cake mix?
Yes, and it is so easy! Cake mixes are great to work with because they give a pop of flavor and already have several of the leavening agents and salt mixed into the flour, so you cut down on ingredients.
Cake mix cookies are a great option, but that means you can also press the cake/cookie batter into a 9×13 pan and end up with chewy cookie bars. Imagine the possibilities with all the varying flavors of cake mix!
How to Make Lemon Cake Mix Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl combine cake mix (dry mix only), eggs, and melted butter until well combined. The batter will be stiff.
- Press cookie bar batter into the bottom of the casserole dish evenly so that bars are uniform in size and thickness.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until the top is light golden brown and the bars are set.
You can serve the bars at room temperature, but they will be very soft. To make them easier to cut, allow them to refrigerate for 3-6 hours.
Frosting for Cake Mix Bars
The recipe below calls for a simple cream cheese frosting recipe. The cool creamy texture pairs so well with the sweet & tangy lemon. It’s easy to mix up and delicious!
If you’re looking for another frosting recipe to try, check these out:
- vanilla buttercream
- lemon buttercream
- strawberry buttercream
- mascarpone cream frosting
- raspberry frosting
Recipe Variations
- Use any flavor cake mix and frosting flavor you’d like. The possibilities are endless! Imagine strawberry with strawberry frosting. 😋
- Frost with a layer of Cool Whip for an easy option.
- Use a gluten free or low sugar cake mix. You can use reduced fat cream cheese or even our Keto buttercream for a lighter topping.
- Add fresh fruit as a topping: strawberries, blueberries or raspberries would be delicious.
- Add a layer of pudding on top of the baked bars, then top with Cool Whip. Make the pudding with less milk, as you would if you were making a pudding pie.
Lemon Cake Mix Cookie Bars
An easy dessert recipe that bakes up in about 30 minutes. Lemon Cake Mix Cookie Bars are topped with a melt in your mouth cream cheese frosting.
Servings 15
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chill Time 6 hours
Ingredients
- 1 box lemon cake mix (about 15.25 ounces)
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup melted butter
Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- ½ cup salted butter (softened)
- ½ tablespoon lemon extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl combine cake mix (dry mix only), eggs, and melted butter until well combined. The batter will be stiff.
- Press cookie bar batter into the bottom of the casserole dish evenly so that bars are uniform in size and thickness.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until the top is light golden brown and the bars are set.
- When bars are finished baking, allow to cool at room temperature and then refrigerate for 3 hours.
- While bars are chilling whip cream cheese and butter until fluffy using a stand mixer with whisk attachment or a large mixing bowl with hand mixer.
- Add lemon extract and mix until combined.
- Add confectioners sugar one cup at a time and mix between each addition, scraping down the bowl between each cup.
- Spread frosting evenly on cookie bars, being careful not to disturb the crumbly surface of the top of the bars.
- Refrigerate bars again for at least 3 hours before cutting and serving. The longer the bars chill the easier they will be to cut smoothly. But they are also melt in your mouth delicious at room temperature, so it is just a matter of preference.
- These bars will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container.
Notes
The calories shown are based on the bars being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 frosted bar. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 431mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 713IU | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 1mg
