Gooey Bars (aka Cream Cheese Bars)
I have no idea what these bars should actually be called or where this recipe really came from… It’s likely to have come on the back of a cream cheese box for all I know. (Actually, Google helped me to find this recipe which is the same). This is another recipe that my family loves. My sisters practically know this recipe by heart. Similar to the “best dang thing ever bars”, my sisters also prefer to underbake these bars, hence the name gooey bars. I tend to like my bars fully cooked so they hold their shape better. If you prefer an even gooier texture, take these out of the oven a couple minutes early.
I know some of you will shudder at the thought of using a box cake mix. I agree that in general, I would much rather make a cake/cookie/brownie from scratch. For starters, it’s a lot more fun as a baker to measure everything out and follow a recipe that has more than two steps. Not to mention knowing exactly what is in your food (and being able to pronounce it all!) I do however believe that boxed cake mix has a time and a place. One of those places being in this bar.
These bars taste almost like a cheesecake with a great chewy shortbread crust. Everyone that tried one really enjoyed them and Hubby ate an embarassingly large number of these bars.
Gooey Bars
Yield: 30
Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 eggs
1 pound powdered sugar
1 8-oz package cream cheese
Directions:
Mix cake mix, margarine & 1 egg with fork. Press into bottom of greased 9 x 13 pan, set aside.
Beat powdered sugar, cream cheese and 2 eggs for 4 or 5 minutes. Pour over cake mixture.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into bars.
Recipe from my step mom
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I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 






I don’t really like pork, but you make it looks so good! 🙂
Happy 250th post. <3
[http://dlishfoods.wordpress.com]
Thanks Taylor! This really is an amazing pulled pork recipe if you are ever in the mood for pork.
I really need a crock pot – this looks great and I am bookmarking it for when I do get one, my husband loves pulled pork sandwiches.
This looks awesome! I love making pulled pork in the crockpot 🙂
This looks great! I have been in search of a good pulled pork recipe.
Happy 250th post!
I love all the spices you used on the pork – it looks so tender and yummy! Congrats on 250 posts!
Hey Jen, this is Ashley (formerly) from Performance in Evendale! I found your blog through some others and I love it …. we tried this recipe last night and it. was. amazing. Thank you! Your kitchen is going to be gorgeous, can’t wait to see the final pictures.
Hi! I made your recipe last night for my extended family. They RAVED about it! I posted a link back to this post. Thanks again!
Hey Ashley! I always get a kick out of when people I know in real life find my blog. We LOVE this recipe.
Well, 6 months later, I come upon your recipe through Google and it is amazing!! I served this up to some dinner guests and we all loved it!! It IS the best pulled pork recipe and I thank you for leaving it here for me to find!
We tried this recipe over the weekend (with a couple of minor tweaks) and it came out great!
Thanks for posting.
This is our new favorite pulled pork recipe! Thanks for posting it!
About how many did this serve?
Joshua and Stacie – the recipe says it serves 6, but I’d say it serves more like 8.
thanks for the recipe. I’ve been searching for a good one.
This was a great recipe! It was my first pork roast, and it was so easy. My 7 lb roast was fork tender in 8 hours.
Started this the other day and had it in the crockpot all day today. So delicious. Very satisfied husband. Thanks for posting this!
beantownbaker — June 10th, 2013 @ 12:33 pm
So glad your husband enjoyed this. This recipe is in our regular rotation.
Love this recipe. Have used it many times and it always gets rave reviews. Making it again this weekend.
beantownbaker — July 4th, 2013 @ 1:44 pm
Glad you enjoy it! We love it too and make it on a regular weekend. Especially since it freezes so well!
What Barbeque sauce did you prefer. There are so many different flavors out there these days?
beantownbaker — August 22nd, 2013 @ 11:16 am
I actually make my own BBQ sauce, but any flavor that you prefer works in this recipe.
Only complaint from people when I made this was…”Why didn’t you make more??!?!” Love Love Love this recipe!
Thanks for publishing!
beantownbaker — October 23rd, 2013 @ 12:25 am
I get that a lot too! So glad you enjoyed it!!
This recipe is awesome!!! I have only made pulled pork a few times but was never a huge fan as I found them to be too BBQ sauce flavored! I saw this recipe on pinterest and decided to try it tonight for dinner! OMG it is FANTBULOUS!!!!!! I love the rb idea and honestly I could have done without the BBQ sauce as the drippings and sauce in the pot was amazing with the pork on its own! I did add the bq sauce however and was still quite impressed! This recipe had changed my whole opinion of pulled pork! Kudos on a great spice rub blend!!!
beantownbaker — October 23rd, 2013 @ 12:28 am
So glad I was able to convert you to a pulled pork fan! I actually have a batch of this cooking in the crockpot as I type. It’s going to cook overnight for my sister and her husband since they’re new parents and it freezes so well.
This is the easiest and I’m sure tastiest recipe I’ve ever found. I just rubbed all the spices on the pork and it’s marinating in the fridge right now…. I will cook it tomorrow morning I’m very excited about serving this to my family. I’ll come back and post how it was!
beantownbaker — October 23rd, 2013 @ 12:29 am
I’ve got a batch cooking in the crockpot right now! I hope you and your family enjoy it.
I tried this tonight and OMG it was delicious! That rub really makes it. I couldn’t let it sit in the fridge for days but it was still amazing. I will definitely be making this again.
beantownbaker — December 17th, 2013 @ 10:55 am
So glad you enjoyed it! We really love this recipe and make it all the time.
Hi. I am making this as we speak for tomorrow. My only concern the spices seem a little over powering. When I opened the crockpot to check on it it seemed very spicey. Is that what you experience?
This is one of the best crockpot pork recipes ever! I use Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce or make my own secret barbecue sauce. Either way it is the best. We also use the rub when my husband cooks a shoulder on the grill. Great find – thanks!
Sounds delish! What brand and flavor bbq sauce did you use, exactly?