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
Don’t forget – I’m offering a chance to win a cute tote if you donate $5 or more to my Avon Walk by the end of January. See details here.
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. 
These look amazing! I’m trying not to lick my screen looking at these pictures.
I made these last winter and they were sooooo absolutely amazing. I purposely haven’t made them since because I would eat them all! Perfect holiday treat, aren’t they?
These sound really different, unique, and delicious!
oh what i’d give for one of those as a snack right now! yum!!
OK, I have a weird question since I have texture issues.
I assume the pumpkin portion of this is similar in texture to pie filling (hence “Pumpkin Pie” part of the name)? Or is it more cake/bar-like?
These are so unique!
Mmmm pumpkin and snickerdoodle…I’m on board 🙂 I bet this is great. I love bar cookies. Easy and delicious!
I start drooling everytime I see those yet for some odd reason I wind up just making the plain snickerdoodle version. I think it’s the kids thinking the plain one is perfection. They’ve actually told me not to mess with the recipe.
~ingrid
Yes Heather – it has a similar texture to pumpkin pie.
This looks great. You have a good variety of appealing recipes. You can keep me busy baking for months.
Hope you feel better – I suffered through the flu last month and it’s definitely amazing how quickly the crappy feelings hit you!
So glad you liked my recipe! 🙂