Gooey Bars (aka Cream Cheese Bars)

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

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.

Bars and Brownies, Dessert, Family Favorites

27 comments »

12 Responses to “Sugar Cookie Bars”

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1

Katie — April 7, 2009 at 12:46 pm

YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY! I love this idea!! 🙂
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2

cateskitchen — April 7, 2009 at 1:19 pm

Perfect! I crave sugar cookies a lot but just can’t handle the rolling out process sometimes.
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3

wyndesnow — April 7, 2009 at 4:50 pm

These look yummy! My kids are always asking me to make sugar cookies and I start out strong and by the end am regretting making them. This may be the perfect tradeoff.
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4

madebymel — April 7, 2009 at 7:10 pm

Yum! These look delicious and way easier than frosting individual cookies!
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5

Kerstin — April 7, 2009 at 11:07 pm

What a great idea – I rarely take the time to make cookies since bars are so much faster and just as tasty. I love all the sprinkles too 🙂
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6

bcallegra — April 8, 2009 at 1:16 am

Just the recipe I was looking for – I may have to try it this week as an Easter treat for my coworkers.
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7

Jen — April 8, 2009 at 2:15 am

Anyone who is thinking about making these definitely should. They’re seriously SO GOOD. I just made them Sunday and I’m making them again for Easter.
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8

Mermaid Sweets — April 8, 2009 at 8:15 pm

I had the same reaction when they popped up in my google reader – and now again this time. They are on my list!
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9

Dawn — April 12, 2009 at 10:31 pm

I keep seeing these and now I must try them. I love, no crave, sugar cookies all the time.
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10

finsmom — April 14, 2009 at 4:22 am

I will be making this soon! Looks incredible!
Thanks for sharing!
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11

Ingrid — April 14, 2009 at 6:37 pm

Yum, I’ve made these before. They are excellent and soooo much easier. Yours looks good. I’m going to try them with buttercream instead of cream cheese frosting next time.
~ingrid
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12

Hui Min — July 18, 2010 at 6:00 am

I think it will be better to put up the size of the baking pan too.
Thank you very much for the recipe. =D

Gooey Bars (aka Cream Cheese Bars)