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. 
Looks great – I love all the sprinkles! 🙂
I don’t think I’ve ever made ice cream with coconut milk. I’ll have to remember to try this next time I want to make ice cream! which is often, but I already have three flavors in my freezer right now haha.
beantownbaker — June 14th, 2013 @ 9:47 am
Wow three flavors in there at once! You should definitely try using coconut milk. It’s very creamy.
i really need to get my ice cream maker base in the freezer 🙂 yum!
beantownbaker — June 14th, 2013 @ 9:47 am
Mine goes right back in the freezer once it gets washed so it’s always at the ready!
I never thought to make ice cream with coconut milk! What an awesome idea!
beantownbaker — June 14th, 2013 @ 11:45 am
It’s pretty much the only way I make ice cream. SO GOOD.
Yummy! What delicious looking ice cream!! I want a bowl and it’s only 6am!
beantownbaker — June 15th, 2013 @ 11:44 am
Ice cream is an acceptable breakfast food 😉
vanilla Beans Are In The Directions But Not The Ingredients…Should They Be Included?
beantownbaker — June 15th, 2013 @ 5:21 pm
Sorry about that. There are no vanilla beans in this ice cream. I have fixed the recipe instructions to reflect that.
fun way to use up leftovers 🙂
This recipe is great! The ice cream looks absolutely delicious 🙂
So excited to try this with coconut milk! It looks super yummy! Pinning! 🙂
beantownbaker — June 20th, 2013 @ 6:57 am
Hope you enjoy it!
What a fun combo! Now, I need to decide whether to make your sugar cookie or your snickerdoodle ice cream first!
beantownbaker — June 24th, 2013 @ 3:47 pm
Oh – that’s a tough call! They’re both good.
sounds delicious!
I love sugar cookies and putting them in ice cream was a great idea so i just had to include it in my ice cream round up. Happy Fourth of July!
beantownbaker — July 3rd, 2013 @ 5:00 pm
Happy 4th to you too! Thanks for featuring my ice cream in your roundup.