Ooey gooey bars are two layers of easy: a chewy yellow cake mix crust pressed into a 9×13 pan, and a sweet cream cheese filling poured over the top that bakes into a soft, gooey layer. They’re also known as gooey butter bars or Neiman Marcus bars. One pan makes 12 bars with 15 minutes of prep.
How to make them: Mix the dry cake mix with melted butter and an egg and press it into a greased 9×13 pan. Beat cream cheese with 2 eggs and powdered sugar, spread it over the crust and bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly golden and the center reaches 160°F. Cool 1 to 2 hours before cutting.
Why You’ll Love Them
- Six ingredients: a box of cake mix, butter, eggs, cream cheese and powdered sugar.
- 15 minutes of prep: stir, press, beat, pour.
- Two textures: a chewy, buttery base under a soft, gooey top.
- Feeds a crowd: 12 bars from one pan, good for parties and bake sales.
Ingredient Notes
Yellow cake mix: one box, used dry. Butter cake mix or white cake mix work too.
Butter: 1 stick (1/2 cup), melted, for the crust. That is enough to bind the cake mix into a press-in dough; more butter makes the base greasy instead of chewy.
Eggs: 3 in all: 1 for the crust and 2 beaten into the filling.
Cream cheese: one 8-ounce block, softened, so it beats smooth without lumps.
Powdered sugar: 3 1/2 cups. It makes the filling thick, sweet and glossy.
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Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 box yellow cake mix (dry, not prepared)
- 1 stick butter, melted (1/2 cup)
- 1 egg
For the filling
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
How to Make Ooey Gooey Bars
1. Heat the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) for even baking.
2. Make the crust dough. In a medium bowl, combine 1 box of yellow cake mix, 1 stick of melted butter, and 1 egg. Mix until well combined. The dough will be thick and sticky.
3. Grease the pan. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
4. Press in the crust. Gently press the dough into an even layer in the baking pan. Firmly pack it to create a solid base.
5. Beat the cream cheese. In a large bowl, beat 8 oz of softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
6. Add the eggs. Add 2 beaten eggs to the cream cheese, whisking until well mixed and smooth.
7. Add the sugar. Gradually add 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, whisking until the filling is thick and creamy.
8. Add the filling. Pour the cream cheese filling over the crust, using a spatula to spread it evenly.
9. Bake. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the center reaches 160°F on a food thermometer. The center may still jiggle slightly and will set as it cools.
10. Cool. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 1-2 hours to allow the filling to set.
11. Cut and serve. After cooling, cut into squares or rectangles with a sharp knife. Serve, and refrigerate any leftovers.
Tips for the Best Ooey Gooey Bars
- Press the crust firmly. A packed, even layer bakes into a chewy base that holds up the filling.
- Soften the cream cheese. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps in the filling.
- Add the sugar gradually. Three and a half cups is a lot; adding it a little at a time keeps it from flying everywhere and keeps the filling smooth.
- Don’t overbake. A slight jiggle in the center is right; the filling sets as it cools.
- Cool fully before cutting. Warm bars are too soft to cut cleanly. Wipe the knife between cuts.
Variations
- Chocolate: use chocolate cake mix for the crust.
- Lemon: lemon cake mix and a little lemon zest in the filling.
- Vanilla: add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the filling.
- Drizzle: top the cooled bars with chocolate or caramel sauce.
- Pumpkin: beat a cup of canned pumpkin and a little pumpkin spice into the filling for fall.
Storage
These bars have an egg and cream cheese filling, so keep them in the refrigerator. Cover the pan or store the bars in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooling, and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Let them sit out a few minutes before serving if you like them softer.
What to Serve With Them
A glass of milk or a cup of coffee is all they need. For a dessert table, pair them with 3-ingredient lemon bars and 4-ingredient turtle bars.
More cream cheese and bar desserts: cream cheese squares, pecan cheesecake bars, lazy pecan pie bars and Easter cake mix cookie bars.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are ooey gooey bars made of?
A crust of yellow cake mix, melted butter and an egg, topped with cream cheese beaten with eggs and powdered sugar.
Are ooey gooey bars the same as gooey butter cake?
They’re the same idea: a cake mix crust under a sweet cream cheese layer. You’ll also see them called Neiman Marcus bars.
Why are my bars runny in the middle?
They need more time or more cooling. Bake until the center reaches 160°F and cool 1 to 2 hours before cutting.
Can I use a different cake mix?
Yes. Butter, white, chocolate or lemon cake mix all work.
Do ooey gooey bars need to be refrigerated?
Yes. The filling has eggs and cream cheese, so store them in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze them?
Yes. Wrap cooled bars well and freeze; thaw in the refrigerator.
How long do they keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Ooey Gooey Bars at a Glance
Ooey gooey bars are a cake mix crust with a sweet cream cheese layer on top. This recipe uses five simple ingredients and makes 12 bars.
- Crust: a box of yellow cake mix, a stick of melted butter and one egg, pressed into a 9×13 pan.
- Filling: 8 ounces of cream cheese, two eggs and 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar.
- Bake: at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Cool: 1 to 2 hours so the gooey center sets before slicing.
Final Notes
Press the crust firmly, bake until the center is just set and let them cool before cutting. If you try a chocolate or lemon cake mix, tell me in the comments how they turned out.
Ooey Gooey Bars
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Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix dry, not prepared
- 1 stick butter melted (1/2 cup)
- 1 egg
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 eggs beaten
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) for even baking.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 box of yellow cake mix, 1 stick of melted butter, and 1 egg. Mix until well combined. The dough will be thick and sticky.
- Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
- Gently press the dough into an even layer in the baking pan. Firmly pack it to create a solid base.
- In a large bowl, beat 8 oz of softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add 2 beaten eggs to the cream cheese, whisking until well mixed and smooth.
- Gradually add 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, whisking until the filling is thick and creamy.
- Pour the cream cheese filling over the crust, using a spatula to spread it evenly.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the center reaches 160°F on a food thermometer. The center may still jiggle slightly and will set as it cools.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 1-2 hours to allow the filling to set.
- After cooling, cut into squares or rectangles with a sharp knife. Serve, and refrigerate any leftovers.
Notes
Nutrition
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Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
1 comment
Trying this recipe tonight. I saw a video somewhere on instagram that inspired me to try GOOEY CAKE.
But the cake mix w 2 sticks of butter+ any Egg made a soft batter and not a “crumble” that could be pressed into the bottom of the pan as this recipe states.
I’m wondering if 2 Sticks is too much. I always try recipes “as written” first.
However, I’m hoping this turns out as pictured. I will comment again on my results.????