Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars has only 4 ingredients and can be whipped up in minutes! The recipe starts with a boxed cake mix which makes these so soft, so easy and so yummy!
A SUPER SIMPLE COOKIE BAR RECIPE
Enter the Lazy Cookie Bar. Made with my favorite pantry item – the boxed cake mix. So versatile, so easy and so yummy. Only 4 ingredients and you probably have them all at home already. It’s not a really thick bar. It’s more like a sheet pan cookie. It’s gooey and I love the edges – those are my favorite!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’S)
The great thing about this recipe is all the variations you can make. I’ve made these with red velvet cake mix, chocolate cake mix, birthday cake mix and they’ve all been delicious! Also, feel free to use different types of chips or add in nuts. I really love when the holiday baking chips come out. You can really have fun with this recipe and no one will know just how easy it was to make but you!
Cake mixes seem to keep reducing in size over the years. They used to be 18.25 ounces and now some of them are down to 13.25 ounces so baking times will vary depending on the type of cake mix you purchase and how much is in the box. So please understand this before baking. You will need to keep an eye on it. Start with about 15-18 minutes and go from there. Duncan Hines is at 15.25 ounces as of the writing of this post. Betty Crocker has gone down to 13.25 ounces. I believe Dolly Parton’s cake mixes are 18 ounces (although you will pay about a dollar and a half more for hers).
These cookie bars are fantastic just as they are, but they’re even more delectable with a scoop of ice cream, maybe some chocolate sauce, or whipped topping. Try adding some sprinkles, or even other sauces like caramel sauce or strawberry sauce. Other fun ideas are more baking chips or Magic Shell.
I’ve only tested this recipe in a 9×13-inch baking dish. However, we did have a reader who made these in a 9×9-inch baking dish and said they turned out nice and thick.
We also had a reader who doubled the recipe and put it in a high rimmed baking sheet.
Whatever you choose to do, if it’s not the 9×13-inch dish I used, you’ll need to experiment a bit and start with a lower bake time. Increase baking time as needed and adjust as necessary.
These cookie bars should be stored in an airtight container and can be kept at room temperature for up to 4-5 days.
You can freeze them for up to 3 months.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- yellow cake mix– you can make your own Yellow Cake mix too using my homemade yellow cake recipe. See my FAQ’s above where I go into more detail about cake mix sizes.
- eggs – if you have time, allow the eggs to come to room temperature. This allows them to mix in easier into the batter.
- butter- I used salted butter, but if you use unsalted, just add a pinch of salt.
- salted buttersemi-sweet chocolate chips– you could use mini chocolate chips or swap these out for other flavored baking chips.
HOW TO MAKE LAZY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. I love to use the kind that has flour in it (Baker’s Joy). Combine dry cake mix with melted butter and beaten eggs. This is easier if you have an electric or stand mixer because batter will be very thick. Stir in bag of chocolate chips.
Spread batter into greased baking dish. What I like to do is spray my hand with some nonstick cooking spray and then spread the batter around using my hand since the batter is very thick. Once it is evenly spread out, put in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes.
It will puff up as it is cooking and be golden brown around the edges when it is done. And like any good chocolate chip cookie, I like to eat these warm so you can usually find me sneaking some bites from this pan before it’s cool! This makes a great base for some ice cream too.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
- Homemade Twix Bars
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
- Peaches and Cream Bars
- Strawberries and Cream Bars
- Chocolate Chip Cooke Dough Dip
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Bars
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
- Oreo Brookie Bars
- Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Originally posted: March 2012
Photos updated and republished: April 2024
Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines – see notes below)
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 12 ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. I love to use the kind that has flour in it.
- In a bowl, combine 1 box yellow cake mix with 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted and 2 large eggs, beaten. This is easier if you have an electric or stand mixer because batter will be very thick.
- Stir in 12 ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Spread thick batter into greased baking dish. What I like to do is spray my hand with some nonstick cooking spray and then spread the batter around using my hand since the batter is very thick.
- Once it is evenly spread out, put in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes. See my note below.
- It will puff up as it is cooking and be golden brown around the edges when it is done. Allow to cool.
Video
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I saved this recipe a few weeks ago and finally made it this evening. Like some others, I also was a little unsure about the cake mix, but hey, I'm adventurous… sort of. So anyway… oh … my … goodness. So yummy! Mine came out thicker than what yours look to be, but that just meant we ate em with a fork instead of our fingers! I just love your recipes!
I've been making something similar for years (my recipe adds brown sugar) and we REALLY like to use cut up candy bars in them 🙂 I made them last night with snickers! We've used butterfingers, heath bars, reeses pieces, the "new" mini peanut butter cups that are unwrapped. The possibilities are endless really. I just found your blog today through pintrest and can't wait to check out your other recipes 🙂
I balked at the idea of using a boxed cake mix for chocolate chip cookies – but holy shmoly these are FAST and GOOD!
I used a sugarfree yellow cake mix already in my pantry, mixed and baked according to your directions, and these cookie bars are soft and chewy and delish! My littles (2 years old and 5 years old) barely had time to "help" before these were in the oven. A one-bowl one-spoon cleanup? Awesome!
My favorite scent on the planet is yellow cake mix baking in the oven. Second only to fresh purple lilacs. The SMELL of these baking in the oven is enough to drive you wild! Thanks for this recipe. I'll be baking this one over and over. What a quick and simple way to cut down on my family's sugar intake, while still having the desserts we crave.
These are pretty much my "go to" dessert when nothing else is requested.. I've tried different combinations, like Devils Food Cake with White Choc chips, and most recently, Duncan Hines Spice Cake with Cinnamon Chips.. mmmmm mmmmmm mmmmm mmmmmm MMMMMMM!!!
THANKS SO MUCH!!
Ease + Delicious = Winning Recipe!! Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you so much for your fabulous site!! You and your recipes are amazing! The lazy bars are so much fun and easy to make. I usually make them just like the recipe, but the last time I only had half a bag of dark chocolate chips, So I used about 6oz of dark choc chips and half cup of chopped walnuts and holy macaroni i got rave reviews from all the crew at red lobster… they said i need to make them all the time!!!
thanks so much for your incredible site!!
Mary
I love your blog. I've made the Easy Cheese Danishes, Easy Apple Danish, and now the Lazy Cookie Bars. They turned out exactly like the pictures and taste so great. I want to try some of your savory recipes, but I will probably try a few more desserts first!
OH MY GOSH! I CAN'T WAIT 2 TRY THESE! I'M THE COOKIE MONSTER YA KNOW! 😉 MY MOUTH IS WATERING RIGHT NOW 😛
Oh goodness – I missed responding to some comments on here! SO very sorry! I want to thank y'all for taking the time to leave such sweet comments! I just love knowing that you love these recipes shared on here. I can't tell you how much it makes my day to hear that!! ~Brandie
These are baking in the oven as I type. Your Italian beef recipe is simmering in my crock pot. I love love love your recipes! Thanks for sharing.
Tried the Easy Apple Danish and the Mini Chicken Pot Pies this weekend! Easy and delicious!!! ready to try so many other recipes on the page, thanks!
Wow! Talk about fast and easy.. These look delicious. Will be trying these soon…
Another great ingrediant is Cinnamon Chips
I made your baked ziti tonight and also made these for dessert. Both were absolutely delicious! I used the holiday chocolate chips. It turned out so pretty! Thank you very much for sharing your great recipes and helping me cook for my husband and two boys!
-Jennifer
I actually spread my regular chocolate chip cook dough recipe in a greased 9×13 pan and bake them. My mother did it in the 70's when we were kids in the summer to keep from heating up the kitchen! They are great and everyone loves them that way!
Linda White
I used 1 cup of butterscotch chips and 1 cup of white chocolate and they were delicious! I want to try them with peanut butter chips, and with spice cake and pecans as well. I Love this recipe and my boys gobble them down! Thanks for sharing it!
Just pinned this recipe. Nothing I like better than a quick way to enjoy chocolate!
This is I my oven right now! It's going to be a great dessert after I cooked your Baked Penne and Cheesy Garlic Bread! Thank you so much for all the yumminess! =D
purty purty blog and photos!
Shiloh @ Shiloh's Taste
Looks fabulous! Just curious: have you tried it with different flavors of cakemix? I'm tempted to try a Spice Cake and add some pecans. Mmmm…
I’ve made this many years and many variations, I’m making some with devils food cake mix, pumpkin spice morsels, and chopped pecans.
I give the recipe 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Those look terrific! Cannot wait to bake them up. Come and visit us this week. We have an awesome $75 swank bag from Pick Your Plum.
Making them right now…..and they smell heavenly!
They are in the oven as I write………..yummy!
Mine are too
House smells great ????????
MY kind of recipe for sure! I've made the mix, but never in a pan like this. What an awesome idea!
Thanks for this recipe! People here are little fond of desserts and this is an easy one I can count on them enjoying!
Love this recipe. It is so easy to do and good. Thank you for this recipe.
Thanks for the recipe my family enjoy the cookies
It was delicious
I made thes lazy bars last night and put in mixed chocolate chips and coconut. And sprinkled what was left on top. Yummy ???? Yummy ???? Yummy ????
So glad you enjoyed them.