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Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (+Video)

Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are made with boxed cake mix, butter, eggs and chocolate chips. So soft and yummy!

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.

A small stack of Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I use other cake mix flavors?

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!

What size cake mix should I use?

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 14 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. 

What toppings can I add?

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.

Can I use a different sized baking dish?

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 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.

How to store leftover Lazy Cookie Bars?

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.

A scoop of ice cream on top of a Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie.

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.
  • eggs
  • 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.
Yellow cake mix, chocolate chips, eggs, and butter.

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.

A bowl of Cake mix batter and chocolate chip cake mix batter in another bowl.

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.

Lazy chocolate chip cookie bars unabked in a dish and a baked chocolate chip cookie bars uncut in a dish.

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.

A Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar with ice cream and chocolate sauce.

CRAVING MORE SWEET RECIPES?

Originally posted: March 2012
Photos updated and reposted: August 2019

Close up looking at a plate with a Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar.

Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are made with boxed cake mix, butter, eggs and chocolate chips. So soft and yummy!
4.72 from 91 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 1 box yellow cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines – see notes below)
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted
  • 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 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.
    Yellow cake mix batter in a bowl.
  • Stir in chocolate chips.
    Chocolate chips being added to cake mix.
  • 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.
    Unbaked Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars in a baking dish.
  • Once it is evenly spread out, put in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes. See my note below.
    A baking dish with uncut Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.
  • It will puff up as it is cooking and be golden brown around the edges when it is done. Allow to cool.
    A Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar with ice cream and chocolate sauce.

Video

YouTube 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.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Sodium: 369mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 29g

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.

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102 Comments

  1. I have made this recipe 3 times now using 3 different cake mixes: a generic store brand, Betty Crocker, and Pillsbury. I recommend NOT using Pillsbury. There's something about the pudding being inside that throws off the texture. Still tastes good though. Just some food for though

  2. Used dark chocolate cake mix and white chocolate chips and Carmel chips. I baked them in a jelly roll pan. Amazing while warm

  3. These are great! This time I used a triple chocolate fudge cake mix and nestle chocolate chunks. If you love chocolate, it's the way to go.

  4. Thank you soooo much!! I made these for a church picnic.
    I put round sprinkles on top and they looked so cute and tasted
    even better! So easy…can't wait to try different variations.
    Gotta go check out your other recipes now. Thanks again!

    Lori from Pittsburgh, PA

  5. I made the Cake cookie recipe, my hubby loved it, only have 3 left, so will make this often. Thanks !

  6. Thank you so much for all the great recipes. I made this tonight, with German Chocolate mix and icing. Super good, lasted about 45mins and they were gone. Have made the Coca Cola Cake really good. The layout for the recipes are great.The pics are really helpful. Thanks for all your hard work.

  7. Took them out of the oven a bit ago and OMG these are sooooo good! I can't wait to try some other cake mixes with this method.

    Thank you so much for this and all the other wonderful recipes that you post!

  8. These are wonderful!! I just made them today for my sons 24th birthday. He will have his birthday cake at our family gathering. I wanted to make him something special for his actual birthday. You would never know that there was a cake mix used. I added M&Ms!!They are delicious!!

    I love your recipes and follow you on Pinterest and Facebook. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipes. I know that your recipes and sweet words come from the heart!!

  9. I've made these bars several times since finding the recipe on your site. I have also used it as a cookie cake and decorated with frosting and sprinkles! Thanks for all of your great recipes.

  10. I'm just baking my first batch, I put in milk chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips and some Heath bar bits. My son asked me to make something for a Christmas Party he is going to, so I'm trying your recipe. This is so much easier than making cookie dough – I'm sure it is going to be delicious.

  11. I was in a jam to make a dessert at the last minute. Glad that I found this recipe. I have everything I need for it and no more pressure! Thanks!

  12. These turned out great! I was looking for something super quick to make so that my husband could take them to a meeting at church. Much faster than making individual cookies and very delicious. I made the chocolate chip and used a golden vanilla cake mix but will try many other combos. Thanks!

  13. awesome recipes…I love your site! These were so easy and delicious! I am thinking of trying red velvet cake mix with white chocolate chips! what do you think? Thank you!

  14. this looks like homemade pop tarts… makes me wonder what the bars would be like if you substituted 2 cups of fruit… might give that a try!

  15. This is so easy. I make chocolate chips cookies all the time for my great grandkids and this is going to make my life much easier. Thanks

  16. Can you make these in an 8×8 pan and have them a little thicker? How about baking time? Maybe even in a brownie sized pan? Just the hubby and I.