This fun twist on Gooey Butter Cake is OUTSTANDING! I added a layer of chocolate chip cookie dough in the middle to make crazy sweet and rich Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Gooey Butter Bars.
I’m taking it there today.
Down and dirty…your teeth will hurt later…you only need a few bites…kinda THERE.
I don’t know who invented Gooey Butter Cake, I know I certainly didn’t, but it’s been around for ages.
I also know there are different variations on it depending on where in the country you are…
I was in Philadelphia this past summer and I visited The Flying Monkey Bakery in Reading Terminal, and I will tell you the ButterCake there can NOT be beat. Seriously, it’s worth a whole trip Philly. I mean, that and the Liberty Bell…history people.
Anyhow, my brain problem with Gooey Butter Cake is that it ain’t cake, at least in my book. It’s TOTALLY a bar dessert. If you can eat it with your hands it’s not cake. Well, except cupcakes? Anyway, you know what I mean.
So anyway, I decided to go ahead and make an already outrageously sweet dessert MORE sweet. Because cookie dough…
So let’s talk a quick minute about Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Gooey Butter Bars before you make them. And make them you will.
It all starts with a cake mix. Yep. The 80’s version of Gooey Butter Cake lives loud and proud in these bars…
Make your simple cake mix base…1 egg + 1/2 cup of melted butter + yellow cake mix.
The mix up a quick cookie dough. Don’t even bother washing your mixer in between layers.
Then spread that dough all up on the base…
To about 1/2 inch from the edge…
Then mix your topping up.. it’s cream cheese, a few eggs, some brown sugar, powdered sugar and vanilla. Simple dimple.
Spread it all over…
And then bake it.
When I baked it I placed my 9×13 on a cookie sheet.
Also, note that when I make these I normally line my 9×13 with foil and spray that… I forgot to do it when I was baking the batch I took process shots of.
When it’s baked and cooled and chilled dust it with powdered sugar to make it purty…
And then OMGeat.
You guys are gonna love me for this one.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Gooey Butter Bars
Print Recipe
PinDescription:
makes 30 squares
Ingredients:
Base
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 egg
Cookie Dough Filling
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Top Layer
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325°
Base
- Line 9×13 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- In bowl of stand mixer combine cake mix, egg and melted butter until a thick dough forms.
- Press this into your prepared pan.
Cookie Dough Filling
- Cream butter and sugar together until combined. Add milk and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Beat in salt and flour until dough forms. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Spread the cookie dough on top of cake base to about 1/2 inch from the edge.
Top layer
- In bowl of stand mixer beat cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth. Add in eggs and vanilla, mixing until combined and smooth, scraping sides as needed.
- Beat in powdered sugar until there are no lumps.
- Pour this over the cookie dough layer.
- Place 9×13 pan on top of a cookie sheet and place in oven on middle rack. Bake foe 30-35 minutes until edges are light golden brown and center is almost set. It will be little “jiggly”.
- Allow to cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes and then transfer to the refrigerator to chill completely, at least 2 hours.
- When chilled dust with powdered sugar and cut into squares.
Notes:
store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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Hi! I’m Shelly and I’m an addict. Of the buttercream sort. I started this site a few years ago as a way to justify my sugary, buttery obsession with desserts. It has worked out well for me so far, because as it turns out you guys all love sugary, buttery desserts too! It feels good to know you're not alone, doesn’t it?
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Does this need to stay chilled? Or can i leave this out at work for a company party? People will be coming and going all day. Pleaae let me know this looks delish!
You can certainly chill it, but I like it best at room temp and it will be totally fine sitting on a latter for the day!
Hi! I was wondering if you could make these a day in advance and store in the fridge!
What could sub for the cream
Cheese in the
Topping? I don’t/can’t do cream cheese but everything else
About this looks incredible!
What could I sub for the cream cheese in the frosting? I don’t/can’t do cream cheese but everything else about this looks incredible
You’ve done a lot of fun spins off of the traditional Gooey Butter Cake bars…at the risk of sounding Plain Jane, do you have a go-to recipe for just plain Gooey Butter Cake bars? I’ve searched your site, and have just come up with all the spin-offs (which have been fun to look at!), but wanting to try my hand at the original and felt you’d be a good source. 🙂 I’ve seen some variations out there…some with 2 eggs in the crust, some with 1, some with butter in the cream cheese topping, some without, some with only powdered sugar, some with brown sugar too…any thoughts? Thanks!
This recipe… http://cookiesandcups.com/white-chocolate-butter-bars/
is about as close I get to traditional 🙂 You can EASILY omit the white chocolate chips and have a plain Gooey Butter Cake Bar 🙂
Thank you!
When you print out the recipe, it doesn’t have the pan size or the temperature. I found the pan size in the body text, but still don’t see the baking temperature. And I’m ready to put them in! :0(
So strange! The temperature is listed in the recipe so weird it isn’t printing out. It’s 325°
Hi. Any way to substitute something else for the cream cheese? It does not agree with me! Thank you.
can you use any chocolate chip cookie recipe?
★★★★★
sure, you could sub in your own.
Gooey Butter Cake…A St. Louis tradition! Created by accident, but by far one of the most amazing desserts around! You should try the cookies, too. My kids grab them as I take them off the cookie sheet. I’ve been known to smack fingers in order to get just one cookie!
★★★★★
Would these cookies keep if they were mailed to someone?
It would depend on how long they will be in transit. I would say no more than 3 days.
I was wondering…for the cake layer,is it half a stick of butter (as stated in pics) or half a cup of butter (as stated in recipe)? I can’t wait to make this!
Good catch!! It’s 1/2 cup, which is a whole stick! I changed that typo in the text..thanks for letting me know!!
Oh. No. You. Didn’t!!!
O.m.g! Those sound absolutely AMAZING! I’m allergic to chocolate but a white, butterscotch or cinnamon chip would probably work, dont you think? Pinning this recipe in my cookie and gluten free boards. I will have to try to convert it for myself unless someone else wants to do it for me? 😉
I made these delicious things last night. They took longer than I thought but they are so worth it! Dense, gooey deliciousness! I did cut back on the sugar by almost half and it’s perfect for me. It all depends on preference. These are wonderful, thank you!
Ummm first off, I love the The Flying Monkey Bakery in Reading Terminal!!! Every time we got to Philly we have to go there so I can indulge! Second off, this is such a tease to a pregnant woman who craves all things chocolate chip cookie dough!
These look amazing! Is there anything I could use instead of the yellow cake mix? A sponge mix from scratch, maybe? We don’t get yellow cake mix in the UK and I really have to make these!!!
I’m literally dying over this…trying to figure out if I can make this for lunch today…haha. Making it soon!!
Wow, just wow!
These look over-the-top delicious! Gooey bars and cookie dough?!
What a great combo! I love the looks of this and can’t wait to find a reason to bake!
Shelly,
I love these bars and you’re right I’m going to make them. Sugar coma here I come. Pinned.
Annamaria
For the longest time, Gooey butter cake was a staple at our Christmas Dessert table – love this twist, Ashley, with cookie dough in the middle!
I’m just curious…can you use a different cake mix…other than yellow? P.S. Thank you for all the sinful recipes. Love your blog!
Wow! These look amazing! The photos are fabulous.
Yah, these are amazing 🙂 Gotta have them!
These are ridiculous! But, in a good way.
Like, wow. This is FABULOUS. I’d eat until my teeth fall out, but it would be worth it. #ilovecookiedough #andgooeybars
Yes, please, with a huge glass of milk!
Shelly this is my DREAM BAR! So many layers of textures and flavors. I love yellow cake and with the gooey factor and then the choc chip cookie dough..omg. So good! pinned!
Oh my I think you really out did yourself…..my sweet tooth is thanking you 🙂
So gooey and lovely! I can’t wait to make a big pan of these!
Oh man this looks amazing. Cookie dough on anything is better but on gooey butter bars. I will take 20.
Can I email you my address and you send me some? 😉
YUM!
Shelly, you are a dessert genius. A dessert goddess! I really want to be your neighbor and help you eat these fantastic treats! xo
I can’t possibly express how bad I want to sink my teeth into these bars right now. They look perfect!
Holy crap I really need to make these, they look outstanding!