Frosted Strawberry Cake Mix Cookie Bars — Soft, chewy, and bursting with strawberry flavor!! The frosting and sprinkles make these easy, goof-proof bars taste even better! Perfect for parties and holidays!!
Strawberry Cookie Bars … From Cake Mix!
My daughter loves strawberry desserts and these strawberry cookie bars bars were an instant hit with her.
And anything with cream cheese frosting is automatically a head above the rest in my book.
The bars are incredibly easy to make because I used strawberry cake mix. Sometimes you need shortcuts and the cake mix gives the bars exactly the consistency I want. Soft, chewy, and ironically not cakey.
The sweet strawberry flavor pairs perfectly with the tangy vanilla cream cheese frosting. I love that the frosting layer is nearly as thick as the bars.
The bars are perfect for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, bridal and baby showers, and put me in the mood for spring and summer.
Ingredients in Strawberry Cake Mix Cookie Bars
If you’re looking for desserts ideas for strawberry cake mix, you have to make these cookie bars! For this recipe, you’ll need:
- Strawberry cake mix
- Unsalted butter
- Egg
- Cream cheese
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Sprinkles (optional)
How to Make Strawberry Cake Mix Cookie Bars
To make strawberry cookie bars from a cake mix, follow these basic instructions:
- To a large bowl, add the cake mix, butter, egg, and stir until all ingredients are combined. Dough will be thick.
- Turn dough out onto a foil-lined 9×13-inch pan. Press lightly with a spatula to create an even, flat layer.
- Bake until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no batter.
- Allow the bars to cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Make sure bars are completely cooled before frosting them or the frosting will melt!
What Box Cake Mix Should I Use?
Any boxed strawberry cake mix will work! I used Duncan Hines, but use your favorite brand.
Can I Use Gluten-Free Cake Mix?
Of course! Use your favorite brand.
Tips for Making Cookies Bars with Strawberry Cake Mix
You don’t mix up the cake mix as if you were making a cake. Instead, simply add one stick of butter and an egg before pressing the dough into a pan. It’ll be thick and dense, but the softer the butter is the easier the dough comes together.
If you don’t have the time or desire to make homemade frosting, go ahead and buy a tub of store-bought frosting. No judgement here!
Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. I’m comfortable storing items with cream cheese frosting at room temperature, but if you’re not, store in the fridge noting bars will be more prone to drying out in the fridge.
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Frosted Strawberry Cake Mix Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Bars
- one 15.25-ounce box strawberry cake mix (try Betty Crocker or Pillsbury, Duncan Hines
- ½ cup unsalted butter, very well softened
- 1 large egg
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (lite okay)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted if it’s particularly lumpy
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- sprinkles, optional and to taste
Instructions
Bars
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- To a large bowl (or to the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment), add the cake mix, butter, egg, and stir together by hand or beat with a handheld electric mixer on medium-high speed until all ingredients are combined. (Do not use the ingredients listed on the box or follow those directions because you are not making cake; use the ingredients and directions listed in my recipe.) Dough will be thick.
- Turn dough out into prepared pan using your fingertips or a spatula to help press it into corners. Press lightly with a spatula to create an even, flat layer. It’ll be on the thiner side.
- Bake for about 12 minutes, or until center is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no batter.
- Allow bars to cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Make sure bars are completely cooled before frosting them or the frosting will melt.
Frosting
- To the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment) add the cream cheese, butter, and beat with an electric mixer on high-speedy until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and beat until smooth and incorporated, about 2 minutes.
- Turn frosting out over bars and spread into a smooth, flat layer using a spatula or knife.
- Optionally add sprinkles, to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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