Can’t Leave Alone Bars: Easy Cake Mix Cookie Recipe (2024)

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Recipe adapted from QuickCooking magazine, January/February 2001 (now Simple & Delicious magazine)

Can’t Leave Alone Bars (also known as Can’t Get Enough Bars)is a simple, easy cookie recipe that was first published in Quick Cooking magazinein 2001.

The bar cookies are true to their name – people cannot eat just one and leavethem alone – and their popularity caught on quickly.

When made for a gathering,potluck, party, or just dessert, these bar cookies are the first to go.The recipe is constructed in 3 layers, with the bottom andtop layers made of the same mixture – and a cake mix at that. The middle layer,made of melted chocolate, is poured over the crust.

Different cookie elves construct the top layer differentways. Some drop spoonfuls of the mixture on top of the smooth middle chocolatelayer. This creates hardened lumps on the cookie surface and may propel you toover bake the bars. Other cookie elves sprinkle the remaining mixture over thechocolate, which creates a crumbly texture.

The Elf advises against both those approaches. Instead, thebest method is to flatten teaspoonfuls of cookie dough between your hands and arrangethem across the surface to fit together, allowing chocolate to peek through.This creates an even top layer, which lets bars bake uniformly.

Prep time: 15-20 minutes

Bake time: 20-25 minutes

Makes about 3 dozen bars

Ingredients

1 package white cake mix (regular size), any brand

2 eggs

1/3 cup canola oil

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporatedmilk)

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup butter or margarine, cubed

Directions for Can’t Leave Alone Bars

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13 x 9 baking pan with foil.Spray foil lightly with vegetable spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, and oil with alarge spoon (or with an electric mixer on low speed) until just well blended.Press half to two-thirds of the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Setremaining cake mixture aside.
  • In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the sweetened condensedmilk, chocolate chips, and butter. Microwave uncovered for 30-45 seconds. Stir.Repeat until chips and butter are melted and mixture is smooth. Pour chocolatemixture over crust.
  • Take a teaspoonful ofremaining cake mixture and flatten it between your hands. Lay flattened doughon top of chocolate layer. Repeat with remaining cake mixture, arrangingflattened dough pieces across the chocolate surface. Chocolate will be visiblein gaps between pieces of dough.
  • Bake bars 20-25 minutes. Do not over bake or bar surfacewill become hard.
  • Cool bars completely on a wire rack. Lift foil ends toremove bars from the pan. Cut bars into 7 x 5 rows or other size depending onyour preference.
  • Store bars in an airtight container with waxed paper betweenlayers.

Can't Leave Alone Bars with sprinkles (right)

Special Baking Tips forCan’t Leave Alone Bars

You can vary Can’t Leave Alone Bars by making a chocolateversion, using a chocolate cake mix and butterscotch chips, or a strawberryversion, using a strawberry cake mix and white chocolate chips.

Adapt the bars to any holiday by sprinkling the top layer,before baking, with colored decos, nonpareils, or sprinkles that areappropriate for that season.

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Can’t Leave Alone Bars: Easy Cake Mix Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can’t Leave Alone Bars: Easy Cake Mix Cookie Recipe? ›

First, to clarify, the main difference between evaporated milk and condensed milk is that the latter is sweetened and can't often take the place of milk or water in a 1:1 ratio. If you wish to use sweetened condensed milk in your cake mix, diluting this concentrated milk with 50% water is recommended.

Can you substitute condensed milk for water in cake mix? ›

First, to clarify, the main difference between evaporated milk and condensed milk is that the latter is sweetened and can't often take the place of milk or water in a 1:1 ratio. If you wish to use sweetened condensed milk in your cake mix, diluting this concentrated milk with 50% water is recommended.

How do you know when bar cookies are done? ›

For cake-like bars, test with a wooden pick inserted at the center of the pan. If it comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, the cookies are done. Chewy (moister) bars will have a dull, rather than shiny, surface; a slight imprint will remain after touching the surface lightly with your fingertip.

Can I substitute sour cream for oil in a cake mix? ›

Mayonnaise, the least likely of the bunch, actually gives the closest result to having used oil, and it retains the flavors of your cake or whatever baked good you are creating very well! Yogurt and sour cream also work in a pinch, but do change the flavor profile a tad.

What can I substitute in a box cake mix? ›

2. Add Milk, Coffee, or Soda. Boxed cakes often call for water, but swapping it out for equal amounts of milk, coffee, or even soda will give you a moister, more tender, and flavorful cake. For white cake mix, you can use whole milk or your favorite non-dairy milk.

What does condensed milk do in baking? ›

Underrated but definitely not underused, sweetened condensed milk is as much of a backbone in classic baking as sugar is. The thick syrup contributes both the sweetness of sugar and the benefits of milk without adding too much liquid since condensing milk removes moisture and concentrates the natural sugars.

Can I use evaporated milk instead of water in cake mix? ›

Evaporated milk will work, but if you use condensed milk, you'll need to decrease the amount of sugar you use.

What is the secret to soft chewy cookies? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

Why are my cookie bars not done in the middle? ›

If the edges burn and the center is undone, it means the heat didn't have enough time to reach the relatively cool center before the edge was too hot. The temperature gradient depends on the amount of heat from your oven and the size of your cookie - and to some degree on the thermal properties of your cookie sheet.

What does adding mayo to cake mix do? ›

It's more convenient and less time consuming than making cakes from scratch. The mayonnaise in this cake makes it really moist. You cannot tell the mayonnaise is in it. Since mayonnaise is made with eggs and oil, there is no need to add oil to this recipe and it uses less eggs.

What does adding sour cream to cake mix do? ›

Sour cream is one of the fattiest dairy products; the extra fat content (for example, adding sour cream to a cake instead of milk) will make the cake moister and richer, says Wilk. "Fat, in any form (butter, lard, cream, etc.) shortens gluten strands, which essentially leads to the most tender baked goods," she adds.

Does butter or oil make a cake more moist? ›

Texture:Cakes made with oil tend to be moister and have a more tender crumb. Oil coats the flour proteins better than butter, resulting in a softer texture. Cakes made with butter can have a richer flavor and a slightly firmer texture. Butter contributes to a more traditional and dense cake structure.

Should you beat eggs before adding to cake mix? ›

Martina says, “Late in the mixing stage, eggs will incorporate better if you lightly beat them before adding to the batter.

Do bakeries use boxed cake mixes? ›

Most bakeries do NOT bake from scratch. In fact, I once worked at a bakery that actually claimed to be a “scratch bakery”, but all their cakes started with a Duncan Hines cake mix, the same kind you buy in the grocery store.

What does sour cream replace in box cake mix? ›

Yes, sour cream can be added to cake mix as an ingredient to add moisture and flavor to the cake. It is often used as a substitute for buttermilk or yogurt in cake recipes. The ratio of sour cream to cake mix will vary depending on the recipe, but a common ratio is 1 cup of sour cream to 1 box of cake mix.

Can I add condensed milk to box cake mix for cake? ›

Sweetened condensed milk can be added directly to your cake mix in moderation or used as a delicious frosting alternative.

How do I substitute condensed milk in a cake? ›

Yes, you can use evaporated milk as a substitute for condensed milk in a chocolate cake recipe. However, keep in mind that condensed milk is sweetened, so you might need to adjust the amount of sugar in the recipe to maintain the desired level of sweetness.

What can you substitute for water in a cake mix? ›

Replace the Water

The average cake mix calls for the most boring of liquids: water. Instead of using water, substitute whole milk or your favorite non-dairy milk (almond, oat, and coconut milk work especially well). The milk adds fat, which results in a better flavor and density in your cake.

Can I replace milk with condensed milk in cake? ›

You would need to multiply the amount of milk by about 1.7 to get the amount of sweetened condensed milk, and then deduct 40% of that (by weight) from the sugar in your recipe (you can assume that sugar is 7 ounces to the cup).

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