Description
Easy Easter Cake Mix Cookie Bars loaded with pastel sprinkles, white chocolate chips, and candy-coated chocolates. These festive spring treats require just one bowl and bake in under 25 minutes for a crowd-pleasing dessert perfect for Easter celebrations!
Ingredients
Base Cookie Bar Batter
- 15.25 oz box yellow or white cake mix (Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker work great)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (1 stick)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure vanilla recommended)
Funfetti & Mix-Ins
- ½–1 cup rainbow sprinkles or pastel sprinkles (use pastel for Easter theme)
- ½ cup white chocolate chips or candy melts (Ghirardelli or Nestle)
- ½ cup pastel candy coated chocolates, optional (like pastel M&Ms)
Optional Icing (Sweet Finish)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 1–2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Additional sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides for easy removal, or lightly grease the pan with cooking spray or butter.
In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir with a wooden spoon or whisk until the mixture is smooth and well combined, about 1-2 minutes. The batter will be thick and slightly sticky.
Fold in the sprinkles, white chocolate chips or candy melts, and pastel candy coated chocolates (if using). Stir gently with a spatula to distribute evenly without over-mixing, which can cause sprinkles to bleed color into the batter.
Pour and spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Use a spatula to smooth the top and push batter into all corners. The layer will be thin—this is normal and creates the perfect cookie bar texture.
Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the edges are golden and set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Don’t overbake or bars will be dry rather than chewy.
Allow the cookie bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Cooling makes them easier to slice cleanly and prevents the icing from melting if you’re adding it.
In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk or heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Add more milk to thin or more powdered sugar to thicken as needed until you reach a drizzle consistency. Drizzle or spread the icing over the cooled bars using a spoon or piping bag. Add extra sprinkles on top before the icing sets (about 2-3 minutes).
Using the parchment overhang, lift the bars out of the pan onto a cutting board. Cut into 24 small bars (6 rows by 4 rows) or 12–16 larger squares depending on your preference. Wipe the knife between cuts for clean edges.
Notes
- Don’t overmix: Stirring too much can make bars tough and cause sprinkle colors to bleed throughout the batter
- Customize your mix-ins: Swap white chocolate for milk chocolate chips, add ½ cup shredded coconut, or use crushed Oreos
- Make them gluten-free: Use a gluten-free cake mix like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur
- Check early: Oven temperatures vary; start checking at 18 minutes to avoid overbaking
- Skip the icing prep: Use store-bought vanilla frosting thinned with 1 tablespoon of milk for instant drizzle
- Cutting trick: Use a plastic knife or dental floss to cut bars without dragging through the icing
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 135mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 25mg