This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
You’re not surprised I made another gooey bar, are you? No? Good. Because this lemon version is my favorite gooey bar EVER. Lemon Gooey Bars – this EASY cake mix recipe uses lemon cake mix to form the bar that’s filled with a gooey white chocolate filling! EVERYONE loves these!
Hi, my name is Dorothy and I have a gooey bar addiction.
I have about 3,453 versions on this site. Chocolate, Funfetti, Peanut Butter, Pumpkin, and the list goes on. Okay, so not quite 3,453…but if you could see inside my head, you’d know I wasn’t exaggerating…much. (Check out all my gooey bar recipes here!)
They are my favorite bar for so many reasons:
1. They’re so easy to make. Cake mix, butter, egg, and sweetened condensed milk. DONE.
2. They’re infallible. Pretty much you can’t mess these up, I promise.
3. They taste amazing. Like cake…but gooey and bar-like.
4. There are so many different flavor combos it’s mind boggling.
Maybe I should change my name to Crazy for Gooey Bars.
Right now? I’m crazy for lemon gooey bars.
I first made these last June for my sister-in-law’s birthday. She looooooves lemon. I always make her some sort of lemon dessert for holidays and celebrations.
I broke the food blogger cardinal rule last June when I made them: I didn’t photograph them. It was a last minute bake and there was no time to cut and take pictures.
(There is only one hard and fast rule about gooey bars: they need to chill and set before you cut them. I KNOW. It’s hard, but if you want pretty bars, you gotta do it. Or, just attack the warm pan with a fork. Whatevs.)
I finally re-made them at Christmas. I made a lot of things at Christmas and when asked what her favorite was, my SIL said “THOSE LEMON BARS!”
I figured it was time to share!
Okay, so let’s rundown the gooey bar in case you’ve never made them.
- Cake mix + egg + butter forms a thick dough. Don’t use the box directions. Just use the cake mix powder and follow my directions.
- Press about 2/3 of the batter into a pan. You don’t have to use foil, but I highly recommend it for this recipe. Sweetened condensed milk is sticky. Spray it well with cooking spray.
- Add whatever mix-ins you like. White chocolate + lemon is amazing, but coconut would also be fab in these.
- You break up the remaining chunks of dough and place it on top of the bars. I like to break off about 1/2-1 tablespoon size pieces and drop them over the top, then lightly press with my hands. Some of the SCM will show through.
Once they’re baked, cool and chill to set, then cut into bars. These freeze well, as long as they are in a single layer. They’ll stick to each other and whatever you put in between the layers.
But if you have any left to freeze I kind of don’t understand you. How is that even possible? Are you related to my husband?
These are my favorite gooey bars yet. Lemon goodness, people!
If you love gooey bars, be sure to check out all my favorites here, especially my funfetti gooey bars and chocolate chip cookie gooey bars. Or check out key lime gooey bars, Strawberry Gooey Butter Cake Bars, or Ooey Gooey Chocolate Chip Toffee Gooey Bars.
Lemon Gooey Bars
Ingredients
- 1 box lemon cake mix
- 1/2 cup butter 1 stick, softened
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9x9 baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Mix butter with a mixer (hand or stand) until smooth. Mix in cake mix and egg; beat until combined. Note: if you use a hand mixer it will take a long time to come together. Just keep on mixing until you get a thick cookie dough.
- Press 2/3 of the cake mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle white chocolate chips over the top and drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the top of the chocolate. Break up the remaining dough and crumble it over the top of the bars. Press lightly to seal.
- Bake for 28-33 minutes, until slightly browned. Cool completely before cutting.
- Note: you can do this in a 9x13 pan by using the whole can (14 oz) of sweetened condensed milk and 2 cups of white chocolate chips, but the bars will be thinner. Baking time will also need to be adjusted.
Click here to see the complete list of Lemon Recipes!
Sweets from friends:
Chocolate Chip Gooey Bars by Pillsbury
Peppermint Patty Gooey Cake Bars by Inside BruCrew Life
Better than Anything Caramel Stuffed Brownies by Something Swanky
Lemon White Chocolate Gooey Bars by Life, Love, and Sugar
Last Updated on May 13, 2020
How long do you think these would keep? I made them last night to bring into work for our birthday celebration, but it got rescheduled to Thursday! As this is my first time making them, I’m not totally sure about their lifespan. Of course everything is best fresh, but I’m being asked about whether they might make it a few more days.
Thanks so much!
If you put them in a resealable container or ziploc and put them in the fridge they’ll last until Thursday for sure!! I also freeze them with success. 🙂
Hi. I’m not sure if I can get cake mix, can you do it with just a basic cake recipe – flour, sugar, eggs and butter?
Thanks
I’ve never tried it without a cake mix. It’s on my list of to-dos! The batter needs to be thicker than a cake batter; like a thick cookie dough. My friend Amanda has a yellow cake mix recipe, you may be able to sub that for the cake mix! http://iambaker.net/homemade-yellow-cake-mix/
Sweet-tooth as I am, I love your recipes. They look delicious especially the brownies. I am a fan of desserts and would love to try these lemon bars. Thanks for sharing
Enjoy! These are some of my favorites!
I just found your site and I am in love! You have so many amazing recipes!! Believe or not I have never made gooey bars before but will be asap! Thanks so much!!
Welcome Heidi!! And thank you. Enjoy!
I had an orange cake mix and used that – and the combination of orange and white chocolate is very good! I’ll have to try it with lemon sometime… Thanks.
That’s a great idea!! Thank you for telling me!
I’ve made these tonight and I have to say OMG!!! The recipe was so simple to follow and I can’t believe how great they taste!!! Thanks so much for this recipe!!
I’m so glad you liked them!!!! 🙂
What is the best way to store these and for how long?
They’ll last in a sealed container for about 4 days on the counter (or in the fridge; either is fine). If you freeze them, do it in a single layer because they are semi-sticky on top and can stick to each other (or the paper you put in between). 🙂
I’m from Canada and I wanted to check the size of the cake mix that you use please. Not sure if US boxed cake mix and Canadian are the same (or close) Thanks, I’m making the pumpkin gooey bars first 🙂
They are about 18-19 ounces!! 🙂
I love a chewy bar. I love a lemon bar. So, I will definitely love these lemon gooey bars! I live in the land of gooey butter cake (St. Louis) but your quick and easy short cut variations are the best, Dorothy! Question: Do you store these at room temperature or in the fridge?
Hi Dorothy,
These look fab! I live in The Netherlands and haven found lemon cake mix here. Could you tell me what to replace it with….. The amounts of flour, baking powder and lemon?
Many thanks
I’ve never made gooey bars without cake mix, I’m sorry. Do you have regular white or yellow or vanilla cake mix? You can use that, and then add some extra lemon zest and some lemon extract to make it more lemony in flavor!
Featured In
Rate This Recipe