Strawberry White Chocolate Gooey Bars Recipe
These Strawberry White Chocolate Gooey Bars combine a moist strawberry cake base with luscious white chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk for an irresistibly gooey and indulgent treat. Perfect for dessert lovers who enjoy a soft, chewy texture and rich strawberry flavor with a creamy white chocolate twist.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 27 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 37 minutes (including cooling time)
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (very soft)
- one 15.25-ounce box strawberry cake mix
- 1 large egg
Filling & Topping
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- about 60% of one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (about 8 ounces, fat-free recommended)
Instructions
- Prepare the Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil to make cleanup easier. Spray the foil with cooking spray and set aside.
- Mix Butter: Place the very soft unsalted butter in a large bowl and beat it using a handheld electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add Cake Mix and Egg: Add the strawberry cake mix and one large egg to the butter. Beat on low speed until the mixture forms a thick dough, transitioning from pea-sized crumbles to a tacky consistency.
- Create the Base Layer: Take about half to two-thirds of the dough and press it evenly into the prepared pan to form a smooth base layer. Use a spatula or your hands sprayed with cooking spray to ease the spreading. Keep the remaining dough aside.
- Add White Chocolate Chips: Evenly sprinkle 1 cup of white chocolate chips over the base layer.
- Drizzle Sweetened Condensed Milk: Drizzle approximately 8 ounces (about 60% of a 14-ounce can) of sweetened condensed milk evenly over the chocolate chips layer.
- Top with Remaining Dough: Break up the remaining dough into roughly 1-inch pieces and place them scattered over the sweetened condensed milk layer. Lightly press the pieces down. It’s fine if the dough doesn’t entirely cover this layer.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 27 to 30 minutes, or until the edges are set and have turned light golden brown. The center should be mostly set but can still be slightly jiggly.
- Cool and Set: Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for at least 2 to 3 hours, or ideally overnight, until the bars have firmed up enough to cut neatly.
Notes
- Using aluminum foil to line the pan greatly simplifies cleanup and helps remove the bars easily.
- Make sure the butter is very soft before mixing for easier incorporation with the cake mix.
- The dough is very thick; patience when beating is key to developing the right texture.
- Do not worry if the top dough layer doesn’t completely cover the filling; this is expected for gooey bars.
- Allow ample cooling time to ensure the bars firm up and slice cleanly.
- Fat-free sweetened condensed milk can be used to reduce fat content.
Keywords: strawberry bars, white chocolate dessert, gooey bars, cake mix recipe, easy baked bars
