Chocolate cake mix bars

So rich and decadent! No one will believe how easy these are to make!

Ingredients:

1 chocolate cake mix

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter softened to room temperature

1 egg

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper & spray with cooking spray. Combine cake mix, butter, vanilla & egg in mixer bowl & beat until mix forms into thick dough.  Press 2/3 of the dough into the prepared baking pan (it will look like there isn't enough to cover the bottom, just keep working it into a thin even layer). Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of each type of chocolate chips. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top in a thin, even layer. Separate remaining dough into balls & evenly distribute over the top of the chocolate chips. Press down to flatten a bit. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Bake 27­ 30 minutes. Cool completely before slicing. 

No Bake Crunchy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients:

1 stick butter

1 C. peanut butter

2 C. crushed graham crackers (1 pack or 9 graham crackers)

1 C. powdered sugar

2 C. chocolate chips

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Spray 9x13 pan.  In a saucepan, melt butter and peanut butter, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat and set aside.  In a large bowl, mix the crushed graham crackers and powdered sugar.  Once mixed, add the peanut butter and butter mix.  Stir.  Spread the mixture evenly into the pan. 

In a pot over medium-low heat, combine the chocolate chips and vegetable oil.  Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  Pour the chocolate over the peanut butter layer.  Cover the pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Cut bars and enjoy.  

Cake Mix Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup of Peanut Butter

1/2 cup water

1 large egg

15.25 ounces Yellow Cake Mix

For the frosting:

1 stick margarine (1/2 c.), softened

1/4 cup milk

1/­2 tsp vanilla (depending on your taste)

3 tablespoons of cocoa

2-­3 cups of powdered sugar

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Spray a 13 X 9­inch pan with no­stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl combine 1 cup of peanut butter, water and egg in large bowl, stirring until smooth.  Stir in cake mix until blended well. Spread into prepared pan.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and light golden brown. Cool completely.

Mix all frosting ingredients with a hand mixer until smooth. Add more powdered sugar or milk until you reach desired consistency and spread on top of bars. Or, if you’re feeling lazy, buy a can of whipped milk chocolate frosting. 

These bars were easy to throw together and smelled delicious coming out of the oven.  While they were very tasty, be warned that they are very “dense”.  I would cut them in small squares or be prepared to wash it down with a glass of milk. 

Mom's Delicious Pumpkin Bars

Review by Lyndee

Ingredients:

1 cup oil                      

2 cups flour

1 cup white sugar     

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup brown sugar    

1 tsp soda

4 eggs                           

1 tsp cinnamon

2 cups canned pumpkin            

1 tsp nutmeg

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese     

1 tsp vanilla

2 sticks butter                           

Approx. 3 cups powdered sugar

Mix in order given, sifting dry ingredients together first. Bake in 15 X 11-inch greased and floured pan at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

For cream cheese frosting: Soften and mix together cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and beat well. Spread on cooled bars. If you don’t feel like making the frosting, you can buy a container of cream cheese frosting at the grocery store.  

Rolo bars

Review by Lyndee:

Ingredients:

1 box (18.25 oz) yellow, vanilla or white cake mix, dry

5 oz evaporated milk

1/4 cup butter, melted

40 Rolo Candies, unwrapped and cut in half

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.  With your mixer, beat cake mix, evaporated milk and butter until combined. Mixture will be thick and sticky. Divide batter in half and press 1 half into the bottom of the pan. Bake until just set, approximately 8-9 minutes. Remove base from oven and place Rolo candies, caramel-side down on top. Drop remaining batter on top of Rolos in teaspoon sized amounts. Bake for 24-26 minutes longer until top begins to golden. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

These were easy to make.  Cutting up the Rolo’s is a little annoying but was definitely worth it. Do not overcook your first bake when you are trying to set the crust! It’s going to continue baking after you put on your Rolo’s and the rest of the batter.  These went over well at the fundraiser and were a nice sweet treat.  

Lazy cake cookie bars

Review by Lyndee:

It was a crazy, busy week with lots of travel, tragedy and heartbreak.  But the bright spot of my weekend was a visit from an old friend that I adore.  She was coming Saturday afternoon and I wanted to make a dessert to have on hand, but didn’t want to spend all afternoon doing it. So I found this recipe and gave it a try.

Ingredients:

1 box yellow or white cake mix (I used yellow)

2 eggs beaten

5 T melted butter

2 C M&M’s or mini chocolate chips (I used regular size chocolate chips)

Mix all ingredients together.  Put in a greased 9×13 pan and bake at 350 for 20 min or until golden brown.  Cut and serve once cool. 

These were definitely easy to make and tasted pretty good for as little effort as they took.  You can never go wrong with chocolate chip cookie bars.  

Payday Bars

Review by Rachael:

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) jar – dry roasted peanuts

3 tablespoons margarine

1 bag peanut butter chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions:

 Grease 9 x 13 pan.  Pour ½ of the peanuts on bottom of pan.  Melt margarine and chips. Add milk and then marshmallows (do not melt marshmallows). Pour over peanuts, pat down. Put on rest of peanuts, pat down. Chill

These bars were so easy to make!! Only 5 ingredients, no baking and took me a total of 5 minutes to put it all together. I am not a fan of marshmallows, so I didn’t try one but I was told they were good. I will definitely make these again!! (maybe minus the marshmallows!)

Weight Watchers Cheesecake Squares (5 points)

Review by Lyndee:

Makes 16 squares

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (I used low fat)

3/4 cup M&M or Smarties candies

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

1 egg

1/3 cup margarine (I used butter)

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar, granulated

1/3 cup sugar, brown packed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Beat the margarine and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the walnuts and flour; mix well.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture; press the remaining crumb mixture into bottom of an 8″ square pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Combine the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla; using an electric mixer, mix at medium speed until well blended.  Add the egg; mix well.  Layer 1/2 cup of the Smarties or M&M candies over the crust; top with the cream cheese mixture.  Combine the remaining candy and reserved crumb mixture; mix well.  Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the cream cheese mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.  Let cool completely before serving.

WW POINTS for one square: 5

Nutritional information for one square: 217 calories, 13.6g fat, 0.7g fiber

These are really delicious! I did not use the walnuts and I opted for butter and low fat cream cheese.  Easy to make and came out tasting great.  You could use any variation of the M&M’s. I think dark chocolate or peanut butter would be amazing!