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Pumpkin Gooey Butter Bars

Pumpkin gooey butter bars with a firm yellow cake mix crust and an impossibly creamy pumpkin cream cheese center. Baked until the middle is slightly jiggly, then cooled and heavily dusted for a classic gooey finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For cake mix crust
  • 1 can (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 egg
For gooey pumpkin filling
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 powdered sugar extra for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prep
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 baking pan.
Make the cake mix crust
  1. Combine yellow cake mix, melted unsalted butter, and egg until a thick dough forms.
  2. Press the thick dough firmly into the bottom of the pan to form an even crust.
Make the gooey pumpkin filling
  1. Beat cream cheese until smooth.
  2. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla extract, then beat until fully combined.
  3. Beat in melted unsalted butter.
  4. Beat in powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon until smooth.
Bake and finish
  1. Pour the gooey pumpkin filling over the crust.
  2. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350F, until the center is slightly jiggly.
  3. Cool completely, then dust heavily with powdered sugar and cut into bars.

Notes

For clean bars, cool completely so the gooey center sets enough to slice. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze up to 2 months (wrap tightly). For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and replace half the butter with unsweetened applesauce for a slightly softer texture (still bake to the jiggle cue).