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Turn a basic strawberry cake mix into melt-in-your-mouth Strawberry White Chocolate Gooey Bars that'll quickly become your go-to sweet treat. With their soft, chewy texture, these bars blend the fruity strawberry base with smooth white chocolate chips and rich sweetened condensed milk, hitting that sweet spot between fudgy brownie and gooey delight.
When I baked these for my kid's school fundraiser, they vanished before anything else on the table. Everyone gets drawn in by their pretty pink color and the amazing smell that fills your home while they're baking.
Essential Ingredients
- Strawberry cake mix: Forms your pink base that looks and tastes amazing. Grab a good brand for better flavor
- Unsalted butter: Make sure it's soft and sitting out before you start mixing
- Large egg: Keeps everything stuck together and makes the bars richer
- White chocolate chips: Add sweet creaminess and nice texture differences
- Sweetened condensed milk: Gives you that sticky, gooey magic and golden top
Baking Instructions
- Get Ready:
- Set your oven to 350°F and put parchment in your pan with extra hanging over the sides for easy lifting later.
- Butter Work:
- Beat your softened butter until it's fluffy and light colored, taking about 2 minutes.
- Dough Making:
- Mix in your cake mix and egg with the whipped butter until you've got thick dough you can shape.
- First Layer:
- Push half your dough flat across the bottom of your lined pan, making sure it reaches every corner.
- Chip Sprinkling:
- Scatter white chocolate chips all over your dough layer so they're evenly spread out.
- Milk Pouring:
- Drizzle your sweetened condensed milk slowly across the chips, covering about 60% of the surface area.
- Top Layer:
- Drop small pieces of your leftover dough on top, creating a patchy look that lets the gooey center show through.
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In our house, everyone fights over the white chocolate chips. My little one always hunts for pieces with extra chips, swearing they're the tastiest parts of the whole batch.
Tasty Companions
These sweet treats taste even better with some fresh strawberries on the side and a big glass of cold milk. They're also great on dessert trays or packed into holiday gift boxes.
Tasty Twists
Try using milk chocolate chips instead for a chocolate-dipped strawberry flavor. You can also switch up the cake mix to vanilla or chocolate if you want something different.
Storage Suggestions
Keep your bars in a sealed container at room temp for up to 5 days. Put wax paper between layers so they don't stick together.
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Making these bars has turned into one of my favorite baking habits. There's something special about turning a few simple things into something so rich and yummy. I love watching people's faces light up when they take that first bite - makes all the effort worthwhile.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I switch to regular condensed milk?
- Absolutely! Regular sweetened condensed milk works just as well here. The fat-free option is just a lighter alternative.
- → Why wait so long for it to cool?
- Cooling for 2–3 hours (or overnight) is key. This time lets the condensed milk firm up, making the bars easier to slice.
- → Is freezing these bars okay?
- Yep, they freeze great for up to 3 months. Just make sure they're in an airtight container and thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
- → What can I do if the dough won’t stick?
- If it’s crumbly, keep mixing until it’s thick and sticky. Soft butter really helps with this step.
- → What’s with the foil in the pan?
- Foil lining makes cleanup easier and lets you lift the sticky bars out of the pan without fuss.