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Pumpkin Gooey Butter Bars

Pumpkin gooey butter bars with a yellow cake mix crust and an impossibly gooey pumpkin cream cheese center. Baked until the middle is slightly jiggly, then cooled and dusted heavily with powdered sugar for classic bar-style slices.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 24 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For cake mix crust
  • 15.25 oz yellow cake mix
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 egg
For gooey pumpkin filling
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 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 extra powdered sugar for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and bake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 baking pan so the crust releases cleanly.
  2. Combine the yellow cake mix, melted butter, and egg until a thick dough forms, then press it firmly into the bottom of the pan for an even crust.
  3. Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla extract until fully combined and glossy.
  4. Beat in the melted butter, then add the powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon and mix until smooth and thick.
  5. Pour the gooey pumpkin filling over the crust and spread it into an even layer.
  6. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350F, until the center is slightly jiggly—do not overbake.
  7. Cool completely, then dust heavily with powdered sugar and cut into bars.

Notes

For clean, gooey squares, let the bars cool fully (and slice once the center is set enough to hold shape). Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days; freeze up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese and reduce the powdered sugar by about 25%—the texture stays gooey but slightly less sweet.