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Pumpkin Gooey Butter Bars

Pumpkin gooey butter bars with a buttery yellow cake mix crust and a slightly jiggly pumpkin cream cheese filling. Baked until set at the edges and finished with a heavy powdered sugar dusting for classic gooey squares.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 24 bars
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 extra powdered sugar for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prep pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 baking pan with a thin, even coating so the bars release cleanly.
Make the cake mix crust
  1. Combine the yellow cake mix, melted unsalted butter, and egg, stirring just until a thick dough forms.
  2. Press the crust firmly into the bottom of the pan so it forms an even, compact layer.
Make the gooey pumpkin filling
  1. Beat the cream cheese until smooth, scraping the sides as needed to remove lumps.
  2. Add the pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla extract, then beat until fully combined.
  3. Beat in the second batch of melted unsalted butter until the filling looks glossy and uniform.
  4. Add the powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon, then beat until smooth and thick enough to pour.
Bake and finish
  1. Pour the gooey filling over the crust and spread it to the corners.
  2. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350F, until the edges are set but the center is slightly jiggly—do not overbake.
  3. Cool completely on a rack before cutting to keep the gooey texture intact.
  4. Dust heavily with extra powdered sugar, then cut into bars.

Notes

For clean slices, cool completely (at least 2 hours) so the center can set to that controlled jiggle. Store airtight in the refrigerator up to 5 days; freezer yes—freeze bars up to 2 months and thaw in the fridge. For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese and reduce powdered sugar by about 1/4 cup while keeping the texture stable.