Lemon Coconut Cranberry Cake Mix Cookie Bars

a stack of lemon cake mix white chocolate cookie bars on a white countertop.

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Lemon Coconut Cranberry Cake Mix Cookie Bars

These Lemon Cake Mix Cookie Bars are soft, gooey layered bars with a lemon cookie base, sliced almonds, dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and a creamy cream cheese–condensed milk layer topped with toasted coconut. These easy lemon cake mix bars are bright, tangy, and rich like a cross between lemon bars and classic 7-layer bars.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 277kcal

Author: Cara Lanz

Ingredients

1 box lemon cake mix 13.25 or 15.25 oz.
1 large egg
1 stick butter, softened it should be squishy-soft
½ cup sliced almonds toasted for best flavor
½ cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
2 cups sweetened coconut

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 pan with foil or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the lemon cake mix, soft butter, and egg on low to medium speed until a thick, soft dough forms.
Break the dough into pieces and lay them in the pan. Gently press them into an even layer. Don't pack it too firmly, or the crust may become hard.
Sprinkle the almonds, dried cranberries, and white chocolate chips on top of the lemon cookie base.
In a mixing bowl, whip the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the condensed milk and mix until combined. Pour the cream cheese mixture in an even layer over the toppings.
Add the coconut on top of the cream cheese layer. Gently press the coconut into the filling with a fork or clean hands to help it adhere.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until the coconut is lightly toasted. Do not overbake. Mine were perfectly baked through and gooey at 30 minutes.
If desired, briefly toast the coconut under the broiler for an additional 1-2 minutes, but WATCH CLOSELY. Not recommended if your pan is lined with parchment paper.
Cool the bars at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Chill in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours or overnight until firm. Cut into squares. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.

Notes

Line the pan with foil so the bars lift out easily, and you can broil the coconut, if preferred (parchment can burn).
Soften the butter until you can press your finger through it. It should be squishy.
Use room temperature cream cheese so there are no lumps in the condensed milk layer.
Gently press the dough into the pan. Pressing too firmly can make the crust tough.
Don’t overbake. The center should look set but still soft for gooey layers. Bake until the coconut is lightly toasted with an internal temperature of 175-195.

Nutrition