Neiman Marcus Bars (AKA Gooey Butter Bars)
Enjoy a delicious bite of Neiman Marcus Bars, otherwise known as St. Louis gooey butter cake! They have crispy edges, and they are flat and sticky in the center, and delicious all over! Each bite has a surprise taste of “almond” which makes this recipe unique and wonderful!
I recently enjoyed a Neiman Marcus Bar years ago at a game day party! It reminded me of my trip to St. Louis when I was a young adult, and my Aunt Ellen made these bars for dessert. They’re actually similar to Chess Bars, or blondies, or ooey gooey bars, if you’ve ever tried them. By the way, a little bit of trivia, Neiman Marcus bars are not sold by Neiman Marcus (the store that originated in 1907 in Dallas). The name just plays on the department store (being luxoreous and extravagant).
Why I love gooey butter bars!
Since we’re hosting Super Bowl this year, we are making a 9×13 pan of these delicious bites, along with some other chocolate desserts, of course. I love this recipe because everyone loves them – they are quickly devoured and a great party dessert! Oh, and these amazing S’mores Bars, too!
The bars are a mix between a blondie bar and cheesecake square but gooey and have a shiny crispy top like a brownie. This is the perfect dessert for sharing with family and friends! Sometimes you just need a quick, easy, and amazing dessert–and this is it.
Love a butter cake? Gather these ingredients!
- Cream cheese – yes you can also use light cream cheese
- Unsalted butter
- Box of yellow cake mix (15.25 ounce)
- Eggs
- Powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract
How do you make Neiman Marcus bars special?
My secret to these bars is to not over-cook them, because the gooier the better! Also, to follow the recipe and remove the entire cooked bars (just pull out the parchment paper) before you cut them. Place on a cutting board, and then cut into 24 pieces. You can see how we did it here.
Follow the easy instructions!
- Make sure the cream cheese is nice and soft (print off the recipe).
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the pan with parchment paper, so you can remove the bars easy when they are done.
- Add the melted butter to 1 box of yellow cake mix and the eggs. Beat and transfer the thick batter to the pan, spreading evenly.
- You can use the same bowl (no need to get a clean one). Add the cream cheese, eggs, powdered sugar, and vanilla and almond extract. Beat and pour the mixture on top of the cake batter, spreading evenly.
- Bake: The edges will be golden brown, and the center might be slightly jiggly when the pan is removed.
- Cool the bars for 2 hours.
Special tips?
- Don’t skimp on the almond extract – it really makes this recipe pop! Of course if you don’t like almond, you can double up on the vanilla extract.
- Don’t over cook the bars.
- Yes, if you have another flavor of cake mix, you can use it. It won’t be quite the same, but give it a try and come up with your own flavor of bars!
- Can you freeze gooey butter bars? Yes – cut them first, and then place in airtight package or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Great to pull out of the oven for game day or special occasions.
Serving
When ready to serve, run a knife around the edges of the bars to loosen. Remove the whole pan of bars by holding the edges of the parchment paper and removing the slab onto a cutting board.
Cut into 24 pieces. It’s optional to sprinkle more powdered sugar on top before serving.
For game day, serve with chili, this salad, and this game day board!
More small bite desserts you may want to try while you are here:
Get the Recipe:
Neiman Marcus Bars (AKA Gooey Butter Bars)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 box 15.25 ounce yellow cake mix
- 4 large eggs, divided
- 1 pound powdered sugar, about 4 cups
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Pull cream cheese from the fridge and set on the counter until softened. TIP: Or, you can place the cream cheese in a small microwave-safe bowl, and microwave in 15-second bursts until very soft, about 30 to 60 seconds.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with a sheet of parchment paper, making sure it is long enough to hang over the sides by at least 1 inch. [This will allow you to remove the bars easy when they are done.]
- Place butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and heat until melted, about , about 45 seconds. TIP: Or, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, but allow to slightly cool.
- Add 1 box yellow cake mix and 2 of the remaining eggs to the melted butter. Beat with a hand mixer or a stand mixer until smooth, for about a minute. Transfer the thick batter to the 9×13 pan, spreading evenly.
- To the same bowl, add the cream cheese, 2 eggs, powdered sugar, and vanilla and almond extract. Beat on medium-low speed until smooth, scraping down the sides, until combined. Pour the mixture over the top of the cake batter, spreading evenly.
- Bake the bars for 35-40 minutes, until the edges are golden brown, and remove from the oven. It’s okay if the center is slightly jiggly when the pan is removed. The bars will continue to slightly cook. TIP: Place on a wire rack and allow to cool for 2 hours.
Serving:
- When ready to serve, run a knife around the edges of the bars to loosen. Remove the whole pan of bars by holding the edges of the parchment paper and removing the slab onto a cutting board. Cut into 24 pieces.
- Optional to sprinkle more powdered sugar on top before serving.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
