This recipe comes from my great-grandmother's handwritten recipe card, dated 1976. I'm sharing it the same simple way she wrote it: an unfussy little pan of chewy cake-mix bars with chocolate chips and walnuts.
These old-fashioned chewy bars are the kind of recipe that makes me love vintage baking. One small box of golden yellow cake mix becomes a soft, chewy bar with brown sugar, corn syrup, chocolate chips, and chopped walnuts.
There is nothing fancy here—just one bowl, an 8-inch pan, and a family recipe worth keeping. You can find more old family favorites in my Vintage Recipes archive, including these vintage cherry coconut cookie bars.
Why You'll Love These Chewy Bars
- A real family recipe: This is preserved from my great-grandmother's handwritten card.
- Short and simple: Everything is blended in one bowl and spread into one pan.
- Classic vintage flavor: Yellow cake mix, brown sugar, chocolate chips, and walnuts make an old-fashioned chewy bar.
Ingredient Notes
Jiffy Golden Yellow Cake Mix: The original 1976 card calls for one package. Jiffy's box is 9 ounces, which is much smaller than most modern cake-mix boxes, so use the original size rather than substituting a full-size mix.
Corn syrup: One tablespoon helps give these bars their soft, chewy texture.
Chocolate chips and walnuts: The small amounts are just enough to add chocolate and crunch without overwhelming the bars.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula
- 8×8×2-inch baking pan
Tools I Use for This Recipe
Jiffy Golden Yellow Cake Mix
The exact 9-ounce style of cake mix named on Great-Grandma's recipe card.
Karo Light Corn Syrup
A suggested option for the tablespoon of corn syrup that helps keep the bars chewy.
USA Pan 8-Inch Square Pan
A suggested sturdy 8-inch pan matching the size written on the original card.
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How to Make Great-Grandma's Chewy Bars
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8×2-inch baking pan.
- Blend the cake mix, brown sugar, softened butter, corn syrup, chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, egg, and water until combined.
- Spread the thick batter evenly in the greased pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then cut into squares. The original card notes a yield of 2 dozen.
A Note About the Original Recipe
The handwritten card is dated 1976 and calls these simply “Chewy Bars.” I have kept the ingredients, pan size, oven temperature, baking time, and two-dozen yield as written. This is an heirloom recipe, so the goal is to preserve it—not modernize it.
The Original 1976 Recipe Card
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a full-size yellow cake mix?
The original recipe uses a 9-ounce Jiffy mix. A modern 13- to 15-ounce box would change the proportions, so I would not substitute it without retesting the recipe.
How should I store the bars?
Once cool, keep them in a covered container at room temperature for a few days.
Can I leave out the walnuts?
The walnuts are part of the original family formula. If you omit them for an allergy or preference, the result will no longer be exactly the same as Great-Grandma's recipe.
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Great-Grandma's Chewy Bars
Ingredients
- 1 package (9 ounces) Jiffy Golden Yellow Cake Mix
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon butter softened
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons water
Equipment
- 8×8×2-inch baking pan
- Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8×2-inch baking pan.
- Blend the cake mix, brown sugar, softened butter, corn syrup, chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, egg, and water until combined.
- Spread the thick batter evenly in the greased pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then cut into 24 squares.
Nutrition
Notes
- This recipe is preserved from Great-Grandma's handwritten card dated 1976.
- Use the original 9-ounce Jiffy cake mix. A modern 13- to 15-ounce box would change the proportions.
- The original card specifies an 8×8×2-inch pan, 350°F, 25–30 minutes, 10 minutes of cooling, and a yield of 2 dozen.
- Nutrition is estimated per bar using typical current products and will vary by brand and portion size.
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