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Best Cake Mix Cookies Recipe – Use your favorite box of cake mix to bake up the most soft and tender cookies. These cake batter cookies are easy to make with just 3 ingredients … or 4, if you want to include a tasty topping like chocolate chips, nuts, or sprinkles!
Why We Love Cake Batter Cookies
Want a quick and easy baking project with very little measuring? Make this wonderful cake mix cookie recipe!
You can use any flavor of a standard-size 15-ounce boxed cake mix to make amazingly soft chewy cookies. Today we are making treats with our top three flavors: Strawberry, Funfetti, and Butter Pecan cake mixes. Then add 2 eggs and just the right amount of melted butter!
That’s right… You can use your favorite pantry boxed cake mixes to make brilliant cookies in all sorts of dazzling flavors with 3 simple ingredients and an optional topping!
Best Boxed Cake Mixes and Toppings for Cookies
You technically only need 3 ingredients to make this cake mix cookie recipe. However, I like to include a topping (or mix-in) to give the cookies a little extra something. (Who doesn’t love that?)
Here we pair funfetti cookies with sprinkles, butter pecan mix with chopped pecans on top, and strawberry cake batter cookies with crushed freeze-fried strawberries on top. You can coordinate your topping based on the flavor of cake mix you choose!
These are a few other cookie flavors and toppings combination ideas you might consider:
- Chocolate cake with mini chocolate chips
- Vanilla cake mix or confetti cake mix with colorful sprinkles
- Spice cake or nut-flavored cookies with chopped nuts
- Red velvet cake mix cookies with white chocolate chips
- Lemon cake mix cookies with coconut flakes or white chips
- Devil’s food cake with dark chocolate chips or peanut butter chips
3 Ingredients You Need
- Box cake mix – any flavor
- Eggs – room temperature is best
- Butter – unsalted, melted
Plus toppings – your choice of optional goodies like chocolate chips, nuts, and sprinkles
How to Make Cake Mix Cookies
Set out a large bowl. Dump the cake mix in the bowl. Add the eggs and melted butter.
Stir to combine, and mix until very smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F and set out two baking sheets. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper.
If you plan to use a topping for your cookie, prep the topping and place it in a small bowl.
Get the Complete (Printable) Cake Mix Cookies Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Once the dough has chilled and is slightly more firm, use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough.
Roll each portion into a tight dough ball. Then press the top of the ball into the prepared topping, and set it on the cookie sheet, topping side up. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
Place the cookies on the cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden and the centers look barely under-baked.
Remove from oven promptly. Cool for a minute or two, then add toppings while the cookies are still very warm. (This only goes for toppings you might not want to bake in the oven like freeze-dried strawberries or dried fruit. Otherwise, add the toppings before baking.)
Allow the cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheets before moving.
Recipe Tips
- Although 15-ounce is the standard size for cake mix boxes, some varieties come in approximately 13-ounces. If this is the case, simply remove 1 tablespoon of butter and make as directed.
- Do not over-mix the cake mix cookie batter. Stir the ingredients just until combined to keep them soft and tender.
- Chill the dough before scooping and baking. Chilling helps the buttery to re-solidify, and keeps it from melting out when baked. It also makes the dough easier to handle.
- Most toppings should be added BEFORE the cookies go in the oven. But with dehydrated fruit, the fruit pieces will brown significantly in the oven, so it’s best to sprinkle them on after the cookies have baked. This also goes for dried fruit like raisin and cranberries.
- If adding toppings after baking, add toppings while the cookies are warm on the baking sheet. If they cool too much, the toppings won’t be able to stick to the treats.
Variations
- Use any brand of gluten-free boxed cake mix to easily make these GF-friendly cookies.
- Likewise, you can use a zero-sugar variety of box mix.
- Want the delicious tender texture of cake mix cookies and have a few extra minutes on your hands? Make this cookie recipe with homemade cake mix! Our scratch-made strawberry cake and vanilla cake mixes are always a hit.
- I like to use melted butter in the recipe but you can use vegetable oil as well. Melted butter creates a better overall cookie flavor, but it does tend to make the cookies slightly more puffy. If you like thinner cookies, use vegetable oil instead.
- Mix things up and opt for a cookie frosting or glaze instead of chopped toppings or sprinkles. Try our scrumptious homemade orange frosting, peppermint frosting, strawberry cream cheese frosting, or jazzy funfetti frosting! For glazes, you’ll love a vibrant lime glaze, lemon glaze, or classic chocolate glaze.
- Toppings are totally optional. Feel free to leave them off for a more simple – but still super tasty – 3 ingredient recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between cookie and cake batter?
Regular cookies are made with a thick cookie dough that includes flour, baking soda, sugar, oil/butter, and eggs. Cake batter is typically much thinner and pourable as it is made with milk. Cake batter also includes baking soda and baking powder, which creates a fluffy crumb.
Why are my cake mix cookies flat?
If they look “melted” it’s likely due to the butter being too soft when the cookies were put in the oven. Take the time to chill the dough completely in the fridge before scooping it onto the baking sheet.
How do you store homemade cookies?
Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
I suggest freezing for longer storage. Place the cookies in an airtight zipper bag, with pieces of parchment or wax paper in between stacks to keep them from sticking together. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Looking for More Sweet and Easy Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Pecan Upside Down Cake
- Strawberry Brownies with Chocolate Frosting
- Caramel Apple Dump Cake
- Strawberry-Colada Jello Poke Cake
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Cake Mix Cookies (4 Ingredients) Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Chill Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
Use your favorite boxed cake mix to bake up soft and tender cookies. This cake batter cookies recipe is easy to make with just 4 ingredients including a tasty topping like chocolate chips, nuts, or sprinkles!
Servings: 18 cookies
Ingredients
US Customary – Metric
- 15 ounce box cake mix any flavor
- 2 large eggs
- 7 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil
- ½ cup toppings chocolate chips, chopped nuts, sprinkles
Instructions
Set out a mixing bowl. Dump the cake mix in the bowl. Add the eggs and melted butter. Stir to combine, and mix until very smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to firm up the dough.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F and set out two baking sheets. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper.
If you plan to use a topping for your cookie, prep the topping and place in a small bowl.
Once the dough has chilled and is slightly more firm, use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough. Roll each portion into a tight dough ball. Then press the top of the ball into the prepared topping, and set it on the cookie sheet, topping side up. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough. (This goes for all toppings other than dehydrated or dried fruit. Save those for after baking.)
Place the cookies on the cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden and the centers look barely under-baked. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheets before moving.
Notes
- Although 15-ounce is the standard size for cake mix boxes, some varieties come in approximately 13-ounces. If this is the case, simply remove 1 tablespoon of butter and make as directed.
- Also note, I like to use melted butter in the recipe but you can use vegetable oil as well. Melted butter creates a better overall cookie flavor, but it does tend to make the cookies slightly more puffy. If you like thinner cookies, use vegetable oil instead.
- I like to include a topping to give the cookies a little extra something. You can coordinate your topping based on the type of cake mix you select… Such as mini chocolate chips for a chocolate cake mix, colored sprinkles for vanilla cake mix or confetti cake mix, chopped nuts for a spice cake or nut-flavored cake mix, etc.
- Here I even use dehydrated strawberries for a strawberry cake mix. However, you do need to pay attention to the topping, whether it should be put on before baking or after baking. Most toppings should be added BEFORE the cookies go in the oven. But with dehydrated fruit, the fruit pieces will brown significantly in the oven, so it’s best to sprinkle them on after the cookies have baked.
- Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. I suggest freezing for longer storage. Place the cookies in a airtight zipper bag, with pieces of parchment or wax paper in between stacks to keep them from sticking together. Freeze for up to 3 months.
*Note: Nutritional Information is calculated using vanilla cake mix, and without toppings. This information is provided only as an estimate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pc, Calories: 134kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 206mg, Potassium: 23mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 162IU, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Sommer Collier
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