- Recipes
- Desserts
- Cookies
Patty Catalano
Patty CatalanoFood Editor
Patty is the Food Editor at The Kitchn, where she develops all of your favorite recipes and writes about her most beloved grocery finds. Previously, she worked as Alton Brown’s Research Coordinator and podcast producer and in the Oxmoor House test kitchen. She loves maple syrup, coffee and board games. Patty lives in Atlanta with her husband and two children.
updated Nov 21, 2019
christmas
Be the first to leave a review!
Easy 4-ingredient cookies — like gooey butter, chocolate crinkle, and red velvet — that all start with a box of cake mix.
Makes18 cookiesPrep15 minutesCook10 minutesJump to Recipe
Jump to Recipe
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Welcome to Snapshot Cooking, the home of Kitchn’s easiest recipes. These mini recipes are so simple you can practically cook from the before-and-after snapshot itself.
\When you think of shortcut cookies, do you find yourself staring at shelves of chilled cookie dough? While a log of dough is certainly tempting, there’s a better option just a few aisles away. Whether you need freshly-baked cookies for bake sales, cookie swaps, birthday parties, or after-school snacks, head to the baking aisle and grab a box of cake mix.
Sometimes it’s okay to take shortcuts in the kitchen so you don’t miss the moments that really matter. Crank up the oven, tie aprons on the kids, and enjoy the time spent baking together without worrying about starting from scratch.
It takes just three ingredients and a few simple steps to transform a box of cake mix into chewy, tender cookies. Plus, you can skip the messy measuring and jump straight to the fun part: stirring, scooping, and rolling (which kids love!).
5 Snapshot Recipes for Cake Mix Cookies
- The ingredients: You’ll need 1 (15.25-ounce) box of cake mix, 2 large eggs, and 1/2 cup vegetable oil for each recipe plus one bonus ingredient (cream cheese, sprinkles, white chocolate chips, or powdered sugar, depending on the recipe). Each recipe yields 18 cookies.
- The smart tip: Sift the cake mix through a fine-mesh strainer to remove lumps and aerate the dry ingredients, resulting in cookies that taste homemade.
- Bake time: Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Cookies should be set and you may see slight browning where the cookies meet the pan.
Gooey Butter Cookies
Beat 2 eggs, 8 ounces softened cream cheese, and 1/2 cup vegetable oil with an electric hand mixer. Sift 1 (15.25-ounce) box of yellow cake mix into the wet ingredients; stir until a dough forms. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon portions. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, or until set.
Funfetti Cookies
Whisk together 2 eggs and 1/2 cup vegetable oil. Sift 1 (15.25-ounce) box Funfetti cake mix into the wet ingredients (stir in any sprinkles left behind). Stir until a dough forms. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon portions and toss in a bowl filled with 1 cup rainbow sprinkles. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, or until set.
Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
Whisk together 2 eggs and 1/2 cup vegetable oil. Sift 1 (15.25-ounce) box chocolate cake mix into the wet ingredients; stir until a dough forms. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon portions and toss in a bowl filled with 1 cup powdered sugar until generously coated. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate for 20 minutes; re-roll in the sugar. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, or until set.
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Whisk together 2 eggs and 1/2 cup vegetable oil. Sift 1 (15.25-ounce) box lemon cake mix into the wet ingredients; stir until a dough forms. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon portions and toss in a bowl filled with 1 cup powdered sugar until generously coated. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate for 20 minutes; re-roll in the sugar. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, or until set.
Red Velvet Cookies
Whisk together 2 eggs and 1/2 cup vegetable oil. Sift 1 (15.25-ounce) box red velvet cake mix into the wet ingredients; stir until a dough forms. Stir in 1 cup white chocolate chips. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon portions. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, or until set.
Cake Mix Cookies
Easy 4-ingredient cookies — like gooey butter, chocolate crinkle, and red velvet — that all start with a box of cake mix.
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes
Makes 18 cookies
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 large
eggs
- 1/2 cup
vegetable oil
- 1 (15.25-ounce) package
cake mix, such as red velvet, lemon, yellow, Funfetti, or Devil's Food
- 1 cup
mix-ins (such as chocolate chips or candy pieces) or powdered sugar or sprinkles, for rolling
Instructions
Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Place the eggs and vegetable oil in a large bowl and whisk until combined. Use a fine-mesh strainer to sift the cake mix into the egg mixture to break up any large lumps. Using a spatula, stir until all of the dry ingredients are moistened and a dough forms. Add the chocolate chips, if using, and stir to combine.
Scoop the dough into 2 tablespoon portions. If making crinkle cookies, toss the balls in powdered sugar and refrigerate until chilled, about 20 minutes. If making Funfetti cookies, roll in sprinkles. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 1 inch between each cookie, about 12 cookies per baking sheet.
Bake until the cookies are set, about 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire cooling racks and cool completely.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Filed in:
baked goods
Baking
children
Chocolate
Cookie
Cooking with Kids
