Cake Mix Cookies

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You’re just one boxed mix away from having Cake Mix Cookies for dessert! Dotted with colorful sprinkles, these festive cookies are perfect for any occasion. Mix and match all your favorite cake flavors with fun add-in ingredients!

If you love easy cookies, give our favorite Chocolate Covered Oreos a try. Decorate for any holiday or birthday! Readers LOVE our delicious Snickerdoodle recipe too!

Cake mix cookies stacked on top of each other.
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Why Use Cake Mix

Even the most rule-abiding among us need to break the rules sometimes. I admit to not having much of a rebellious streak. . .but I did feel the teeniest bit like a rebel when I used a cake mix to make cookies.

The cake mix in this cookie recipe works wonders. It makes them soft, sweet and even easier to make than your average drop cookie. I also love how pretty they look without the mess or hassle of frosting.

  • There are so many fun ways you could customize your Cake Mix cookies! From swapping the sprinkles to trying different flavors of cake mix, these cookies are adaptable, easy and always a hit.
  • One bowl for cookie dough. Fewer dishes to wash = more time to devote to eating cookies.

Stock up on a few extra boxes so you give our Cool Whip Cookies a try next. Only four ingredients, they’re lighter in texture than the traditional cake mix cookie.

Ingredients

Ingredients needed to make cake mix cookies.

Cake Mix Cookies are designed to be versatile! You can substitute ingredients and customize them for any craving or occasion.

  • Cake mix – This recipe uses a basic white cake mix. Try different cake mixes to change up the flavor. Chocolate cake mix would create scrumptious double chocolate chip cookies! A yellow cake mix would work too if you don’t mind the yellow color as opposed to white. Red velvet cake mix cookies are also incredible!
  • Sprinkles – You can use any kind of sprinkles you like in these cookies, or leave them out altogether. I used Christmas colors for a holiday theme. Use rainbow sprinkles for a funfetti look, red and pink for Valentine’s Day or swap your school’s colors for a graduation party. The possibilities are endless.
  • Chocolate chips – Try peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch morsels or any other variety of chocolate chip instead to swap out the flavors. If you’re not feeling the chocolate at all, they can be omitted. I, personally, will never pass up an opportunity to add chocolate to my desserts!
  • Almond extract – Because the white cake mix already has plenty of vanilla flavor, I used almond extract to highlight the taste of the chocolate. You could swap it for more vanilla if you don’t have almond or prefer not to use it.

How to Make Cake Mix Cookies

Step by step photos showing how to make cookie dough cookies and bake.

Mix. First, you need a box of cake mix (duh). Any white cake mix in a box will do perfectly! You’ll also need some egg whites, flour, almond extract and oil.

Mix everything together in a bowl, then fold in chocolate chips and sprinkles.

Shape. Use your cookie scoop to drop balls of the dough onto a baking sheet, flatten them slightly with your hands then add MORE sprinkles and chocolate chips on top.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. They will look a little under done and doughy but don’t worry. The cookies continue to set as they cool.

I like to leave mine on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Cake mix cookies on a cooling rack.

More Tips and Tricks

  • These cookies are easy enough for the kids to help make. They’ll love helping you pick out which sprinkles to use, scooping the cookies on to the baking sheet and adding extra sprinkles on top.
  • I find that less is more with the sprinkles here, though, so be sure to monitor the kids to make sure they don’t overload the cookies with jimmies. Too many will overwhelm the cookies and could create a sticky mess on your baking sheet.
  • Did you notice that this recipe happens to be dairy free? To be sure these are safe for your dairy allergic and lactose intolerant friends, just double check that your cake mix is dairy free (most brands are!).
  • Try this delicious Cheesecake Cookie recipe next time you want to take your cake mix to the next level. So soft and fluffy!
  • Use cake mix to create gooey cake mix brownies!
  • Freeze Cookies. Use my tips on how to freeze cookie dough for later.

Recipe FAQs

How do you store cake mix cookies?

Store baked cookies in airtight container at room temperature.

How long do cake mix cookies last?

Cake mix cookies stay soft and chewy if stored properly, for up to one week.

Can you freeze cake mix cookies?

Yes. Store cooled cookies in a freezer safe airtight container or ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Thaw on counter overnight (in container).

  • White Cake Mix + Chocolate Chips and Sprinkles
  • Chocolate Cake Mix + Peanut Butter Chips
  • White Cake Mix + M&Ms
  • Chocolate Cake Mix + Sprinkles
  • Red Velvet Cake Mix + M&Ms (white chocolate chips would be great too)
  • Chocolate Cake Mix + Holiday Candy
  • Lemon Cake Mix + White Chocolate chips
  • Spice Cake Mix + Cinnamon cchips
  • White Cake Mix + Chocolate Chips and Holiday Sprinkles (below)
Stack of four christmas cookies on a baking sheet with wire rack.

More Easy Cookies

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Cake Mix Cookies

5 from 5 votes
By: Aimee
You're just one boxed mix away from having Cake Mix Cookies for dessert! Dotted with colorful sprinkles, these festive cookies are perfect for any occasion. Mix and match all your favorite cake flavors with fun add-in ingredients!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies

Ingredients 

  • 1 box white cake mix
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoons almond extract
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup sprinkles any kind
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Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix with egg whites, flour, almond extract, and vegetable oil. Mix until well blended.
  • Add in chocolate chips and sprinkles.
  • Using a medium cookie scoop, drop cookie dough onto baking sheet, two inches apart. Press down slightly and if desired, add extra chips or sprinkles to the top of the cookie.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, cookie will set as at cools.
  • Store in airtight container for up to one week, or freeze for up to three months.

Notes

  • STORAGE: Store baked cookies in airtight container at room temperature. Cake mix cookies stay soft and chewy if stored properly, for up to one week. Store cooled cookies in a freezer safe airtight container or ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Thaw on counter overnight (in container).
  • Most cake mixes are no longer 18-ounce boxes, they are now 15 ounce. To make up for that, we added 2 Tablespoons of flour to our cookie dough!
  • If using any other flavor cake mix (other than white, feel free to use the WHOLE eggs.

Nutrition

Calories: 106kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Sodium: 19mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

Save time and effort by using cake mix in your cookies this baking season! No one will ever know you bent the rules to make them. Cake Mix Cookies are a tasty and festive addition to your Christmas Cookie trays!

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About Aimee

Aimee is a dessert lover (specifically rice krispie treats), workout enthusiast, self-taught foodie, and recipe creator.

Learn more about Aimee.

Affiliate Disclosure:**There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love! Thank you for supporting Shugary Sweets! See my disclosure policy for more info**

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Posted on January 21, 2022

Comments & Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    Soooooooo yummy! Soooooooo easy!
    I am of the not so very young anymore (74) and I still work 2 jobs. I’m ALWAYS looking for fast, easy, delicious. These are perfect and have so many adaptations. Just made them with maple extract and walnuts. Made a homemade maple glaze.

  2. 5 stars
    Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!

  3. I’ve been making cake mix cookies for years and what a blessing to have found the recipe. So simple and so many ways to change it up. My recipe is even simpler, 1 cake mix, 1 cube butter, 2 eggs. My family seems to like the lemon cookies best, although lemon cake mix is sometimes hard to find. I drizzle a powdered sugar glaze over the top of each one.

  4. I just made these, delicious!!! I can’t wait to bring them to my Daughters tomorrow. Thank you Aimee for a simple but scrumptious cookie.

5 from 5 votes

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