Cake Mix Cookies 12 Ways – So many varieties, you’ll want to try them all! 4 ingredients, 20 minutes, and you can have soft, delicious cookies. Video Included.
I do love to cook from scratch, but sometimes you need a little help from the store to make something super easy! A cake mix is a great way to do that. So grab that cake mix and try these Cake Mix Cookies, then try my Funfetti Pancakes, Dump Cake Recipe, or Coconut and Pistachio Pudding Cake!
The Easiest Cookie Recipe
These Cake Mix Cookies have become one of those go-to recipes for years now for when I want/need cookies, but am feeling a bit lazy. Seriously – only 4 ingredients and 20 minutes, and you have your cookies. And let’s not lie – sometimes you just need a pink strawberry cookie.
I love these cookies because not only are they super easy and super fast, but when it comes to flavor combinations, the sky is the limit! You can use any flavor of cake mix that you want, then choose your add-in. Chocolate chips, candy pieces, nuts, coconut, toffee… go crazy!! After the recipe card below, I have included 12 different flavors you can turn these cookies into. This is really just a jumping off point, though – there are so many great combinations you could make!
What You’ll Need
This is the easiest cookie recipe ever – technically all you need are 3 ingredients, but I like to throw the 4th one in to add some variety.
Cake Mix – I have found that brand doesn’t matter here. You just need the dry cake mix – not the ingredients it calls for on the back.
Vegetable Oil – I like using vegetable oil for the softest cookies.
Eggs – You’ll need 2 eggs. I haven’t tried any substitutions, but others have used Greek yogurt or applesauce in place of the eggs.
Mix-Ins – This is where you can have fun! Use chocolate chips or sprinkles or nuts or candy pieces. It’s really fun to play around with different kinds of mix-ins to see what kind of flavor combinations you can come up with!
Tips and Tricks
- Different flavors of cake mixes act differently. The strawberry cake mix always makes thicker cookies for me, while yellow cake mixes will spread out more. I tried refrigerating dough to see if that would help with the cookies that spread more, but it didn’t make a huge difference. The mix in that you choose could make a difference, as well.
- I know that different brands of cake mixes are different sizes. I tried these with different sizes – from 15.25 oz to 18.25 oz and found that you don’t need to alter any ingredients for different brands of cake mixes.
- I always use vegetable oil, but I know others have had success using melted butter instead.
- These cookies stay soft for several days. Store in an airtight container.
- No mixer is needed! I used a hand mixer in the video, but you can easily make these with just a spoon or a spatula.
Check Out These Other Cake Mix Cookies
Banana Split Cake Mix Cookies
Watermelon Cake Mix Cookie Sandwiches
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Cake Mix Cookies
- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 16 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
Cake Mix Cookies 12 Ways – So many varieties, you’ll want to try them all! 4 ingredients, 20 minutes, and you can have soft, delicious cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 cake mix* (dry ingredients only)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup mix ins (such as chocolate chips, coconut, nuts, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper.
- In a bowl, mix together the cake mix, vegetable oil and eggs until combined. Stir in the mix ins.
- Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Bake just until the cookies are set in the middle, 10-12 minutes.
- Cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a cooling rack or a sheet of waxed paper.
Recipe Notes:
*I have used different cake mix sizes from 15.25 oz to 18.25 oz and they all seem to work just fine. You won’t need to adapt the other ingredients.
Mix ins can be whatever you want to mix into the cookies – coconut, chocolate chips, chopped candy bars, etc. The possibilities are endless!
Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide. Nutrition information is for cookies prepared with strawberry cake mix and coconut as the mix in.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 183
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 244 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 23 g
Keywords: Cake mix cookies, cake cookies, cake batter cookies, cake mix cookie recipe, how to make cookies from cake mix
12 Different Ways to Make Cake Mix Cookies
Here are some of my favorite flavor combinations!
Strawberry Cake Mix with Shredded Coconut
Butter Pecan Cake Mix with Butterscotch Chips
Chocolate Cake Mix with Andes Mints
Chocolate Cake Mix with Pecans and Coconut
Chocolate Cake Mix with Chopped Peanut Butter Cups
Lemon Cake Mix with White Chocolate Chips
Yellow Cake Mix with Toffee Chips
White Cake Mix with Mini M&Ms
Cherry Chip Cake Mix with Mini Chocolate Chips
Carrot Cake Mix with Coconut
Spice Cake Mix with Pecans
Red Velvet Cake Mix with White Chocolate Chips
Silver says
Found this recipe and feel like I hit the mother lode! Make different mixes and everyone thinks I have worked so hard. All wanting the recipes. This is a 10+ recipe
Jean Roberts says
I made devil’s food cake with mini marshmallows added at the final minute of baking. …really good! I also made vanilla bean cake with crushed peppermint added at the final minute of baking. I may add fine sugar/sugar sand to make them more “holiday”. Family liked them both!
Barbara Dockery says
An easy make. Taste just like making from scratch.
★★★★★
Amy Sciortino says
Great recipe. I made lemon with white chocolate chips and chocolate fudge with coconut and butterscotch chips!
★★★★★
Wendy J. says
Hi Deborah, I make cake box cookies every year, different flavors and add ins. Last year I put the dough in the fridge for about 1/2 hr, they turned our way better.
Mary says
I used your recipe and added my own twist I made Mint chip cookies for Christmas I colored them Red and some Green ones.
★★★★★
Patricia Goodall says
Needed to make a batch of cookies in a hurry to take to a friend. Was surprised they were that good. I used a chocolate cake mix, substituted butter for oil, and added 3/4 cup of chocolate chips instead of the recommended 1/2 cup.
★★★★
Flora says
I love this quick and easy. I’ve made vanilla and chocolate ones. I’m going to try and make snickerdoodles with the yellow cake.
★★★★★
Cindy says
I Love your recipes ❤️❤️❤️
★★★★★
Patty says
Can I use 1/2 cup butter instead of oil for a buttery taste?
Deborah says
I’m sure that would work just fine!
Patty says
Tried the lemon but swapped butter for oil, delicious. Next time I’m trying applesauce that I didn’t have this time.
Cynthia says
I never heard of using cake mix to make cookies but I’m glad I found this recipe. I made chocolate chip cookies today, they tasted like a hybrid between brownies and cookies. Fast, easy and delicious recipe. Will definitely do it again.
★★★★★
Shawna says
I’ve made three different batches already!! I love the simplicity and more so the flavoring. Thank you for sharing!!!
★★★★★
Julie says
Would this work with gluten free cake mix too?
Deborah says
I haven’t tried it, so I can’t say for sure. Sorry!
Bonnie Matthews says
It does work with gluten free cake mixes also. That is what I usually use because my granddaughter needs to eat gluten free.
Barb Alvarez says
If you use butter instead of oil, how much do you use?
Deborah says
You would use the same amount – 1/2 cup (which is 1 regular sized stick of butter).
Judy says
I love this idea, would strawberry jam folded in strawberry cake be a good mix! Maybe slivered almonds too?
★★★★★
Johnathan Stel says
This recipe deserves money.
★★★★★
Johnathan Stel says
This recipe is amazing for gatherings and parties!
★★★★★
Sandy K says
It’s impossible to find sugar-free cookies around here that don’t cost a fortune, so we used your recipe with a box of sugar-free cake mix. Success!! They were approved even by the non-diabetics in the house. Thanks so much!
Marybeth says
Leah and Deborah just found this wonderful site and saw the questions on how many cups are in a cake mix for cake mix cookies … I have not measured but if you dump cake mix into dry measuring cups you will have your answer !!! And thank you Deborah … I am so excited to have found site …. its absolutely fabulous !!!!
Margaret Cann says
Love all these cookies
Samnjan says
So nice and easy to make, especially for a rush.
★★★★★
Marilyn says
I’ve made this recipe for many years for my girls and now for my grands. Once I made a batch of Red Velvet cookies for my grands…they were coming to spend the day. I was letting them cool on the counter and when I came back to check them…our fur baby was able to reach the parchment paper…pulled them down on the floor and ate all but 6. Puppies like them too!