Name: Easy Cake Mix Cookies
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 box (15 to 18 ounces cake mix (see variations for flavors)); 2 large eggs; 1/2 cup vegetable oil

These Cake Mix Cookies are my favorite sweet to bake up when I’m short on time. Mixing up a box of cake mix with just eggs and oil gives you two dozen soft, chewy cookies that taste like you actually spent time measuring things out. They’re ready to hit the cooling rack in under 15 minutes, making them a total lifesaver for those last-minute sugar emergencies!

Cooling rack with easy cake mix cookies variety

A Brilliant Shortcut for Busy Bakers

Hey friends! I hope you’ve been enjoying the Christmas season. I have been spending lots of time with my family, so not as much with Southern Plate. I know y’all are busy with family as well and neither one of us would have it any other way! Still, I am looking forward to slowing down and connecting with y’all more once the holidays are over.

Today I’m sharing some of my favorite cookies when I want to make up a treat but am limited on time (and don’t want the mess). There are endless variations and we each have a favorite. Brady loves the chocolate chocolate chip, Katy the red velvet, and Ricky and I are very partial to the strawberry. If you came to one of my book signings for my latest book, Sweetness, and had a cookie (or two), it was this recipe.

These would be an easy addition to your cookie trays, and yet another blessing to others, this Christmas! Of course, Sweetness would also be a great gift. It’s a book of memories, love, blessings, and recipes written in honor of and dedicated to my grandparents. Click here to see it on Amazon and purchase it for around $10.

Also, make sure to check out this list of my favorite muffin recipes!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Cake mix
Large eggs
Vegetable oil

Variations of Easy Cake Mix Cookies

Red Velvet Cookies: Use red velvet cake mix and stir in 1 cup white chocolate morsels after mixing.
Chocolate Chippers: Use chocolate cake mix and stir in 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels after mixing.
Strawberry Crinkles: use strawberry cake mix and stir in 1 cup white chocolate morsels after mixing. Roll the dough balls in confectioners’ sugar before placing on the baking sheets for a pretty snow-capped crinkle.
Butter Pecan Crinkles: Use butter pecan cake mix and stir in 1/2 to 1 cup pecan pieces after mixing. Roll the dough balls in confectioners’ sugar before placing them on the baking sheets.

How to Make Easy Cake Mix Cookies

1. Prep and Mix

Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine your cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil. Grab your electric mixer and beat it on medium speed for about 2 minutes. You’re looking for a thick, smooth dough that holds its shape!

2. Scoop and Roll

Form the dough into small balls, aiming for a size just slightly smaller than a golf ball. Place them on ungreased baking sheets. If you’re making the “crinkle” version, this is the part where you’d roll those balls in a bowl of powdered sugar before putting them on the pan.

3. Bake and Set

Slide them into the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Remember, we’re looking for just a hint of gold on the edges. Once they’re done, let them sit on the hot baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before moving them. This “carry-over” heat finishes the centers without drying them out.

4. Cool Completely

Move the cookies to a wire rack or just let them stay on the sheet until they are totally cool. This helps so they don’t break apart when you pick them up!

Storage and Freshness

These cookies stay soft for a surprisingly long time! Keep them in an airtight container or a simple zipper-seal bag at room temperature for up to a week. If you want to get ahead of the game, you can even freeze the baked cookies and just pull one out whenever the mood strikes.