Cake Mix Sugar Cookies
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These Cake Mix Sugar Cookies are about to become your new best friend. They start with a simple box of vanilla cake mix and transform into buttery, bakery‑style cookies with barely any effort. Perfect for last‑minute cravings, classroom treats, or those days when you want something sweet without committing to a full baking project.
If you love quick and easy cookie recipes, try my Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies and my Lemon Strawberry Crinkle Cookies.
Why this Cake Mix Cookie Recipe is a Keeper
These delicious cookies bake up with crisp edges, soft centers, and that classic sugar‑cookie flavor everyone loves. And because the dough comes together in minutes, you can go from mixing bowl to warm cookies faster than it takes to preheat the oven.
- Super Easy Recipe: Using cake mix means fewer ingredients and less measuring.
- Soft and Chewy: The cookies bake up tender with a soft center.
- Perfect for Beginners: A great recipe for new bakers or baking with kids because they are made with cake mix.
- Easy to Customize: Add sprinkles, powdered sugar or colored sugar for holidays and parties.
Why Are My Cake Mix Cookies Flat?
The dough is too warm. Cake mix dough is softer than traditional cookie dough. If it’s warm, the fat melts before the structure sets, and the cookies spread into pancakes. Chill the dough 20–30 minutes or pop the scooped dough into the freezer for 10 minutes.
What Reader’s Are Saying…
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“These cake mix cookies are so easy and delicious too! Perfect for busy days when you want a quick dessert.”
~ Raquel
Ingredient Notes for Easy Cookies from Cake Mix
Making the cookie dough takes only 5 easy ingredients to make these cookies. I have tried this recipe with many different varieties of cake mix, try lemon cake mix, chocolate cake mix etc.
This is an overview of key ingredients. Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- One Box of Cake Mix: One box of yellow cake mix forms the base of the cookie dough. It has all the dry ingredients you need.
- Eggs: Help bind the dough and create structure to the easy sugar cookies.
- Oil or Unsalted Butter: The melted butter adds moisture and softness to the cookies.
- Sugar or Sprinkles: Used for rolling the dough before baking.
Variations and Substitutions for Easy Cake Mix Cookies
You can use different cake mix to make these crinkle cookies. Add some vanilla extract for even more flavor.
➡️ Add Sprinkles: Roll dough in sprinkles for festive cookies. This easy cake mix sugar cookies are easy to switch up.
➡️ Try Different Cake Mix Flavors: Make cookies in a bunch of different flavors. Chocolate, white cake mix, funfetti, or lemon mixes create new cookie flavors.
➡️ Add Chocolate Chips: Stir in chocolate chips for extra sweetness. Experiment with flavors like peanut butter chips or butterscotch chips to the base recipe.
➡️ Make Sandwich Cookies: Add frosting between two cookies.
Kitchen Tools To Make Sugar Cookies Easier
You only need a few tools to make chewy cookies. These will help you make the best cake mix sugar cookies recipe. You will need measuring spoons and an electric mixer to make this delicious recipe.
- Cookie Scoop: Helps create evenly sized cookies for consistent baking of the cookie dough balls.
- Baking Sheet: A sturdy cookie sheet ensures even baking.
- Cooling Rack: Allows cookies to reston a rack to cool completely.
How to Make Box Cake Mix Cookies
Make soft, bakery-style sugar cookies in minutes using a box of cake mix. Simple ingredients, no chill time, perfect every time.
These are just highlights. Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine Cake Mix: In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix and flour. Add the eggs, oil, and sour cream, then combine the cake mix on medium speed until the dough is thick and well combined.
- Scoop and Flatten: Use a medium cookie scoop (or tablespoon) to roll one‑inch dough balls. Place on the prepared cookie sheet and gently flatten each one with the back of a sugar‑dipped spoon.
- Bake the Cookies and Cool: Bake for about 10 minutes, just until set (don’t let the bottoms brown). Cool on the pan for 1–2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Allow to cool completely before packaging them up.
Prep Ahead and Short Cut Tips for Easy Cake Mix Cookies
This is a really fast and easy recipe. However, you can use these tips to make them even better.
➡️ • Prepare Dough Early: Dough can be made several hours ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
➡️Freeze Dough Balls: Freeze prepared dough balls for quick baking later.
➡️ Bake in Batches: Prepare multiple trays for holiday baking.
Alternate Cooking Methods for Box Cake Mix Cookies
Make mini cookies or bake the sugar cookie dough in a large pan to make the sugar cookies into bars. Use your favorite cake mix with eggs and oil and make minis.
- Mini Cookies: Use smaller dough portions and reduce baking time to make a batch of cookies.
What Can I Add to My Cake Mix Sugar Cookie Dough?
The possibilities are endless. You can add chocolate coated candies, food coloring, chocolate chips or a buttercream icing to the chewy sugar cookies. Melt some white chocolate chips and drizzle on top of the prepared cookies.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers
- Storing: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Warm cookies in the microwave for about 10 seconds to refresh softness.
- Using Leftovers: Crumble leftover cookies over ice cream or yogurt for an easy dessert topping.
Expert Tips for Making Cake Mix Sugar Cookies
➡️ Do Not Over-bake: Cookies should look slightly soft in the center when removed from the oven.
➡️ Use a Cookie Scoop: This keeps cookies evenly sized for consistent baking.
➡️ Leave Space Between Cookies: Dough spreads slightly during baking.
➡️ Let Cookies Cool on the Pan: They will finish setting as they cool.
We Recommend You Try These
Sugar Cookies with Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 18 ounces Vanilla cake mix with pudding in the mix, 1 box
- ⅔ cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 Large Eggs
- ⅓ cup Canola Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Sour Cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together cake mix and flour. Add eggs, oil and sour cream and mix on medium speed until well blended. (batter should be stiff)
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Use a medium cookie scoop or Tablespoon to roll dough into approximately one inch balls and place on a cookie sheet.
- Press cookies down with the back of a spoon dipped in sugar to flatten cookies to about a half inch thick.
- Bake approximately ten minutes until just set. You don’t want the bottom of cookies to brown or you’ll end up with a crunchy cookie, not a soft one.
- Let cookies cool for a minute on the pan and then transfer to wire racks until completely cooled.
Christina’s Notes
- Add Chips: White chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips are all wonderful additions.
- Nuts: Add an unexpected crunch with crushed pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, etc.
- Variation tip: Color your cookies by adding a few drops of food coloring to the batter. Also, add a little of your favorite extract such as vanilla extract, mint extract or almond extract.
- Alternate cooking method tip: Bake your soft baked sugar cookies in the air fryer at 370 degrees for 4-6 minutes.
- Decorating: Make your own buttercream frosting, drizzle with melted chocolate or decorate the finished cookie with your favorite sprinkles.
- Sugar Cookie Bars: Make this easy sugar cookies recipe into bars.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, scroll up on the page.
These cookies were perfection. Thanks for the easy fail proof recipe.
These cake mix cookies are so easy and delicious too! Perfect for busy days when you want a quick dessert.
These cookies are so good! this recipe is going in my rotation!
If there were a million stars to rate this recipe I would give it a million stars. These cookies are soooooo delicious. They remind me of the Soft Batch sugar cookies that were out in the 80’s I think.
I’ve never had cookies like this. Soft as pillows and so easy. Not overly sweet, just right imo. Bake them for the time called for and you will not be disappointed.
I used white super moist cake mix from Betty Crocker. Might try other flavors in future.
I don’t really like to bake that often because most cookies turn out to flat but I will for sure make these many times.