Cake Mix Cookie Recipes


Cake mix cookie recipes are one of the easiest ways for kids and beginner bakers to make homemade cookies quickly. With a boxed cake mix and just a few extra ingredients, kids can create soft cookies in many different flavors including chocolate, funfetti, lemon, spice cake, strawberry, birthday cake, pumpkin, and brownie mix cookies.

These shortcut cookies work well for beginner baking lessons, classroom cooking projects, holiday cookie trays, homeschool activities, family baking nights, and easy desserts kids can help make. Kids can also customize cake mix cookies with sprinkles, candy pieces, frosting, nuts, coconut, or chocolate chips to create endless cookie variations.

Cake mix cookie recipes for kids

Kids Cooking Activities Teaching Materials

Teaching kids to cook? Save time with ready-made lesson plans used by parents and teachers. Browse teaching materials →

This page may contain affiliate links. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

Start Here: Easy Cookies for Beginner Bakers

Cake mix cookies are perfect for beginner bakers because they use fewer ingredients, require simple measuring, and create soft cookies quickly. Younger kids can help stir ingredients, scoop cookie dough, decorate cookies, and add toppings while older kids can practice baking skills and recipe variations.

  • Great for first-time bakers
  • Easy holiday baking projects
  • Perfect for classrooms and groups
  • Fast desserts with simple ingredients
  • Easy cookie decorating ideas
  • Many flavor combinations to try

Easy Cake Mix Cookies

These simple cake mix cookies are soft, chewy, and easy for kids to help make using only a few ingredients.

Easy cake mix cookies
Print this recipe Buy recipe cards

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 8-10 minutes
Yield: About 24 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 box cake mix, any flavor
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix cake mix, eggs, and oil until combined.
  3. Roll dough into 1-inch balls.
  4. Place on greased cookie sheet.
  5. Bake 8-10 minutes until set.
  6. Cool before serving.

Optional: Roll dough in powdered sugar before baking or mix in candy pieces, chocolate chips, or sprinkles.

Cool Whip Cake Mix Cookies

These fluffy crackle-style cookies are fun for holidays and easy for kids to customize with different cake mix flavors and mix-ins.

Cool whip cake mix cookies
Print this recipe Buy recipe cards

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 8-10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 box cake mix, any flavor
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups Cool Whip
  • Powdered sugar
  • Chocolate chips or nuts, optional

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix cake mix, egg, and Cool Whip together.
  3. Stir in optional chips or nuts.
  4. Chill dough 20 minutes.
  5. Roll into balls and coat in powdered sugar.
  6. Bake 8-10 minutes until lightly golden.

Chocolate Chip Cookies from Cake Mix

Chocolate chip cake mix cookies are soft, simple, and quick to bake. This recipe uses yellow cake mix as a shortcut and turns it into easy homemade-style chocolate chip cookies.

Chocolate chip cookies from cake mix
Print this recipe Buy recipe cards

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 8-10 minutes
Yield: About 24 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted, or vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix cake mix, melted butter or oil, and eggs until smooth dough forms.
  3. Stir in chocolate chips.
  4. Scoop dough onto a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet.
  5. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until the edges begin to set.
  6. Cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack.

Kid job: measuring chocolate chips, stirring dough, and scooping cookies. Adult job: handling the oven and hot baking sheets.

Brownie Cookies Using a Brownie Mix

Brownie mix cookies are rich, chewy, and chocolatey. They are a fun shortcut dessert for kids who love brownies and cookies.

Brownie mix cookies
Print this recipe Buy recipe cards

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 8-10 minutes
Yield: About 24 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 box brownie mix
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons water

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix brownie mix, flour, eggs, oil, and water until smooth.
  3. Scoop dough onto a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet.
  4. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are set.
  5. Cool before serving.

Variation: Stir in chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or crushed peppermint candies.

3 Ingredient Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are another easy shortcut cookie option. They are soft, simple, and work especially well for fall baking, Thanksgiving cooking activities, and beginner dessert lessons.

3 ingredient pumpkin chocolate chip cookies 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft pumpkin cookies made with cake mix, pumpkin, and chocolate chips.

Cake Mix Cookie Ideas by Season

Cake mix cookies are easy to change for holidays, classroom parties, birthdays, and seasonal baking projects. Start with a basic cake mix cookie recipe, then change the cake mix flavor, frosting color, sprinkles, candy, or toppings.

Halloween Cookies

Use chocolate or orange cake mix with candy eyes, Halloween sprinkles, or black and orange frosting.

Christmas Cookies

Use red and green sprinkles, peppermint chips, powdered sugar, or holiday frosting.

Valentine Cookies

Use strawberry cake mix, pink frosting, heart sprinkles, or chocolate drizzle.

Easter Cookies

Use pastel sprinkles, lemon cake mix, coconut, jelly beans, or pastel frosting.

Birthday Party Cookies

Use funfetti cake mix, frosting, colorful sprinkles, and mini candies for party cookies.

More Cake Mix Cookie Ideas

One of the best things about cake mix cookies is how easy they are to customize. By changing the cake mix flavor or adding fun mix-ins, kids can create dozens of cookie variations for holidays, birthdays, parties, bake sales, and family dessert nights.

Different cake mix cookie recipe ideas
Chocolate Blossom Cookies

Use chocolate cake mix and press a chocolate kiss into each warm cookie after baking.

Cake Mix Sugar Cookies

Use white cake mix with lemon extract to make easy cut-out cookies for decorating. See sugar cookie recipe here.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Add peanut butter to yellow cake mix for soft fork-pressed peanut butter cookies.

Sandwich Cookies

Spread frosting between two cookies for easy sandwich cookie desserts.

Spice Raisin Cookies

Add raisins and nuts to spice cake mix for cozy fall and holiday cookies.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Add peanut butter chips to chocolate cake mix for rich chocolate cookies.

Cherry Chip Cookies

Use strawberry or cherry cake mix with cherry chips for colorful pink cookies.

Lemon Coconut Cookies

Add shredded coconut to lemon cake mix for bright citrus cookies.

Candy Cookies

Mix chopped candy bars into cookie dough for fun party cookies.

Cookies & Cream Cookies

Mix crushed chocolate sandwich cookies into white or chocolate cake mix for cookies-and-cream style treats.

S’mores Cake Mix Cookies

Add mini marshmallows, graham cracker pieces, and chocolate chunks for easy s’mores-inspired cookies.

Oatmeal Toffee Cookies

Mix quick oats and toffee bits into yellow or spice cake mix for chewy bakery-style cookies.

Cake Mix Cookie Decorating Ideas

Cake mix cookies are perfect for decorating because the dough is simple to make and works well with frosting, sprinkles, candies, drizzle icing, and holiday toppings.

Cookie decorating ideas Cookie Decorating

Learn fun frosting, sprinkle, candy, and icing decorating ideas for kids.

Cookie Decorating Party

Host a fun cookie decorating activity for birthdays, classrooms, scouts, or holidays.

Cookie pizza Dessert Pizza

Turn cookie dough into a giant cookie pizza topped with frosting and candies.

fruit Cookie pizza Fruit Cookie Pizza

Turn cookie dough into a giant cookie pizza topped with frosting and candies.

Cookie swap Cookie Swap

Plan a cookie exchange activity for classrooms, clubs, families, or parties.

Beginner Baking Tips for Kids

Cake mix cookies are a great introduction to baking because they help kids practice basic kitchen skills without complicated measuring or difficult steps.

  • Start with simple flavors like yellow cake mix or chocolate cake mix
  • Use cookie scoops to help portion dough evenly
  • Line cookie sheets with parchment paper for easier cleanup
  • Let younger kids help stir, scoop, and decorate cookies
  • Use sprinkles, candy pieces, or frosting to customize cookies
  • Try holiday-themed cookie decorations for special occasions
  • Freeze extra cookie dough for quick future baking projects
  • Teach kids to watch baking times carefully to avoid overbaking
Why Cake Mix Cookies Work Well for Kids:

Cake mix cookies are quick, forgiving, and easy to customize. They work especially well for beginner bakers, classrooms, cooking camps, homeschool lessons, family baking nights, and holiday dessert trays.

More Cookie Recipes & Baking Activities

Explore more easy cookie recipes, holiday cookies, cookie decorating ideas, and beginner baking activities kids can help make.

Cookie recipes Cookie Recipes Hub

Explore chocolate chip cookies, holiday cookies, creative cookies, and beginner baking ideas.

Brownie recipes Brownie Recipes

Easy brownies, brownie bites, frosted brownies, and chocolate dessert bars.

Tie dye cookies Tie Dye Cookies

Colorful creative cookies kids can decorate for parties and baking activities.

Homemade Chocolate Sandwich Cookies Homemade Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

These sandwich cookies begin with a cake mix. Change the frosting color or sprinkles to match holidays or party themes.

Easy desserts kids can make Easy Desserts

More fast desserts, few ingredient treats, and beginner sweets kids can help make.

Cake Mix Cookie FAQ

Can you make cookies from cake mix?

Yes. Cake mix cookies are made by combining boxed cake mix with a few simple ingredients like eggs and oil to create quick homemade cookies.

Why are cake mix cookies soft?

Cake mixes are designed to create soft baked goods, which helps cake mix cookies stay chewy and tender.

Can kids help make cake mix cookies?

Yes. Kids can help stir dough, scoop cookies, decorate baked cookies, add toppings, and practice beginner baking skills.

What mix-ins work well in cake mix cookies?

Chocolate chips, candy pieces, sprinkles, nuts, coconut, raisins, frosting, peanut butter chips, and crushed cookies all work well in cake mix cookie recipes.

Can cake mix cookie dough be frozen?

Yes. Scoop dough into balls and freeze for future baking. Frozen cookie dough works well for holiday baking and quick desserts.

What are easy holiday cake mix cookies?

Funfetti cookies, pumpkin cookies, chocolate blossom cookies, Christmas sprinkle cookies, and Valentine cookies are all easy holiday cake mix cookie ideas.



Get Free Kids Recipe Cards + Cooking Printables

Join Kids Cooking Activities for fun recipes, cooking ideas, and printable resources for kids, families, and classrooms.

Join the Free Printables Club

Follow Kids Cooking Activities too: