Cake Mix Cookies (only 4 ingredients!)
Cake Mix Cookies are easy, delicious and made with just 4 ingredients! You can use your favorite cake mix flavor and add-ins for countless different cookie options, but I couldn’t resist spice cake mix cookies, that are perfect for this time of year. They baked up soft and fluffy, just like classic pumpkin cookies. We added an optional cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice to finish them off. The perfect dessert for Halloween, Thanksgiving or any other fall gathering!
Making Cookies With Cake Mix Is So Easy And Delicious!
I love an easy cookie recipe that I can whip up at a moment’s notice. There are several very similar cake mix cookie recipes floating around and I’m not sure who originally came up with this brilliant recipe, but I first tried cake mix cookies as a child at a friend’s house. Since then, I have made many different variations. I’m a total cookie monster! ? These cake mix cookies are the perfect treat for when you need to make a quick dessert and don’t have a lot of ingredients on hand. I definitely recommend keeping a box of cake mix, a can of pumpkin and an egg in your kitchen at all times.
Pumpkin Cake Mix Cookies
Cake mix cookies are great all season long, but around this time of year, they’re perfect dressed up with butterscotch chips, cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice. If you want to get creative, be sure to check out the fun flavor options below. These pumpkin cake cookies bake up so soft and fluffy and they’re super tasty too! Plus, I just love how there are so many different ways to customize them and make them your own. These cookies are especially great to make with kids because they are so easy. Once you try these cookies, you’ll find yourself making them again and again!
Ingredients For Pumpkin Cake Mix Cookies
These cake mix cookies only require 3 ingredients, plus optional mix-ins! And it’s an easy enough recipe to make with your kids, (don’t worry cake mix is VERY forgiving). Here’s what you need:
- Cake mix. I like to use Betty Crocker 15.25 oz boxes of cake mix. For this recipe, I used Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist Spice Cake Mix. However, as long as you’re using a 15 oz box of cake mix, this recipe will work perfectly regardless of brand or flavor.
- Egg. The egg will give the cookies structure and prevent them from spreading.
- Pumpkin puree. The pumpkin has 3 important jobs!
- Binds all of the ingredients together.
- Gives the cookies moisture.
- And makes these cookies super soft.
- Optional mix-ins. Adding in baking chips or other fun ingredients are optional, but I think they really give these cookies that extra something special.
These are the basic ingredients to make these cookies, but below you’ll find some fun flavor combinations.
How To Make Cookies From Cake Mix
You can find the detailed, printable recipe below, but here’s the general idea.
- Mix the ingredients together until the cookie batter is smooth.
- Fold in any extra add-ins that you prefer.
- With a spoon or cookie scoop, scoop and drop cookies onto a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
- Leave cookies on the baking pan to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.
- Once cookies are completely cooled, feel free to use the cream cheese icing to frost the cookies. They’re great without the icing, but adding it definitely takes them up a notch!
- Store leftover cookies in a zip-top baggie or other airtight container and in the fridge, for up to about 3 days.
Recipe Notes
Cake mix cookies are probably the easiest cookies ever, but here are a few recipe tips for the best results.
- Don’t worry, you cannot taste the pumpkin, no matter what box cake mix flavor you use. The pumpkin puree is used to give the cookies moisture and to bind the ingredients together, not for flavor purposes. Most cake mix cookies use 1/2 cup of oil, but we’re keeping things a little more figure-friendly with the use of pumpkin puree.
- These cookies are quite sticky. I suggest lining your baking sheet with a silicone mat or spray well with non-stick cooking spray.
- It works best to scoop these cookies out with a cookie scoop and drop them onto the baking sheet. They will not change shape much while baking, so keep that in mind for presentation purposes.
Fun Variations
Any flavor of cake mix and optional 1/2 cup of add-ins will work to make these cake mix cookies!
- red velvet cake mix + white chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips
- carrot cake mix + white chocolate chips
- devils food cake mix + white chocolate chips or toffee bits or Reeses chips
- devils food cake mix + crushed graham cracker + mini marshmallows
- dark chocolate cake mix + crushed peppermint
- chocolate cake mix + mini m&ms
- chocolate cake mix + crushed oreos + white chocolate chips
- german chocolate cake mix + chocolate chips
- french vanilla cake mix + butterscotch chips
- yellow cake mix + chocolate chips or sprinkles
- lemon cake mix + white chocolate chips and/or poppyseeds
- orange cake mix + white chocolate chips
- strawberry cake mix + white or regular chocolate chips
- funfetti cake mix + funfetti chips
Storing Cookies
It is best to store these cookies in the fridge. If you want to keep them any longer than about 3 days, you can freeze leftovers. They freeze really well! After they’ve cooled completely, place on a cookie sheet and flash freeze for about 30 minutes. Once they’re hard, place the cookies in a freezer container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, remove from freezer about 2 hours before enjoying.
More Favorite Cookie Recipes
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
If you try these cake mix cookies, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 (15 ounce) box cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist Spice Cake Mix, but any will work.)
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup butterscotch baking chips or any other mix-in you prefer - raisins, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, toffee bits, chopped pecans
Optional frosting
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon over the top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Add cake mix, pumpkin, and egg to a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to combine the ingredients until fully combined.
- Gently fold in butterscotch baking chips or whatever add-in you're using.
- Use a cookie dough scoop to evenly scoop 36 cookies onto a greased cookie sheet or a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Bake at 350ºF for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Enjoy warm, at room temperature or chilled from the fridge.
- Optional for frosting: If using the frosting, it can be made while the cookies are baking. Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter (butter should not be melted, but at room temperature) and cream cheese until creamy (about 2 minutes) at medium-high speed. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy. Frost cooled cookies and, if desired, sprinkle the tops of the cookies with a little pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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Can you freeze? Frosted or not? How long?
I haven’t tried freezing these. Let us know how it works out. I would do unfrosted for up to 2 months.
Loved these! So easy and tasty!
Can you use this recipe to make whoopee pies?
Yes! These cookies would work great for whoopee pies.
I would like to make the lemon cake mix cookies love lemon do i still add the pumpkin ?
Yes! Please let us know how they turn out. 🙂