These Lemon Cake Mix Cookies are some of the easiest cookies you'll ever make…and some of the yummiest! You'll love this springtime treat that is bursting with light and fresh flavor!
Spring has sprung, and we are ready for all things new and fresh and fun! That includes foods bursting with light, fresh flavors that fill us up but still leave some spring in our step. Don't get us wrong, we still love the rich foods that got us through the dark days of winter. But now that the sun is shining we are ready for flavors that capture that mood!
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These Lemon Cake Mix Cookies are like tasty little balls of sunshine that you won't be able to get enough of! Good thing they are so incredibly easy to make, because you'll be wanting to make these babies on repeat. Bake and share them with friends and family to spread joy with everyone you love this season!
Cake Mix For Cookies?!
If you're new here you might be thinking, “Uh, isn't cake mix for cake?”. And it is! But at Shelf Cooking we like to think outside the box (literally) and get creative with ingredients we have on hand. Cake mixes are amazing for making cookies for a few reasons:
- Ease of use – No need to measure out multiple dry ingredients! Simply dump the box of cake mix in a bowl with wet ingredients and you're ready to go.
- Consistency – If you like a soft, chewy cookie then using cake mix is right up your alley!
- Variety – Easily make a variety of cookies by swapping out the flavor of cake mix! Chocolate, vanilla, lemon, strawberry, and even Funfetti! It's a breeze to whip up different dessert flavors while still following the same basic recipe.
We've also found that cake mix cookies are perfect for beginning bakers due to their simplicity. Someone just starting out in the kitchen can confidently make a delicious treat to share (or not!) without feeling overwhelmed by complicated instructions. These cookies are a great way to get your kids excited about learning to follow a recipe!
Recipe Variations For Cake Mix Cookies
As mentioned above, it is SO easy to mix up your cake mix cookies to create a completely unique treat each time you bake! Consider some of these variations to our Lemon Cake Mix Cookies.
- Mix up your mix – Lemon is delicious, but don't be shy about trying a different cake mix flavor, too! Follow the recipe below but sub in strawberry cake mix for an amazing strawberries and cream cookie. Or, check out our recipe for birthday cake cookies!
- Switch the chips – Our recipe below calls for white chocolate chips, but you can always use semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, cinnamon chips, or butterscotch chips with whatever cake mix flavor you desire!
- Add sprinkles – Your inner child will thrill at the sight of colorful sprinkles! Add in whatever color or flavor you like best for some extra flair.
- Go nuts – Have some walnuts, pecans, or pistachios in the pantry that need to be used? Chop them up and add them to your cookie dough for some extra crunch.
- Get fruity – Craisins, raisins, dried strawberries or apricots…whatever floats your boat!
- Icing on top – Can you ever go wrong with adding icing or frosting to baked goods? We think not. Top your cake mix cookies with a drizzle of icing or a full-on layer of rich buttercream.
Tips For Making The Best Cake Mix Cookies
Making cookies using cake mix is pretty foolproof, but there are still some things you can do to make sure the cookies turn out perfectly every time! Here are our suggestions:
- The dough can be mixed by hand, but using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer is much faster and really ensures that the dough is mixed well with no pockets of dry ingredients.
- These reusable silicone baking mats are perfect for lining your sheet pans and preventing cookies from sticking.
- A cookie dough scoop helps you create cookies of the same size, every time! Not only does this make for pretty and uniform cookies, but it also ensures that the cookies bake evenly.
- Chilling the cookie dough isn't necessary, but it does help with making cookies that hold their shape well during baking. We recommend chilling dough in the fridge for about an hour if you have time.
Freezing For Later
Freezing cookie dough or even cookies is a great way to maximize your time! If you're going to go to the trouble to bake, you might as well make extra and store it in the freezer to use later!
You can either prep in advance if you're wanting to make cookies for an upcoming event, or simply double the recipe and freeze half to have on hand whenever the situation might arise. Cookie dough stays good in the freezer for about 3 months! Here's how we recommend doing it:
- Frozen cookie dough balls – Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, then scoop individual balls of dough and place on cookie sheet. Put the whole sheet pan in the freezer for one to two hours. Once the dough balls are firm, place them in a labeled zipper freezer bag. Pro tip: Write baking instructions on the bag, including oven temperature and time. Family members can pull out one or two (or more!) balls of cookie dough to bake whenever they're craving a fresh baked cookie!
- Frozen cookie dough logs – Using a section of parchment paper, shape your cookie dough into one or two logs, depending on how much you have. Roll in parchment, and then wrap thoroughly and tightly in plastic wrap. Label and pop it in the freezer for when you need it! You can thaw and shape into balls, or slice into rounds while still slightly frozen.
- Frozen cookies – You also have the option of baking the cookies and then freezing them after. This is great for when you have too many to eat before they go stale (does that even happen?!), and you don't want to throw them out! Just like with the dough balls, place cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for an hour or two, then place them in a zipper freezer bag. When ready to eat, let them thaw or put them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, or a 350 degree oven for a few minutes. Easy!
- Thawing cookie dough – To thaw cookie dough, place it in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. There's no need to thaw the dough balls before baking, though! Simply pop them in the oven and give them an extra minute or so when baking to make sure they are baked through.
How To Make Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
Ok, we have kept you waiting long enough! These Lemon Cake Mix cookies are a piece of cake to make (we had to say it!). Whip them up for a get-together with family or friends, a bake sale, to share with neighbors, or just because you feel like it! There's never a bad time for these sweet treats.
Easy-Peasy Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
FOR THE COOKIES
- 1 (15.25 oz) lemon cake mix
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
FOR THE ICING
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice or milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, vegetable oil, and eggs. Fold in white chocolate chips.
- Using a 1½ inch sized cookie scoop, drop balls of dough onto a cookie sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes, or until cookies look firm.
- Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow cookies to sit for 5 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, mix icing ingredients together until smooth.
- Drizzle icing over cooled cookies and enjoy!
Notes
See? So easy you could hop into the kitchen and make them right now!
What cake mix cookie variation sounds best to you? Let us know in the comments!
Need more kitchen inspiration? We've got a few posts you'll love:
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- Grilled cheese sandwiches are a cooking know-how staple, but we have all the best hacks to make you a true grilled cheese master!
- Need someone to help simplify your life by telling you what to make for dinner each week? Boy, do we have good news for you! Our Shelf Cooking Meal Plan is crazy affordable, crazy comprehensive, and so dang good!
We hope you LOVE these easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy cookies!