An intense chocolate cookie with an extra dose of chocolate in the frosting. Cake mix cookies are the ultimate shortcut to sweet and easy cookies ready in under 30 minutes. It's a versatile, no-fuss recipe that requires only a handful of ingredients. Perfect for picnics, barbecues, children's birthdays, potlucks, and bake sales.
Quick cook recipe
Instead of following the traditional cake recipe on the box, you use it to make cookie dough.
I bake the old-fashioned way, from scratch. Most of the time. But discovered that some pre-made ingredients (like a box of cake mix) render good vintage desserts everyone loves.
Cake mix cookies and dump cakes proved that.
As much as I love a relaxed afternoon or weekend baking homemade chocolate sugar cookies, sometimes I don't have the time or energy. Because, as easy as they are, they're more laborious than this recipe today.
They make fantastic chocolate birthday cake cookies if you add round sprinkles and call them cosmic cookies.
- No fuss baking: they're quick and easy to make and convenient, with ingredients you might already have at home.
- Make ahead: the cookie dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Crowd-pleasers: I'm quite impressed at how popular these chocolate cookies are, especially for birthday parties and to make with kids.
- Sandwich cookies: these easy cookies are thin with a soft texture. Use the chocolate ganache frosting as a filling instead of topping. Similar to whoopie pies.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Dry chocolate cake mix: the type you find in the supermarket or grocery store, whatever brand you want.
- Vegetable oil: I use sunflower oil because it's neutral, but canola, coconut, and light olive oil work.
- Eggs: fresh.
- Sprinkles or jimmies, like colorful pearls rainbow sprinkles. They're optional but add a great finish for birthdays.
- Alternative: use melted butter instead of oil, the same amount in volume (½ cup).
Making these simple chocolate cookies is extremely easy.
- You only need a large bowl and a spatula. Or use the lowest speed of an electric mixer, but don't overmix.
- The final batter is shiny, smooth, and dense. At this point, you can bake the cookies or cover and refrigerate the dough for 2 days.
- Using a cookie scoop will get you evenly-sized cookies. Or use spoons and drop mounds. Leave roughly a 2-inch separation between each (depending on the size), so they can spread comfortably during baking. I use the small cookie scoop of this set, which is 1.57 inches / 4cm in diameter, for regular-sized cookies.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
Do a test bake! I always recommend baking two or three cookies to find your sweet spot regarding baking time and texture. Check the time to ensure you don't over or underbake them. Also, see how much they expand (if at all) and adjust accordingly if needed so they don't touch during baking.
Chocolate frosting
We like to use a simple semisweet chocolate ganache.
It's easy and can be made in advance, as it keeps for weeks in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. You'll have to let it come to room temperature to be able to spread it. Or warm it slightly in the microwave.
Other frosting alternatives: Use milk or white chocolate instead of semisweet. Use this quick peanut butter chocolate frosting, a minty cream cheese frosting or cinnamon cream cheese topping.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: Read the recipe first and ensure you have the ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Cake mix brands: no matter which one you use, they may have slight variations in ingredients and texture, but the overall process should remain the same.
- Make the dough in advance: refrigerate or freeze the cake mix cookie dough. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the dough in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, allow the dough to thaw in the refrigerator before scooping and baking as usual.
- Storing baked cookies: always use airtight containers. I like metal tins. They last for about a week.
- Freeze unbaked cookies: scoop them onto a cookie sheet and freeze until rock solid. Transfer the frozen balls to sealable plastic bags and keep them for a month. Bake directly from the freezer; no need to thaw them first. They might take a minute longer.
Troubleshooting common issues
Flat or spreading cookies: the dough might've been too warm or the oven temperature too low. Try chilling the dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before baking. Additionally, ensure your oven is preheated to the correct temperature in the recipe.
Dry or crumbly texture: You may have overbaked them or used too much cake mix. Follow the recommended baking time in the recipe and check for doneness by looking for lightly golden edges and slightly underdone centers. Also, measure the cake mix accurately, as too much can produce a drier texture. If the issue persists (cake mix brands are different), add a tablespoon of softened butter or milk to the dough for added moisture.
Dense cookies: Overmixing the dough might result in heavy cookies. Use a hand whisk, a rubber spatula, or the lowest speed if using an electric mixer. When it's all incorporated, stop mixing.
Sticking to the baking sheet: make sure it's properly greased (with baking spray or soft butter) or line it with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This will help the baked cookies release easily.
Unevenly baked cookies: if some are undercooked while others are overcooked, it may be due to uneven oven temperature, overcrowding the baking sheet, or different-sized balls. Use a cookie scoop, leave enough space between the cookie dough balls on the baking sheet to allow for even heat circulation, and consider baking in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
Related recipes you might like:
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Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 15.25 ounce box of chocolate cake mix
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup sunflower oil, or other neutral oil
For the chocolate ganache:
- 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Combine a 15.25 ounce box of chocolate cake mix, 2 eggs and ½ cup sunflower oil in a mixing bowl. Stir until all the ingredients are well combined. The mixture will be thick, shiny, and sticky.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- Scoop spoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them a few inches apart. Use a cookie scoop or two spoons to drop them.
- Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes, until the edges are dry and the middle is puffed. The cookies may appear slightly undercooked in the center but will firm up as they cool.
- Let them cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire rack until you can easily (and carefully) remove them from the baking sheet.
- Transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Repeat the process with the remaining dough until all the cookies are baked.
- Once the cookies have cooled completely, you can store them in an airtight container for up to a week.
For the chocolate topping:
- Place 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, caorsely chopped, in a medium bowl.
- Heat ¼ cup heavy cream in a small saucepan until it almost starts to boil. Pour over the chopped chocolate, covering as much as you can. Let it stand for 1 minute and whisk until the chocolate has completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
- Let cool until it has a spreading consistency. Spread small amounts over the cooled cookies and add sprinkles if you want to.
- Keep covered and refrigerated if making it in advance.
Mary says
These cookies look good - want to make them! I’m giving them a high rating even though I haven’t made them yet just by their appearance . Where did you get the sprinkles you used - they seem different and unique. Thank you.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Mary, I live in Argentina and got them here. But I linked to similar ones in the ingredients section that you can buy on Amazon. They're different because they're spheres. Happy baking!
Mary says
Thank you Paula, enjoy your site very much!!