Sometimes the simplest recipes create the most extraordinary results. These cake mix cookies prove that deliciousness doesn’t require complexity. With just three pantry staples and less than 30 minutes, you’ll have bakery-quality cookies that taste like they took hours to perfect. The unique texture comes from combining cake mix with butter in a way that creates cookies unlike anything you’ve tried before.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The magic happens when melted butter creates moisture while softened butter adds richness and structure. The flour helps bind everything together, while the cake mix provides both flavor and the perfect amount of leavening agents. This combination creates cookies with a tender, cake-like texture that’s completely different from traditional cookie recipes.
What Makes These Different from Regular Cookies
Traditional cookies start with creaming butter and sugar, then adding flour and other ingredients. These cookies flip the script by using cake mix as the foundation, which already contains sugar, flour, and leavening agents. This shortcut creates a unique texture that’s softer and more tender than regular cookies, with a subtle cake-like crumb.
Ingredients
- White cake mix – Provides the base flavor, sweetness, and leavening for perfect texture
- All-purpose flour – Adds structure and helps bind the ingredients together
- Butter – Creates richness and moisture when used both melted and softened
How to make cake mix cookies with butter
- Allow half of the butter to reach room temperature and soften.
- Melt the remaining half of the butter.
- In a small bowl, combine flour and melted butter. Mix well.
- Pour the melted butter-flour mixture into the cake mix and add softened butter.
- Mix until all ingredients have been incorporated and the dough is smooth.
- Roll out the dough and cut it into shapes as desired.
- Bake the cookies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 14 to 16 minutes.
Flavor variations
These cookies taste amazing the way they are, but you can easily up the flavor quotient exponentially.
Try adding one of the following flavor combinations to the dough:
- Christmas Spice. A half teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg, a quarter teaspoon of allspice, and a teaspoon of cinnamon make these the perfect holiday cookies.
- Espresso. Two tablespoons of instant espresso powder transform these cookies into the perfect snack for coffee lovers.
- Lemon. Two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and the zest of one lemon give these cookies just the right balance of sweet and sour.
Don’t limit yourself to a vanilla cake mix. Switch things up by using different types of cake mixes. Red Velvet or Spice Cake mixes are perfect for cake batter cookies.
Storage Instructions
- Counter Storage: Store in airtight containers for up to 4-5 days at room temperature
- Freezing: Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers
- Dough Storage: Unbaked dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months
Love to bake cookies? Try these easy recipes!
- Almond Cookies
- Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies
- Coconut Oatmeal Cookie
- Cream Cheese Cookies
- Doubletree Hotel Cookies
- Keebler Sandies Pecan Shortbread Cookies
- Pecan Cranberry Cookies
Favorite Christmas dessert recipes
- Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake
- Double Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake
- Eggnog Pie
- Holiday Poke Cake
- Pistachio Pudding Cake
- Waldorf Red Velvet Cake
Be sure to check out my easy cookie recipes and the best Christmas dessert recipes here on CopyKat.com!
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Easy 3-Ingredient Cake Mix Cookies with Butter
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces white cake mix
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 2/3 cups butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Allow two sticks (1/2 pound) butter to reach room temperature and soften.
- Melt two sticks (1/2 pound) butter.
- In a small bowl, combine flour and melted butter. Mix well. You may wish to return this to the microwave so that this mixture is pourable.
- Pour melted butter mixture into the cake mix and add remaining softened butter. Mix until all ingredients have been incorporated and this is smooth. If the dough is stiff knead on a cutting board until it has softened.
- Shape as desired. You can roll out the dough and cut out cookies or use a cookie press.
- Bake cookies for 14-16 minutes or until done.
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