Cake Mix Chocolate Chip Cookies

You’re in a hurry to make cookies for the kids but you don’t have all of the ingredients you need. You look in the pantry and see something that just might work–a white cake mix. But, can you really use it to make cookies? You bet you can, and it’s so easy, you might just ask the kids to do it!

Can I Make Cookies from a Cake Mix?

I’ve been on a crazy quest to turn boxed white cake mix into all sorts of different recipes. If you’ve been following me for a while you’ve probably seen one of my most popular posts, 20 Amazing Recipes that Start with a White Cake Mix. That’s kind of where it started.

I’ve blown through most of those ideas and I’m off in search of new ones. I just made a delicious Banana Berry Cake using a white cake mix. It was so easy and yummy! Now I’m on to cookies. I started with chocolate chip. Next up will be peanut butter! Who knows what cookie flavor I’ll try after that!

The History of Cake Mixes

In the 1930s, in the heart of the depression, folks were desperate to have some of the sweet treats they loved. Times were hard, though. So, a company called P. Duff and Sons came out with the first boxed cake mix. It did not require eggs.

Flour companies got into the game after the end of WWII and the era of cake mixes was born. Surely back then no one could have seen all of the many, many things you can make with a simple white cake mix! Nor would they have guessed the many ways modern cooks are doctoring those cake mixes, either!

Maybe this is why I’m on such a roll, trying to discover more and more recipes. You can literally use a white cake mix to form all sorts of baked goods!

Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies

The simple ingredients for these cookies are probably in your pantry right now! You won’t believe you haven’t made them before.

You can use a white cake mix, or (if you prefer) a yellow cake mix. Either one is fine.

You’ll find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick glance at what you’ll need to whip up these soft cookies.

• white cake mix
• room temperature butter
• milk 
• vanilla 
• egg 
• chocolate chips

See? Easy breezy!

This white cake mix recipe will produce the fastest cookies ever! Here’s what you need to do:

How to Make Boxed Cake Mix Cookies

This is such a simple recipe! No all purpose flour necessary!

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare your baking sheet with parchment paper. (I use Nordicware cookie sheets. They’re my favorite!)

Soften your butter in a large mixing bowl. Don’t melt it, but make sure it’s almost to that point.

Cream your butter until it’s light and fluffy. You can use an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

Add the box of cake mix, eggs, vanilla and milk to the butter. (Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients.)

Beat on medium speed until smooth. You’ll have a lush looking cookie dough.

Fold in your chocolate chips.

Doesn’t that look amazing? They look just like homemade chocolate chip cookies, right?

It’s time to scoop! Grab your first cookie sheet and let’s get going with your favorite cookie scoop!

This recipe will make 24 cookies. You can put a dozen on each tray. I spread mine out because I’d never made these before and wasn’t sure if they would spread. (They didn’t!)

I pressed mine down with my palm.

Now it’s time to bake them! It took 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Place your tray of cookies on a wire cooling rack to cool off for about ten minutes then remove from cookie sheet onto wire rack to finish cooling off.

What to expect from these cake box cookies:

The great thing about these cookies is that they were shockingly easy to whip up. I just couldn’t believe it. Wow!

These are soft and tender on the inside. Check it out:

In many ways, these are like little tea cakes. They don’t have the flavor of a traditional chocolate chip cookie but the texture is soft and cakey, which is lovely.

They are super-soft, but definitely hold their shape. See how easily they stack?! Aren’t the colors pretty? Almost as good as homemade cookies!

If you’re looking for the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe you’ll have to check out my brown butter version. It’s the best!

Let the Kids Use Their Imaginations as They Bake the Next Batch of Cookies

This is one of those easy recipes you’ll make again and again. I’m already thinking of ways to make these with the grandkids. Here are some things I might suggest, if I put the kiddos in charge.

• Add 1/2 cup brown sugar to the mix for a more traditional flavor. Add brown butter in place of regular butter to add more depth of flavor.
• Spread out dough on a pizza pan and make a round cookie cake.
• Add white chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet.
• Add peanut butter chips!
• Load up the cookies with sprinkles instead of chocolate chips to make Funfetti cookies.
• Instead of putting sprinkles inside of the cookies, roll the dough in balls and then roll the balls in sprinkles or sanding sugar (like I did in my Perfect Sugar Crinkle Cookies).
• Make peanut butter cake mix cookies. (I plan to try these next.) Add a cup of peanut butter to the cake mix. Trim back on the butter a bit.
• Make oatmeal raisin cookies by adding oats and raisins to the mix in place of chocolate chips.
• Make Rice Krispie cookies using this dough.
• Make cookie bars. Spread out your dough on a cookie sheet and bake until golden.

The possibilities are endless if you use this white cake mix as a base for your cookies. You can add cocoa powder, crushed Oreos, mint chips. . .or anything you like! Get creative! Oh, I know! I might start with a chocolate cake mix the next time around!

Other White Cake Mix Recipes

Did you enjoy this easy cookie recipe? Great! But don’t stop there! You can make so many different things using a white cake mix. Here are a few of my suggestions:

• Use a white cake mix as a base for a luscious pineapple upside-down cake. Add butter in place of oil to change the color of the cake.
• Make this amazing Brown Butter Walnut Cake using a white cake mix. Follow the directions in the attached post.
• Zebra stripe cake technique: You’re going to love this one and it starts with a simple white cake mix.
• Check out this cake mix cookie recipe from South Your Mouth!

Thanks for stopping in! Check out my Step Out of the Box page to learn more about Out of the Box Baking!

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Learn more about doctored cake mixes, the theme of this blog. 

For the master list of all doctored cake mix recipes on this site, visit Doctored Cake Mix Recipes, Master List. 

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.