Lemon Cake Mix Cookies are soft & delicious lemon cookies made using a Lemon Cake Mix, butter and eggs. Topped with a sweet lemon glaze, this quick & easy lemon cake mix cookie recipe is the best!
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What are Cake Mix Cookies?
Cake Mix Cookies are cookies made using a store bought cake mix. They used to be one of my go-to desserts.. somewhere along the path I stopped making them. After making this batch of Lemon Cake Mix Cookies they are officially back on my radar and my dessert rotation list. What.. you don’t have a dessert rotation list? 😉
I love stocking up on all of the cake mixes once per year during the case lot sales. Chocolate, vanilla, funfetti, lemon, strawberry.. you name it, this recipe works!
Always having a cake mix on hand means always being 20 minutes away from warm, absolutely drool-inducing, delicious cookies. Today I’ve elevated the Cake Mix Cookie a bit by adding a lemon glaze. Not only does it take the look of the cookie up about 10 notches, the flavor is out of this world!
Tips for the perfect Cake Mix Cookie recipe
Use a mixer. Either a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer will work, just use one! Using a mixer helps get the cookie dough extremely smooth which results in perfectly chewy cookies.
Add the eggs first and then the melted butter. This helps with the overall texture of the dough, therefore the final cookie.
Use a cookie scoop! I bought mine on Amazon, this is so handy when it comes to making cookies! Using a scoop allows you to easily create the exact same size of cookie time and time again. When the cookie dough balls are different sizes, the cook time isn’t even among all of the cookies. I used the medium cookie scoop for this recipe. It uses 1.5 TBSP of cookie dough for each cookie.
Parchment paper is another thing I would recommend if you are looking for the absolute perfect Cake Mix Cookie. Never worry about cookies sticking to the pan again! That piece of mind is worth the price of the parchment paper in my book.
Lemon Cake Mix Cookie Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make Lemon Cake Mix Cookies:
–one 15.25 oz box lemon cake mix
–2 eggs
–1/3 cup butter melted
to make the lemon icing you’ll need:
–3 tbs butter, softened
–3/4 cup powdered sugar
–1 tbsp milk
–1/4 tsp lemon extract
How to make Lemon Cookies from a cake mix
The order of the ingredients are important and will effect the final cookie. First, add the cake mix and two eggs into a medium sized bowl.
I used my electric hand mixer, but you could use your stand mixer if you’d rather. Mix the eggs into the dry cake mix. The mixture will be similar to wet sand.
Melt the butter in the microwave and add it to the mixture.
Mix thoroughly. The dough will be very thick and sticky.
Let the dough sit for 5 or so minutes before scooping and rolling. Letting the dough rest for a few minutes will make it easier to scoop and roll.
Use a cookie scoop to create uniform balls. To achieve the perfect cake mix cookie, roll the dough in your hands after scooping to smooth all of the edges.
Skipping this step will effect the final cookie. The final cookie will show its rough edges.
Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes. You’ll want to pull them out of the oven when the middles of the cookies are puffy and no longer glossy.
While the cookies are cooling, make the lemon icing (if you are adding it! 😉).
The lemon icing consists of butter, powdered sugar, milk and lemon extract.
Combine until extremely smooth and creamy. Ice the cookies one by one, spooning and spreading a little icing onto each cookie.
Store in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
Like Lemon Recipes? Try some of these:
- Lemon Ice Box Pie Recipe
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Easy Lemon Raspberry Truffles
- Lemon Lush recipe
- Lemon Butter Bars Recipe
- Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake
- Easy Lemon Bread
- Lemon Poke Cake
- Lemon Blueberry Quick Bread Recipe
- Lemon Raspberry Fruit Pizza
- Lemon Drop Glazed Mini Cupcakes
Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
- 1 15.25 oz box lemon cake mix
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup butter melted
Lemon Icing
- 3 TBSP butter softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 TBSP milk
- 1/4 TSP lemon extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, combine the cake mix and eggs. The texture of the mixture will be similar to wet sand.
- Add the melted butter to the cake mix and egg mixture. Combine until smooth. The cookie dough will be very thick and slightly sticky.
- Allow the cookie dough to rest for a couple of minutes, this will make scooping and rolling easier. Scoop the cookie dough and then roll each ball to smooth the edges before arranging them on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes, pulling them out when the cookies are puffy and the tops are no longer glossy. Let cool for 3-4 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
- To make the icing, combine all of the icing ingredients using an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon and spread a small amount of icing onto each slightly warm cookie.
Video
Nutrition
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How do I soften butter?
The traditional way of softening butter is leaving however much you need for a recipe out at room temperature for long enough to soften. However, there are some other, quicker ways to soften butter such as: cutting up the butter, pounding the butter, beating the butter and if it comes to it, microwaving the butter. If microwaving, use the defrost setting for only about 15 sec. You don’t want your butter to melt!
Are cake mix cookies soft?
Yes, cake mix cookies are soft and chewy cookies! That’s part of the appeal of using a cake mix to make cookies; you get that soft texture very easily. Do not overbake cake mix cookies and let them cool on the cookie sheet for 3-4 minutes after removing them from the oven.
David Glassco says
Does tbs mean teaspoon (tsp) or tablespoon(tbsp) ?
Jessica says
Sorry about that! I updated it- it’s tablespoons!
Holly Kessler says
These cookies are amazing! I’ve also made them using chocolate cake mix, & strawberry cake mix. As a matter of fact, I did just make the strawberry ones!! I’m sure any mix would be great. I just dust mine with powdered sugar. But the next time I make the lemon, I will try the icing next time. BTW: you can’t just eat one!!!
Alison says
Holly, love those ideas thanks for sharing!
Frances says
What if you dont have lemon extract. Can you just use real lemon juice
Jessica says
I’d use lemon zest instead. Try 1-2 tsp!
Marylyn B. says
These were sooo good. My husband took down quite a few. However, some reason the frosting didn’t make it onto the cookies.
Melissa says
Can these be frozen?
Jessica says
Sure, I think they’d work well frozen!
Mom says
Can you freeze after frosting or do they need to be frozen before and frosted just before serving?
Jessica says
you can do either, but I do think they are prettier if you frost after freezing.
Denise Leavitt says
I love these yummy cookies! So easy to make! I sprinkled powdered sugar on the tops since I didn’t have lemon extract.
Marcella R Pierce says
I made these cookies. I am not sure what I did wrong but they just do not taste right.
Jessica says
Was your cake mix expired?
Donna Boetticher says
salted or unsalted butter?
Jessica says
I always use salted, but use what you like! I like salt. HA!
Annette says
I made this using the lemon first. I loved them!
So I have tried the following:
German Chocolate with a Pecan TYPE icing
Red Velvet with Cream Cheese icing
Red Velvet with White Chocolate Chips
Triple Chocolate Fudge with While Chocolate Chips
Orange -with essence of Orange zest and flavoring (BEST YET)
My next flavor will be Confetti White with maybe White icing? or not.
Alison says
I love all of the experimenting and am going to have to try some of these myself!
Ali Garland says
Lemon is my favorite. I rolled them in powered sugar before baking. They were perfect!!!
Nellie says
What a great idea to roll them in powdered sugar! So glad you enjoyed the cookies!
Jennifer says
Can I add frozen blueberries to the mix?
Jessica says
So yes, you can- but just remember that your cookies will go bad faster since they have real fruit in them. : ) https://butterwithasideofbread.com/blueberry-cream-cookies/
May Loo says
I don’t generally bake, but I recently bought a chocolate fudge cake mix and walnuts to try this way of making cookies. What is the process if I want to freeze them, or could I freeze the dough and make icebox cookies instead?
Jessica says
You can freeze the scooped dough, or the baked cookies in an airtight container. This dough won’t slice though, just FYI.
Mary Wallace says
Every spring I buy Limoncello cake mix (several boxes) and we love the cake but, I don’t always have time to deal with the Bundt pan. Cookies are so much easier. These don’t last a day! The recipe is great, thanks!
Nellie says
So glad you enjoy the cookies Mary!
Hallie Lee says
These are the most amazing cookies. My family went nuts, and I started making them for special occasions. Now I’m kind of “famous” for these cookies….LOLOL! The recipe is quick and easy, and the cookies not only taste delicious, but are gorgeous!
Jessica says
So glad you like them Hallie!!