Friday, July 17

Easy treat: Cake Mix Cookies


All this week, my sons are helping me de-clutter our house. We're up to our ears in stuff--some trash, mostly good stuff--but all stuff that we don't use anymore. My husband has finally convinced us that "stuff we don't use anymore" is better called "clutter." So we are trying to make huge de-cluttering headway. Our closets and cupboards are looking so nice. And it will be so much easier to clean up the house after all this clutter is gone.



But it's a lot of work. So yesterday, as a little reward and a bit of a pick-me-up, I stopped and made a treat. It needed to be a quick treat, though, so I made some cake mix cookies. Do you make cookies from cake mixes? If not, believe me: you should try this. I'm not an awesome cook, but I am a good baker, and I love to make cookies from scratch. But these are so fast you'll hardly believe it. I turned on the oven, mixed up the dough, and then had to wait for the oven to finish pre-heating. I'm telling you: fast.

The recipe is simple. It's a formula: 


1 cake mix
+
1/2 cup oil or butter
+
2 eggs
+
 whatever add-ins you want to try

Yesterday I made yummy sugar cookies using a Pillsbury "Funfetti" cake mix, oil, and eggs. I simply rolled each spoon of dough into a little ball, plopped them on a cookie sheet, and baked at 350 degrees for about 9 minutes. They're delicious and really pretty:


Here are some other variations that we love:
  • Double Chocolate: devil's food cake mix, oil, eggs, + chocolate chips
  • German Chocolate: German chocolate cake mix, butter, eggs, + coconut and chopped pecans
  • Butter Toffee: butter recipe yellow cake mix, butter, eggs, + Bits o' Brickle and chopped pecans
These are all scrumptious. A few bits of advice. 

 First, DO NOT OVERBAKE these cookies. Remove them from the oven just when they're starting to look done; don't let them get brown. Allow them to sit on their cookie sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. They'll continue to cook a bit without getting overdone. 

Second, use an ungreased cookie sheet for baking most of these cookies. For the butter toffee ones, use parchment paper. 

Third, don't be afraid to try new combinations. I've used every different brand of cake mix with equally pleasing results--I just buy whatever is on sale. 

And last, don't forget to let your kids eat some of the dough. No matter how old they get. Eating cookie dough is one of those treats that kids just don't outgrow.

Enjoy!





15 comments:

  1. Guess what I'm making tonight! For my husband, of course.

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  2. I LOVE cake mix cookies. the devil's food ones are my favorite. I found the recipe in one of my cookbooks and they called them "Better than hot boys cookies". I don't know about that, but they are REALLY good!

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  3. We used to make them all the time. Haven't done it in awhile though. Actually I have a box of Funfetti mix in the cupboard. Maybe I should make some. Thanks for the reminder.

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  4. I call my husband "The Cookie Man" at my house because he makes THE best cookies. One of his favorite is using Devil's Food cake mix and white chocolate chips or almond bark. Other than his homemade chocolate chip cookies, these are my favorite!

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  5. I absolutely love cake mix cookies. My MIL shared the recipe with me a few years ago and I make them a ton, both because they are yummy and because they are quick!

    Good luck with the decluttering! That can be a totally daunting task.

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  6. Yum! I will be trying these asap!

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  7. Those look de-lish! I think I will be trying them soon, maybe it will inspire me to declutter..;p

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  8. Yummy! I've never tried these but they look delicious!

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  9. Thanks! Mixing up a batch as we speak! I'm trying devils food with milk choco chips! Can't wait to try them!

    Be Blessed!

    Amy

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  10. I came over from the Nester tonight... read & commented on the post she linked to, and then proceeded to read your entire blog! Nice to meet you!! Thanks for sharing your life. I will be visiting again. Blessings!!

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  11. I love making cake mix cookies! My favorite (and my husband's favorite) is using strawberry cake mix with white chocolate chips. YUM!

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  12. oh, cookie dough! yumm :)
    my father-in-law makes these cookies (yep- easy!) but he has never tried the funfetti cake mix... i'll have to pass that tip along!
    good luck de-cluttering. i'm there with ya... really.

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  13. I guess I have been living under a rock because I have never heard of the cake mix cookies. I will definitely have to give them a try since I have a bunch of cookie monsters that live with me, lol ;o)

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  14. Just tried this recipe today with a chocolate mix and a few chocolate chips. My 10 ds said they are better than great! Thanks so much!

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  15. Funny, I made a similar recipe today with Devils Food Cake Mix and peanut butter and a tad bit of cream cheese. Soft. Moist. Yummy. Just now came across your blog - will have to try these next :o)

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