How to Make Cake Mix Cookies: 7 Essential Tips
Updated Oct 11, 2026, Published Jul 03, 2019
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If you’ve been around here for a while, you know that cookies are one of my favorite things to bake. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned after making hundreds {and hundreds} of batches, it’s that a cake mix can make a pretty incredible cookie.
I’ve spent years developing cake mix cookie recipes, and along the way, I’ve learned a thing or two about what works, what doesn’t, and how a few simple tricks can make all the difference.
From getting the perfect soft texture to keeping cookies from spreading too much, these are the seven tips I come back to again and again. Whether you’re making your first batch or your fiftieth, I hope they help you bake cookies you can’t wait to share.
Before You Start: Check Your Cake Mix Size
Cake mix boxes have gotten smaller over the years. Many older recipes were written for a 15.25-ounce box {and some even older ones for 18.25 ounces}, but a lot of boxes on store shelves today are 13.25 ounces. The size can also vary by brand.
That difference matters more with cookies than with almost anything else you can make with a cake mix. In cookie dough, the cake mix makes up most of the dry ingredients, so losing a couple of ounces shifts the balance. You might end up with a softer dough, more spread in the oven, or thinner cookies than you expected.
Before you start, compare the size listed in your recipe with the ounces printed on your box. If they don’t match, my Cake Mix Extender Guide shows you what to add to make up the difference.
7 Essential Tips for Making Cake Mix Cookies
1. Whisk or sift the dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients.
Cake mixes tend to be lumpy, so taking this extra step gives you a smooth dry mixture to start with. Once the wet ingredients go in, any lumps are there for good.
If you’re adding flour to make up for a smaller cake mix box, whisk it in now too so it’s evenly mixed through the dough.
2. Add an extra ingredient for a homemade taste
One of my favorite things about cake mix cookies is how easy they are to make your own. A little vanilla bean paste, fresh citrus zest, or a handful of your favorite mix-ins can take a simple cookie and make it something special.
For more ideas, check out my post on how to make a cake mix taste homemade, which covers 10 easy upgrades.
3. Expect the dough to be thick and sticky
I get so many messages asking whether the dough is supposed to look this way, and the answer is YES. Cake mix cookie dough is much thicker and stickier than regular cookie dough. If the dough weren’t thick, you’d end up with a cake, so we change the ingredient ratios just enough to turn it into a cookie.
If the dough is too sticky to scoop, try refrigerating it for 20–30 minutes before adding anything else. A little chilling can make it much easier to handle without changing the texture of the finished cookies.
4. Use a cookie scoop so every cookie is the same size
I always preach this step because it’s so important, especially with cake mix cookies! We want every cookie to bake evenly, and the only way to make sure that happens is to make them all the same size. A scoop also makes thick, sticky dough much easier to portion.
I like to use a medium cookie scoop, which holds about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough.
For more on scoops, baking sheets, and other basics, see my easy cookie baking tips.
5. Don’t overbake the cookies
There’s only a minute or two between a soft cake mix cookie and a hockey puck. They overbake so easily, so bake them only until they’re set and the bottoms are just starting to brown. Take them out a little sooner than you think you need to. They’ll keep setting on the pan {more on that in Tip 7}.
6. Use a round cookie cutter to get round cookies
Cake mix cookies don’t always come out of the oven perfectly round. To fix that, place a round cookie cutter that’s slightly bigger than the cookie over each one while they’re still hot on the pan. Then gently swirl it in a circle. The edges tuck right in and you get a perfectly round cookie.
7. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes
Since we take them out when the centers are still slightly soft, leaving them on the baking sheet gives them time to finish setting without drying out. After about 10 minutes, transfer them to a cooling rack.
Once you know how to make cake mix cookies with these tips, your next batch will be both simple and extra wonderful. Cake mix cookies definitely hold a special place in my heart. Being able to whip up a batch in just over 30 minutes is like magic to me, and I hope you think so too!
Cake Mix Cookie FAQs
Cake mix cookie dough has a higher proportion of wet ingredients to dry ingredients than traditional cookie dough, so it’s naturally thick and sticky. That’s completely normal!
If it’s too sticky to scoop, refrigerate the dough for 20–30 minutes. Chilling helps firm it up without changing the ingredient ratios.
A smaller cake mix box is a common cause. If your recipe was written for a 15.25-ounce box and you used a 13.25-ounce box, there’s less dry mix to balance the wet ingredients. As a result, the cookies can spread more and bake thinner. Check out my guide to cake mix extenders to solve this problem!
Look for edges that are set and bottoms that are just starting to turn golden. The centers may still look soft, but they’ll finish setting as the cookies cool on the baking sheet. It’s better to pull them a little early than a little late.
Overbaking is usually the culprit. Cake mix cookies go from soft to hard in just a minute or two, so pull them once the edges are set, even if the centers look slightly underdone.
For brands, I usually use Betty Crocker, but Duncan Hines and Pillsbury work well too. Box sizes can differ between brands, so check the ounces before you bake. For flavors, feel free to get creative! And remember, white and vanilla cake mix can be swapped in most recipes.
My Favorite Cake Mix Cookie Recipes
Want more? My Cake Mix Cookie Hub has more than 60 cake mix cookie recipes to choose from!
More from the Cake Mix Classroom
Want to learn even more about baking with a cake mix? These are some of my favorite guides for getting the most out of every box, from understanding cake mix sizes to making your desserts taste homemade.
A to the Men!
Everythang in our kitchens doesn’t have ta be made from scratch!
I can’t wait ta try these and SHARE! 😉
Thank Ya!
I hope you love all of the recipes. 🙂