If you have never used freeze dried fruit in your baking then now is the time to do it! This easy Strawberry Cream Cheese Cookies recipe is full of strawberry flavor. Plus, the combination of cream cheese and strawberries is always a great idea.
Why these Strawberry Cookies are the BEST
- Using freeze-dried fruit keeps your dough from getting too wet. Using fresh fruit in baked goods {like cookies} can make your dough too soft and in turn give you flat unappealing cookies.
- The cream cheese is in the cookie dough! There is not any need to freeze a cream cheese center! I always love to save you time without sacrificing flavor and the tang of the cream cheese in the cookie is incredible.
- Using a cake mix for the cookie base keeps the recipe super simple. Plus the vanilla flavor amps up the flavor without extra ingredients.
- The flavor combination is a classic but done in a bit of a different and delicious way. If you prefer a cookie without cream cheese try these delicious strawberry cookies.
What goes into this recipe
- Vanilla Cake Mix: The perfect base for this soft and amazing cookie.
- Regular Cream Cheese: Added to the cookie dough to add both softness and flavor.
- Butter: Softened butter is the perfect fat to use in this fabulous strawberry cookie.
- Egg: Adding an egg will help bind the ingredients and give you a lighter cookie.
- Vanilla Extract: To amplify the vanilla flavor that you are already getting from the vanilla cake mix.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries: The perfect way to add strawberries to these cookies because you don’t get any added moisture like you would from fresh strawberries but still get the bright strawberry flavor.
- White Chocolate Chips: They go perfectly with the cream cheese and strawberries. Instead of chocolate chips try using white chocolate chunks instead. Large chunks in the dough will create pools of chocolate that are always amazing.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make Strawberry Cream Cheese Cookies with a Cake Mix
1.To start, mix cream cheese, butter, the egg, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Add the cake mix to the cream cheese mixture and combine using a hand mixer {or by hand} until everything is well combined and thick.
2. Add white chocolate chips and freeze dried strawberries to the dough and stir them in by hand. This is important so that the strawberries do not get broken down too much.
3. Use a medium cookie scoop {or about 2 tablespoons of dough} to scoop cookie dough balls onto a parchment paper {or silicone} lined baking sheet. Using your finger tips {palm of your hand or bottom of glass} to gently press down onto the top of each cookie.
4. Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are set. Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips
- Make sure that the cream cheese and butter are both at room temperature {softened}. This will help give you a really nice and smooth cookie dough free from lumps.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop the cookies. This keeps all of the balls of dough the same size and allows them to bake at the same rate. I use this technique for all of my cookie recipes and think you will love this Strawberry Jam Cookie recipe too.
- Don’t over bake the cookies. The one thing about using a cake mix is that the cookies can turn hard if they are the least bit over baked. The addition of cream cheese will help that but keep an eye on them.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet. The residual heat from the cookie sheet will continue to bake the cookies slightly and set them up perfectly. It is a great way to ensure you get soft cookies.
- Serve these cookies on Valentine’s Day. They are the perfect color and strawberry flavor is always the way to anyone’s heart.
Storing and Freezing
Store- Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake Mix Cookies can be kept in an airtight container {or plastic wrap} at room temperature or in the refrigerator. The refrigerator is great because it will keep them fresh for a longer time period. They also taste amazing chilled.
Freeze- These cream cheese strawberry cookies freeze really well for up to 3 months. Keep them in an airtight container or freezer bag for best results.
The main thing is to be sure that there isn’t any air getting to the cookies. I would also put a layer of paper towel or parchment between layers to be sure they don’t stick together.
Recipe FAQs
While I have not tested this easy recipe with a gluten free cake mix, I have had readers who have been super successful on other recipes.
The best way to get cream cheese to room temperature quickly is to take it out of the foil and put it on a microwave safe plate. Microwave for 20-30 seconds and check it. If it isn’t softened then go ahead and add 10 second increments until it is the perfect softness.
Use regular full-fat cream cheese for this strawberry cream cheese cookies recipe. You may be able to use a reduced fat cream cheese without much change but I have not tested it.
I am of the opinion that if you are going to eat dessert that you should go for it!
I do not recommend it. Using fresh strawberries in these strawberry cake mix cookies will add too much extra moisture to the dough. That will change the texture of the cookie and also make them flat.
Do you love an easy cookie recipe? Try these…
Did you try this recipe?Leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @practicallyhomemade on Pinterest!
Strawberry Cream Cheese Cookies with a Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 1 box vanilla cake mix {15.25 ounce box}
- 8 ounces cream cheese {softened}
- ½ cup butter {softened}
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups freeze dried strawberries
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Combine the cream cheese, butter, egg, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.
- Add cake mix and combine using a handheld mixer {or by hand} until everything is well mixed and thick. Add freeze dried strawberries and white chocolate chips. Stir into dough by hand to combine until everything is evenly incorporated. NOTE: You want to stir gently so that you don't break up the strawberries completely.
- Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough {using a medium scoop} onto a parchment {or silicone} lined baking sheet. Using your finger tips {palm of your hand or bottom of glass} gently press down onto the top of each cookie.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are set.
- Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Move to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Make sure that the cream cheese and butter are both at room temperature {softened}. This will help give you a really nice and smooth cookie dough free from lumps.
- Use a cookie scoop to keep all of the cookies the same size. This allows them to bake evenly.
Nutrition
Pat Wilde says
Can you use other freeze dried fruit instead of
strawberries?
June says
Absolutely! Whatever you like would work great. 🙂