Hostess Cupcake Cookies Recipe with a Cake MIx

3.48 from 21 votes

Everything you love about a Hostess Cupcake wrapped into one delicious cookie! The very best part is that the cookie starts with a cake mix.

Prep Time40

Cook Time30

Total Time1 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the cake mix, flour and cocoa in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the vegetable oil and eggs, mix until completely incorporated. NOTE: Dough will be thick. Using a medium sized cookie scoop {or about 2 tablespoons}, scoop cookies onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 9-11 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool completely on the cookie sheet. Repeat until all of the dough is baked.

Beat butter until light and fluffy, add sugar and vanilla and continue beating using a hand held or stand mixer. Add marshmallow fluff and beat at medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Once the cookies are cooled take about a tablespoon of frosting and spread on top of each cookie. Cover remaining frosting until ready.

Combine the milk chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk the ingredients until smooth. If it is still chunky, add 15 seconds and whisk again. To get the ganache a smooth spoonable consistency, add enough heavy cream to get it there. Add a heaping teaspoon of ganache to the top of the marshmallow cream and spread out into an even layer. Allow it to set up for a few minutes.
Add the remaining marshmallow frosting to a Ziploc bag {or piping bag} and cut a small triangle from the corner. Starting at one side of each cookie begin piping the iconic swirl over the top of each cookie. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container, making sure that the cookies are in a single layer. They will last at room temperature for about 3 days and in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

If you don't have time to make the marshmallow frosting, grab a can of white frosting from the grocery store and use it instead.
The chocolate cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw the cookies at room temperature and top with marshmallow frosting and chocolate ganache.