Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

Turn a regular cake mix into these super easy, soft, chewy, and fudgy Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies! With only 5 simple ingredients, these and can be whipped up in under 20 minutes!

What are cake mix cookies? Well let me tell you! They're the easiest way to achieve a rich, soft cookie without needing cocoa powder or a bunch of ingredients! Simply mix a few ingredients with a boxed cake mix and scoop into cookies instead of spreading the batter in a cake pan.

Why I Love Cake Mix Cookies:

• They only require a few pantry staples, making them an easy last-minute treat!
• They can be stirred with a spoon or spatula...no mixer needed!
• Cake mix cookies are an easy activity to make with the kids since they don't require measuring a bunch of ingredients!
• They are a quick dessert for bake sale cookies, Christmas cookie trays, or really any time a chocolate craving hits!

Ingredients for Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies:

• Dry Chocolate Cake Mix (dry = don't add the ingredients on the box of the box): Devil's Food or chocolate fudge have the best rich chocolate flavor. As for sizing, the 15.25oz box works best but you can also use up to an 18.25oz box without needing to make any additional adjustments.
• Vegetable oil - this gives it the soft, chewy, fudgy texture (see note below on using butter)
• Eggs
• Semi sweet chocolate chips
• Optional: 1 teaspoon cornstarch for chewier texture

Tip: You can also substitute the oil for melted unsalted butter but I've found that they are puffier and don't spread as much. So I definitely prefer the texture when using oil instead of making these cake mix cookies with butter (since they're flatter and have a more fudgy, tasty texture).

How to Make Cake Mix Cookies:

Step 1: Mix Ingredients

Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a medium-sized bowl, add dry cake mix, oil, eggs, and cornstarch. Use a large spoon or spatula to mix until combined (you do not need a mixer for these but if you do use one, don't overmix). Mix in chocolate chips.

Tip: You can add more fun mix-ins like M&M's, white chocolate chips, or even peanut butter chips! These are also perfect for making holiday-specific; like adding fun Christmas, 4th of July, Easter, or Valentine's M&M's or spinkles into the batter! Whatever you add, I'd recommend a total of ½-3/4 cup of mix-ins.

You could also leave out any mix-ins and instead roll the dough in powdered sugar for a fun chocolate snowball Christmas cookie!

Step 2: Scoop & Roll

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a 2-tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to scoop dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once scooped, use your hands to roll each of the scoops into a ball then slightly flatten the tops into a thick disc (see photo below). If desired, press a few extra chocolate chips on top.

Tip: If needed, spray your hands with non-stick cookie oil before rolling. Dough will be thick & sticky. If you are still having trouble, pop the batter in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.

Step 3: Bake

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. The centers may look slightly underdone, but I'd recommend removing them from the over. Overbaking will create a crunchier cookie rather than the fudgy, soft texture we want.

Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the hot baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before removing them. This will allow them to finish baking on the hot sheet, as well as help them set. If you need to stack or store them immediately, place in the fridge to allow the chocolate chips to harden.

Tip: If you want to take these up a notch, top these cake mix cookies with cream cheese frosting!

Step 4: Store or Freeze

How long do cake mix cookies last? These will stay soft in an airtight container for about 3 days before starting to dry out.

Can cake mix cookies be frozen? Yes! These freeze very well (and are also tasty when frozen!). Freeze in an airtight container and store for up to 2 months. As with any cookies, freezing will dry them out over time and cause them to lose their flavor (as they can start to absorb the odors of the freezer). So if you're really wanting to keep them fresh the longest, the best method would be to individually wrap cookies in plastic wrap, place those in an airtight container, then freeze.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What brand of cake mix can I use?

My favorite brand for these chocolate cake mix cookies is Pillsbury Devil's Food. But you can also use any cake mix brand like Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines; just keep in mind that different cake mixes have different formulas and make baked differently.

As for the box size, 15.25oz mix works best. If you can only find an 18.25oz mix, that will work fine too without needing any adjustments.

Can you make other flavors of cake mix cookies?

You sure can! This recipe can be used with pretty much any flavor of cake mix like strawberry, lemon, german chocolate, etc!

Do you have other recipes using chocolate cake mix?

If you love these, try my Chocolate Brownie Cookies; it uses a boxed brownie mix instead of cake mix but they're SO good and chewy - one of my family's favorite recipes!

For a white cake mix recipe, be sure to try The Best White Sheet Cake (Doctored Cake Mix!) - another fan favorite!

Are cake mix cookies good?

Surprisingly yes! They're way better than I thought they would be. They kind of have a fudgy brownie texture which make them super tasty!

Did you make these chocolate cake mix cookies? Be sure to leave a comment below with how you liked them!