Easy 3-Ingredient Cake Mix Crinkle Cookies: Quick Recipe Using Any Boxed Cake Mix

A Shortcut Cookie Recipe That Still Feels from Scratch

You’re here because you want a fast cookie that doesn’t taste like a shortcut. That’s exactly what you’ll get with these cake mix crinkle cookies. They use a box of cake mix, but the final texture and flavor say soft, chewy, and freshly baked, not factory made.

This recipe is flexible. You can use any flavor of cake mix. You can switch oil for butter. You can even skip chilling the dough if you’re in a rush. But the cookies still turn out with that crackly powdered sugar top and soft center.

I’ve tested these side-by-side with classic scratch cookie dough. These don’t just hold up—they surprise people when I tell them they started with a box.

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How Cake Mix Crinkle Cookies Save Time

The real benefit of cookies using cake mix boxes is that most of the work is already done. You’re skipping the flour, sugar, leavening balance. The mix gives you consistency, and all you need to do is bind it.

I use this method often when I’m baking for a crowd or prepping cookie boxes. The dough mixes in minutes and doesn’t need a mixer. That’s how I keep up during the holiday baking rush.

If you love fast prep desserts, you’ll want to try my Cake Mix Cookies with 3 Ingredients next. It’s another quick win.

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What You’ll Need to Make These Cookies

Start with one standard 15.25 oz box of cake mix. I lean toward lemon or red velvet for contrast, but chocolate cake mix is the most forgiving.

Use two large eggs for binding and 1/3 cup of either vegetable oil or melted butter. Both work. I’ve used each many times depending on what I have on hand. Butter adds flavor. Oil gives a slightly chewier texture.

I also add a teaspoon of vanilla extract when using yellow or white cake mix—it lifts the flavor and softens the boxed edge.

And don’t skip the powdered sugar for rolling. That coating gives you the signature crackle. It also balances the cookie’s sweetness with a soft shell.

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Oil vs. Butter: What Makes the Better Cookie?

I’ve tested both oil and butter with this exact recipe. Oil produces a chewier texture and gives a glossier finish. Butter adds flavor but tends to spread the cookies more.

If you want a sturdy, portable cookie for gifting or stacking, I suggest using oil. If flavor is your top priority and you’re serving them fresh, go with melted butter. I use oil when I bake these for cookie tins.

That same idea applies to Brownie Crinkle Cookies too, structure from oil, richness from butter.

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How to Mix the Dough Without a Mixer

You can stir this entire dough with a spatula or large spoon. I combine the cake mix, eggs, oil, and vanilla directly in one bowl. Stir until the dough is thick and sticky. It should feel like a soft scoopable paste, not a batter.

If the dough is too sticky to roll, rest it in the fridge for 15 minutes. This helps especially with chocolate or red velvet mixes, which tend to feel wetter.

This same trick works for other soft doughs too likr the batter used in my Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.

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How to Get That Classic Crinkle Top

Use a tablespoon scoop or small spoon and shape the dough into balls with your hands. Coat each one generously in powdered sugar. Don’t just dust them—cover completely.

Spacing matters. Keep the balls two inches apart on your baking sheet. I use parchment for clean-up and even spread.

Bake at 350°F for 9 to 11 minutes. The edges will look set, but the centers should still be soft. They’ll continue to firm as they cool.

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Cooling and Storage Advice

Let the cookies rest on the tray for 5 minutes before moving them. This prevents tearing or overbaking the bottoms. Then place them on a wire rack.

Once cooled, store them in an airtight container. They stay soft for 3 to 4 days at room temperature. For longer storage, I freeze them in zip bags with wax paper between the layers.

You can also freeze the unbaked dough balls, already coated in powdered sugar. Just bake straight from the freezer and add 1 extra minute to the time.

If you’re planning holiday baking, these freeze as well as any Christmas Cake Mix Cookies.

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Serving Ideas and Flavor Variations

This cookie format is a base for endless combinations. Use lemon cake mix and add a pinch of zest. Try strawberry cake mix with freeze-dried berries stirred into the dough.

For holidays, color the powdered sugar with edible glitter or mix it with crushed peppermint. I’ve used yellow cake mix and added a splash of almond extract for something nostalgic.

They also make great additions to dessert platters with more visual texture—like next to Cake Mix Cookies Recipes Easy.

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Save and Share: Let’s Bake Together

You can save this recipe to your Cookies Made with Cake Mix Boxes board and come back to it each season with a new twist. These cookies are fast, adaptable, and always finish the plate.

If you bake them, I’d love to hear how you made them your own. Did you change the flavor? Add your own spin? Drop a comment below and share your ideas—especially if you’ve tried a flavor I haven’t.

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