Cake Mix Cookies

10/29/14 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Cake mix cookies for goblins of all ages!

Boo! If you live in the city, it’s almost time for ghosts and goblins to show up at your door. Out here in the country our trick-n-treaters are few and far between. But just in case some show up I like to have candy for them and homemade cookies for us. For me, baking cookies is a labor of love. Emphasis on the labor.

Cookies are a pretty simple treat to make. The basic batter is usually flour, sugar, eggs, butter, salt and baking soda. But most cookies have any number of other things added to the batter: coconut, chocolate, nuts, and so on. The problem is that all of these things have to be measured and that means I have to pay attention and that takes time.

And then there’s the baking. My oven is not cookie friendly. It seems to sense the minute I put a cookie sheet of raw dough inside. And then it goes haywire. It is either too hot and the cookies burn or too cool and they are soggy. I’ve had it checked and the service guy tells me it’s fine. So I have to stay nearby and watch them!

I thought about these frustrations as I sorted through recipes. I had just about talked myself out of baking anything when I came across an old recipe from my kids Auntie Gloria. She gave me this Duncan Hines box-cake-based cookie recipe at least 30 years ago. I knew that I could quickly put my favorite chocolate-chocolate chip cookies together and be out of the kitchen in an hour.

But then curiosity got the best of me. It had been years since Gloria gave me this recipe. Are there new recipes out there? Of course there are! I googled “cake mix cookies” and dozens of references came up. All of the recipes are very similar. Some call for added water, some don’t. Hint: if it says “ungreased” pan, use parchment paper or lightly grease the pan. Most recipes don’t give a quantity. If I were you, I would count on about 2-dozen cookies per batch. Extras are a bonus.

Today’s first recipe is a basic plan to build from. The others add frosting, cream cheese, peanut butter, oatmeal, etc. to give you a few ideas. For-instance, if you’re looking for a Fall flavored cookie, try a spice cake mix and frost it with a cream cheese frosting. The possibilities are endless. See what works for you. Enjoy!

AUNTIE GLORIA’S CAKE MIX COOKIES

1 cake mix—any kind

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil

2 tablespoons water

Mix and add 1 cup of anything!

Bake @ 350°

Note: Gloria didn’t fill in details:

Before baking, add chocolate chips, nuts, or flavorings if desired. Drop on a cookie sheet. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes then sit down with a glass of milk and enjoy a warm, homemade  treat.

 CAKE MIX FROSTED SUGAR COOKIES

www.sixsisters.com

1 (15.25 ounce) box vanilla cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix together cake mix, eggs and oil until well combined.  Roll into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until slightly golden.  Let cool completely.

HALLOWEEN FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted (more or less depending on how thick/runny you like it)
A couple of drops of orange food coloring

Chocolate sprinkles

Chocolate frosting to spell BOO and EEK!

Combine all ingredients until smooth.  Spread over cooled cookies. Circle the cookie with sprinkles and write Boo! in the center.

CAKE MIX CREAM CHEESE COOKIES

www.justapinch.com

1 box white cake mix

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cups butter, room temperature

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup white chocolate chips or something similar

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add egg and vanilla; mix until blended.

Stir in cake mix a little at a time until blended. Add any chips, candy or nuts you like.

CAKE MIX PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Betty Crocker

1 supermoist yellow cake mix

2 tablespoons water

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup shortening or vegetable oil

2 eggs

Sugar (to crisscross cookies)

Preheat oven to 375° F.

In large bowl, beat all ingredients (except sugar) with electric mixer until smooth. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar and place 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with fork dipped in sugar.

Bake 10-12 min. or until golden brown. Cool 1 min.; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Store covered.

CAKE MIX OATMEAL COOKIES

Southern Living

1 18.25 ounce box yellow cake mix

2 cups quick-cooking oats, uncooked

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 cup raisins

1 cup pecans, chopped

1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Combine first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Combine oil and eggs; add to dry ingredients, stirring well. Stir in raisins, pecans and vanilla. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2” apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 min. or until lightly browned. Cool as above. Yield 48.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal! 

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes

 that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.