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These easy Lemon Cake Mix Cookies are such an easy cookie recipe! They’re made with yellow cake mix, sprinkles and are bursting with lemon flavor from lemon extract, juice, and zest. This is my go-to cake mix cookie recipe!
Why we love Lemon Cookies from Cake Mix
Lemon cake mix cookies are like little lemon clouds that taste like cake. I used one of my favorite baking shortcuts for these cuties – yellow cake mix. All of the dry ingredients are ready to go making these a super simple cookie recipe to make.
I like to doctor up the cake mix with lots of lemon flavor – lemon extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Adding the extra lemon ingredients makes these cookies taste like homemade delicious lemon cookies.
Triple the lemon gives a huge punch of lemon flavor, and then you add sprinkles, and by the magic of unicorns and rainbows, the cookies turn into funfetti. You know how I love my sprinkles! These are soft and chewy and so, so good.
Lemon Cake Mix Cookies Ingredients
- Yellow cake mix: you can use white or yellow cake mix. Be sure to get one that is about 15 ounces (most cake mixes are around that size).
- Softened butter: I use unsalted. Learn how to soften butter fast!
- Egg: a regular cookie ingredient
- Extracts: adding vanilla extract and lemon extract to cake mix cookies makes them taste homemade.
- Lemon: Lemon juice AND fresh lemon zest amps up that lemon flavor of the cookies
- Mix-Ins: Rainbow sprinkles are perfect but you could also use white chocolate chips.
How to Make Lemon Cookies Out of Cake Mix
- Start the batter: Pour the dry cake mix into the bowl and add the butter and egg. This is best done with an electric mixer.
- Flavoring: Add both extracts, lemon juice, and zest and mix to combine. Stir in the sprinkles.
- Scoop and Bake: Drop two tablespoons of the dough (a medium cookie scoop) on the prepared baking sheet. I like to bake these cookies on silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Bake the cookies for eight to twelve minutes or until the cookies tops start to crack and the edges turn golden.
Recipe Variations
Maybe you’re not sprinkle obsessed like I am and want to try switching up the recipe? I’ve got you covered and have tried a few different variations for this recipe. All of these are amazing, too!
- Swap the sprinkles for white chocolate chips, or you could do a combo of half and half. (See my White Chocolate Lemon Cookies recipe)
- Whether you use sprinkles or chips, adding a simple lemon glaze takes them to a whole new level!
- Sometimes I roll the cookie dough balls in powdered sugar before baking them. This turns them into lemon crinkle cookies.
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- You can use vegetable oil in place of the melted butter, but they will spread more.
- These freeze really well – place them in an airtight container or gallon size bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. Place layers between paper towels – the paper towels absorb the moisture as the cookies defrost!
- You can also use a lemon cake mix – you can omit the lemon extract but still use the zest and juice for that homemade fresh flavor.
- The cookies are best when they are still a little underdone when you take them out of the oven, so keep an eye on them so they don’t overbake. Cool them on the cookie sheet and then store them in an airtight container.
FAQ
You don’t have to make the cake on the side of the box – use this recipe and it’ll be thick enough for cookies.
You can keep them at room temperature for up to four days or pop them in the freezer for up to a month.
Lemon Cake Mix Cookies Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 15 ounce box yellow cake mix
- ½ cup (113g) butter , softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (about 1 medium lemon)
- ½ cup rainbow sprinkles or 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking mats.
- Place cake mix in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (Alternately, use a large bowl and a hand mixer.) Add butter and egg and mix slowly until the butter works it’s way through the mix. Add the extracts, lemon juice, and zest. Stir until mixed, then stir in sprinkles.
- Drop 2 tablespoon cookie dough balls onto your prepared cookie sheets. Chill at least 30 minutes.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes until the tops start to show cracks and they just start to get golden around the bottoms. Don’t over bake these, they’re better more underdone. Cool completely on cookie sheets, then remove to an airtight container. Will keep for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Nutrition
Other Cake Mix Recipes to Try
These easy Lemon Cookies made with cake mix are an easy cookie recipe! They’re made with yellow cake mix, sprinkles and are bursting with lemon flavor from lemon extract, juice, and zest.
My cookie dough is cooling in the refrigerator . . .
WHY AM I ASKED TO PREHEAT THE OVEN AT THE START OF THE RECIPE WHEN MY DOUGH HAS TO BE REFRIGERATED FOR 30 MINUTES BEFORE COOKING?