Quick 4-Ingredient Lemon Cake Mix Cookies

If you ask me, lemon cookies made from cake mix are one of the best baking shortcuts around.

These 3-ingredient cookies take the stress out of baking while still giving you that fresh-from-the-oven happiness everyone loves. The cake mix base makes them foolproof, while the lemon adds just the right amount of brightness.

Each cookie comes out soft and chewy in the middle with slightly crisp edges – exactly what you want in a homemade cookie. The dusting of powdered sugar on top gives them that classic, homestyle look.

They’re perfect for last-minute bake sales, afternoon snacks, or when you need something sweet but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.

What Kind of Cake Mix Should I Use?

For these cookies, any brand of lemon cake mix will work, but stick to the standard size box (around 15.25 ounces) to keep the proportions right. While popular brands like Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, or Pillsbury are all good choices, you might notice slight differences in flavor between them – Duncan Hines tends to have a tangier lemon taste, while Betty Crocker is a bit sweeter. If you can’t find lemon cake mix, you can use yellow cake mix and add 2 teaspoons of lemon extract, though the flavor won’t be quite as authentic. Just make sure you’re grabbing a regular cake mix, not a ‘super moist’ or ‘pudding in the mix’ variety, as these can change the texture of your cookies.

Options for Substitutions

Even with just a few ingredients, you’ve got some options to switch things up in these easy cookies:

• Lemon cake mix: While lemon cake mix gives these cookies their signature taste, you can experiment with other flavors like vanilla, strawberry, or chocolate cake mix for a different spin. Just keep in mind this will change the final flavor completely!
• Vegetable oil: You can swap the vegetable oil with melted butter (same amount), canola oil, or even unsweetened applesauce. If using applesauce, your cookies will be more cake-like and less crispy.
• Eggs: For each egg, you can use either 1/4 cup mashed banana, 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, or a commercial egg replacer. Remember that these substitutes might make your cookies a bit denser.
• Confectioners sugar: Instead of confectioners sugar for dusting, try cocoa powder, granulated sugar, or skip the coating altogether. You could also drizzle with a simple glaze made from milk and powdered sugar.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making cake mix cookies is overmixing the dough – stop as soon as the ingredients are combined, or you’ll end up with tough, flat cookies instead of soft, puffy ones.

Another common error is using a warm cookie sheet between batches, which causes the cookies to spread too quickly – always let your baking sheets cool completely or use multiple sheets to rotate between batches.

The dough can be quite sticky, so chilling it for 30 minutes before rolling into balls makes it much easier to handle and helps prevent the cookies from spreading too thin while baking.

For the perfect texture, take the cookies out when they’re just barely set and still look slightly underdone in the middle (around 9-11 minutes) – they’ll continue cooking on the hot baking sheet and give you that ideal soft, chewy center.

What to Serve With Lemon Cookies?

These bright lemon cookies are perfect for afternoon tea or coffee breaks! I love serving them alongside a hot cup of Earl Grey tea, which has subtle citrus notes that complement the lemony sweetness perfectly. For summer gatherings, try pairing them with some fresh berries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream – the combination of warm cookies and cold ice cream is always a crowd-pleaser. If you’re hosting a dessert party, these cookies work great on a platter with other citrus treats like lime bars or orange-chocolate treats.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These lemon cookies stay soft and yummy when kept in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll last about 5-7 days, though in my house they rarely make it past day 3! Place a piece of bread in the container to help keep them extra soft.

Freeze: These cookies are perfect for freezing! Once they’re completely cool, pop them in a freezer bag or container and they’ll keep for up to 3 months. I like to separate layers with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. It’s so nice having a stash ready whenever a cookie craving hits!

Make Ahead: Want to prep these in advance? You can make the cookie dough and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. Just remember to let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes so it’s easier to scoop.

Preparation Time	30-45 minutes
Cooking Time	10-12 minutes
Total Time	40-60 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1500-1600
• Protein: 10-12 g
• Fat: 70-80 g
• Carbohydrates: 220-230 g

Ingredients

• 1 box lemon-flavored cake mix (15.25 oz)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

Step 1: Combine the Cake Mix Dough

• 1 box lemon-flavored cake mix (15.25 oz)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together the lemon-flavored cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil until a smooth dough forms.

Ensure the mixture is evenly combined with no dry spots of cake mix remaining.

Step 2: Chill the Dough

Transfer the dough to the refrigerator and let it chill for at least 30 minutes.

This helps the dough firm up and makes it easier to handle when rolling into balls.

Step 3: Prepare Baking Sheets and Preheat Oven

Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃).

While the oven is heating, line your baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Step 4: Shape and Coat the Dough Balls

• chilled dough from Step 2
• confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

Roll the chilled dough from Step 2 into 1-inch balls.

For a pretty crinkle effect, roll each ball in confectioners’ sugar before placing it on the prepared baking sheets.

Be sure to space the dough balls at least 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.

I find using a small cookie scoop ensures uniform cookies.

Step 5: Bake and Cool the Cookies

• cookie dough balls from Step 4

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they appear set but are still soft in the center.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 5–10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

For extra flavor, I sometimes add a bit more lemon zest on top while they cool.