Soft, chewy, and packed with chocolatey M&Ms, these Cake Mix Christmas Cookies are a quick, festive treat that’s as easy to make as it is fun to eat. With rich vanilla flavor and a shortcut cake mix base, they come together in minutes—no mixer required. Perfect for last-minute holiday baking, cookie swaps, or a sweet treat with hot cocoa by the tree.
Whether you are making them for the kids, a holiday party, or for the guy in red, these will be a new repeat on your cookie wish list. So, while you are in the kitchen, whip up a second batch, and enjoy them all season long.
What are Cake Mix Christmas Cookies?
I really believe that cake mix cookies should be considered the ultimate kitchen hack! Starting with a box of cake mix and just two simple ingredients (oil and eggs), you will create a quick and simple, but not lacking on flavor dessert. It is easy to make yourself, or grab the kids and make it a baking party.
Jump to:
- What are Cake Mix Christmas Cookies?
- Why You Will Love These Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
- Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
- More Recipes You Will Love
- How to Store Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
- What to Serve with Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
- Top Tip
- Frequently Asked Questions About Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
- More Recipes You Will Love
- Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
You might also love these Cookies from Devil's Food Cake Mix.
Why You Will Love These Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
- Tasty: The rich vanilla flavor goes hand-in-hand with chocolatey M&Ms.
- Soft and Chewy: They are soft and melt in your mouth with a bit of a chewy texture.
- Quick and Simple: The cookies will be hot and ready in less than 15 minutes.
- Fun For All: The simplicity of this recipe will allow you to bring it the smallest of hands to help in the kitchen.
Ingredients
We love quick dessert recipes that use a few simple ingredients.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
- White Cake Mix: This creates a moist and chewy cookie base.
- Vegetable Oil: A neutral oil to add fat, which helps keep the cookies soft; vegetable oil will not affect flavor.
- Eggs: A binder in any baking recipe.
- M&Ms: Any small candies will work.
For this recipe, you'll want to have on hand a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, a baking sheet, some parchment paper, a spatula flipper and a cooling rack.
Substitutions and Variations
These types of recipes are the best at personalizing. Here are some fun ideas to get your wheels turning.
- Sprinkles: Try ¾ - 1 cup of any sprinkles of your choice.
- Chocolate Chips: Add a 1 cup of chocolate chips to the batter before scooping. This will increase the volume of batter and will yield more cookies (it may change your bake time slightly).
- Candy: Add your favorite candies to the top, like festive reindeer corns, peppermint M&Ms, or chopped candy canes!
- Cake Mix: Change the type of cake mix you use (note: we do not recommend using Angel Food Cake Mix).
How to Make Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
Check out how quick and easy it was to make these Cake Mix Christmas Cookies in just a few simple steps.
Preheat oven to 350F and prep a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl add cake mix, oil, eggs and mix by hand with a spatula until well blended (about 30-60 seconds).
Fold in the M&Ms just until combined.
Drop balls of dough using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop. Ensure to leave a couple of inches between each ball to make sure they do not touch.
Bake for about 9 minutes to keep the cookies chewy.
Cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to let cookies cool fully. If multiple batches are needed, allow the cookie sheet to cool completely before starting the next batch.
Hint: Not all ovens cook the same and these cookies bake fast! Stay close to the oven, around 8 minutes check for doneness. They should look pretty soft (but not wet or raw), and they will firm up slightly as they cool.
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How to Store Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
While you can store these, you won't want to. They are too delicious you will want to eat them all up!
- Countertop: Fully cooled cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 7 days on the counter. For best flavor, we recommend 3-4 days. Cut pieces of parchment paper to stack between each cookie when stacking. This prevents any moisture from ruining the eyeballs and the cookies sticking together.
- Refrigerator: Alternatively, you can place in an airtight container for up to two weeks in the fridge. But again, 3-4 days would offer the best flavor.
- Freezer: If you do not plan to eat them within 3 days, we suggest storing these in the freezer. You can wrap 3-4 together, then place them into another container to prevent them from getting crushed. They will hold great flavor for up to 2 months.
- Make Ahead: With a quick prep and bake time it is ideal to make them when needed.
What to Serve with Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
- Milk: You probably already know cookies and milk are a perfect match. Whether you're a 'bite n sip', 'eat then drink', or 'dunk' cookie eater, you're bringing back that childhood nostalgia!
- Coffee/Tea: Many warm beverages go well with cookies. We find a simple tea or coffee allows the cookie flavor to shine. Try our Caramel Mocha Coffee as a great option to pair with these cookies.
- Ice Cream: Hear me out! Crumbling up these cookies and topping some cold vanilla (or chocolate) ice cream is an added bonus to these delicious treats, especially if the cookies are still warm.
- Ice Cream Sandwiches: Make mini ice cream sandwiches. Lightly soften some ice cream and spread on one cookie, top with another and place in the freezer to chill.
Top Tip
Once you have scooped out your dough onto the baking sheet, top with a few extra (3-5) M&Ms to ensure each look evenly packed!
Frequently Asked Questions About Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
Top questions about making Cake Mix Cookies?
Cake Mix Cookies are cookies that are made from a box of cake mix. With only the ingredients on the back of the box (typically eggs and oil) and you are ready to bake.
If you find the dough too sticky to scoop you can chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
You can make Cake Mix Cookie bars and brownies and use a pan instead of scooping them individually.
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Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Spatula
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- 1.5 Tablespoon Cookie Scoop
- Spatula Flipper
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 1 432- gram box white cake mix
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs, large
- 1 cup M&Ms
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and prep a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl add cake mix, oil, eggs and mix by hand with a spatula until well blended (about 30-60 seconds).
- Fold in the M&Ms just until combined.
- Drop balls of dough using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop. Ensure to leave a couple of inches between each ball to make sure they do not touch.
- Bake for about 9 minutes to keep the cookies chewy.
- Cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to let cookies cool fully. If multiple batches are needed, allow the cookie sheet to cool completely before starting the next batch.
Notes
- Just about any flavor of cake mix will be delicious for these easy cookies, substitute with your favorite (note: we have found they do not work well with Angel Food Cake Mix).
- Experiment with add-ins if you’d like, such as chocolate chips, or sprinkles.
- Cookies will be soft and chewy, but if you prefer a crisper cookie, bake them a little longer, while being careful not to overbake.
- Do not overmix the M&Ms into the batter or the colors can start to run.
- The cookies will spread so there is no need to flatten them.
Nutrition
We would be so grateful for you to leave us a rating and review on any recipes you try. If you make any alterations, let us know how they turned out.
Eva Filer says
This is my little guys favorite recipe. He loves the soft texture of the cookie and all the M&Ms; sometimes we add sprinkles as well for an extra crunch!
Sarah says
These cookies are a new holiday hit in our home! I love that they are family friendly for our toddler bakers. Friends and family enjoyed them! Will definitely make again.
Eva Filer says
Sarah, thank you so much for letting us know you all enjoyed them!
Seija says
Made these cookies with the kids and they were so easy! They didn’t last long in our house so we will definitely be making a few more batches before the holidays. Thanks for a family-friendly recipe!
Eva Filer says
Family recipes for the win! We love that you all had fun and enjoyed them.
Sandra says
So easy and so tasty. We all loved them and I will definitely be making them again. Thx for sharing.
Eva Filer says
Thanks Sandra for the review! We love hearing that people will be back to make more!