Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
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Looking for a quick, easy, and delicious treat for Valentine’s Day? These Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies check all the boxes! With just three ingredients and less than 10 minutes of effort, you’ll have perfectly chewy, foolproof cookies every time!
I love making any holiday a little more special with a baked good. Recently I’ve discovered that cake mixes make the best hack for any baked good by shaving off a ton of time, reducing cleanup, and ensuring I get a foolproof result every time.
I usually love to use cake mixes for muffins, but now I’m obsessed with cake mix cookies!
Strawberry cake mix was an obvious pick for Valentine’s Day Cookies—sweet, fruity, and the prettiest pink! To make them extra festive, I rolled them in sparkly sugar and added a white chocolate heart to the center. They turned out so cute, I almost didn’t want to eat them… almost.
Why You’ll Love Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
- This recipe is so fast and easy! It only requires three ingredients, no measuring, and less than 10 minutes of your time. These make perfect Valentine cookies for kids!
- Cake mix cookies are super customizable with sprinkles, candies, or frosting—perfect for adding your own festive touch for holidays, birthdays, or baby showers!
- Unlike most Strawberry cake mix cookie recipes, this one requires NO CHILLING.
- These Strawberry Valentine Cookies make the sweetest homemade Valentine treats! Kids (and adults) just love them!
Ingredients
This strawberry cake mix cookie recipe only requires three ingredients you probably have in your kitchen and pantry! Customize the cookies with optional ingredients like chocolate hearts or rainbow sprinkles.
Duncan Hines Strawberry Cake Mix – I’ve tried a few cake mix brands, and I prefer to make my strawberry cookies With Duncan Hines Cake Mix. You can use your favorite brand, just be sure to use a 15.25 oz size.
Eggs – I like to use large eggs for my recipes.
Unsalted Butter – just melted until smooth, but not hot.
Granulated Sugar (optional)– For coating the cookie dough before baking.
Hersey Kisses or White Chocolate Hearts (optional)– If you’re making Valentine sugar cookies, stick a chocolate heart candy in the center of the cookie while it’s still warm for a festive touch.
Step by Step Instructions
These sweet strawberry Valentine cookies come together quickly and easily. Just follow these simple instructions. Full recipe instructions are located in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
Combine the cake mix, eggs, and melted butter in a medium or large mixing bowl. Stir by hand until combined, and no streaks of cake mix remain. The dough will be thick.
Step 3
Scoop evenly sized mounds of cookie dough (1.5 tablespoons in size) and roll them into a ball.
Hint: For sugar-coated cookies, place granulated sugar in a shallow dish and roll the cookie dough in it until fully coated.
Step 4
Place the rolled cookies onto the lined baking sheet, spacing them 2” apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes until puffed in the center, and the tops are crackly. Bake one cookie sheet at a time.
Decorating Tip: If you’re adding chocolate hearts or Hershey kisses, gently press a candy into the center of each cookie once they come out of the oven.
Step 5
Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet until cool enough to lift with your fingers. This will allow the cookies to set up and be ready for eating.
Tips & Tricks
TOP TIP: The butter should be just melted enough to be a liquid but not see through and not hot. This will keep you from having to chill the cookie dough.
- Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet until firm enough to handle. This helps them set properly and makes transferring to a wire rack for cooling much easier!
- Make sure to grab the 15.25 ounce box of cake mix for best results. FYI-Betty Crocker cake mixes are only 13.25 ounces, and have not been tested in this recipe.
- Use a cookie scoop or large spoon for evenly sized cookies.
Substitutions & Variations
- Melted, but not hot, coconut oil can be used in place of the butter. Be sure to use refined coconut oil so it doesn’t have a strong coconut flavor.
- If you can’t find strawberry cake mix, sub in a 15.25-ounce box of vanilla or white cake mix and add red food coloring and strawberry extract.
- You can use a Funfetti mix or any flavor of cake mix you like- stir sprinkles, white chocolate chips, or dark chocolate chips into the cookie batter!
Cookie Decoration Ideas
- Roll the cookie dough balls in sugar or sprinkles before baking. This gives the strawberry cookies a sparkly effect and added crunch.
- Place a milk chocolate or white chocolate heart or Hershey kiss in the center of each cookie after it comes out of the oven.
- Frost with a simple buttercream and add sprinkles, like I do for my sugar cookie bars. You can leave the frosting white or add pink food coloring.
- Dust the tops of the cookies with a little powdered sugar.
Preferred Cake Mix to Use
I recommend Duncan Hines 15.25-ounce Perfectly Moist Strawberry Supreme cake mix for this recipe! The Dolly Parton version works great too.
I did test this recipe using Pillsbury Strawberry Cake Mix, and the cookies turned out neon pink, thicker, and much gooier in the middle, taking them a little longer to set up.
For me, Duncan Hines wins for its less artificial taste and consistency.
How to Store Leftover Cookies
Allow these strawberry cookies to cool completely before storing to avoid condensation or sticking. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Fully baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe bag. When you’re ready to enjoy, just thaw and snack!
Recipe FAQs
No. The two have a lot of ingredients in common, but leavening, ingredient ratios, and the added moisture are very different and create different textures.
I prefer butter over vegetable oil—it makes the cookies taste more homemade, skips the need to chill the batter, and gives them a thick, chewy texture instead of a cakey one.
Yes! Raw cookie dough can be prepared, rolled into balls, and frozen for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature before baking as directed.
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Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 box 15.25 oz Duncan Hines Strawberry Cake Mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 c unsalted butter just melted until smooth, but not hot.
- 1/4 cup sugar for rolling cookie dough (optional)
- 20 Chocolate hearts for Valentine sugar cookies, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the cake mix, eggs, and melted butter in a medium bowl. Stir by hand until combined, and no streaks of cake mix remain. The dough will be thick.
- Scoop mounds of cookie dough, 1.5 tablespoon in size, and roll into a ball. If you’re rolling the cookie dough in sugar, now is the time.
- Place rolled cookies onto a prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2” apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until puffed in the center, and the tops are crackly. Bake one cookie sheet at a time.
- Decorating: If you’re adding chocolate hearts or Hershey kisses, gently press a candy into the center of each cookie once they come out of the oven.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet until cool enough to lift with your fingers. This will allow the cookies to set up and be ready for eating!
Notes
- Tip: melt butter, but do not let it get see through or hot. Melt the butter so that there are still chunks, but can be easily stirred into the batter by hand.
