Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies Recipe delivers soft, fudgy cookies with cocoa notes and a gentle tang that pairs perfectly with vanilla. This quick bake suits busy weeknights, bake sales, or last-minute parties, and you can pull a batch in about 30 minutes. I first mixed these on a snow day and ate two before the tray cooled.
Why Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies Recipe Is Worth It
Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies Recipe trims the ingredient list to a simple box mix, oil or butter, and eggs, yet the cookies still taste bakery-level rich. The cookies stay chewy, hold a pretty red color, and welcome add-ins like white chocolate chips or cream cheese frosting.
You mix everything in one bowl, which saves time and dishes. You also get consistent results with every brand of red velvet cake mix.
Soft, chewy, chocolaty, and wildly festive, these cookies vanished from my counter before the second tray hit the oven ★★★★★
Ingredients You Need
- 1 box red velvet cake mix, 15.25 ounces
- Brands that work well: Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker, or Pillsbury. If your box reads 16.5 ounces, hold back 2 tablespoons of dry mix or add 1 teaspoon extra oil to keep the dough supple.
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- Cold eggs firm the dough and slow mixing. Let them sit 10 minutes on the counter.
- 1/3 cup neutral oil or 6 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
- Oil gives extra chew. Butter adds buttery flavor and a slightly thicker cookie. Both taste great.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional mix-ins
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips or chunks
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- Optional coating
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar for a crinkle finish
- Optional finishing
- Cream cheese frosting for sandwich cookies or a light drizzle
- Pinch of fine sea salt if your cake mix tastes very sweet
Equipment: large bowl, sturdy spatula, hand mixer if desired, 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, parchment paper, two baking sheets, cooling rack.
Quick Tips & substitutions
- Chill the dough 15 to 20 minutes so scooping feels easy and the cookies bake with neat edges.
- Use oil for a chewier cookie and butter for more flavor. Split the difference if you like.
- Roll dough balls in powdered sugar for a classic crinkle look that pops against red.
- Swap in gluten-free red velvet cake mix at a 1:1 ratio and keep the same method.
- Add cornstarch softness: mix in 1 teaspoon cornstarch for extra tender centers.
- Keep cookies red: line pans with parchment and avoid greased dark pans, which can overbrown edges.
- Make them thicker: chill the scooped balls on the tray for 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake one tray at a time on the center rack for even heat.
How to Make Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Prep the oven and pans (5 minutes)
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Set the oven rack in the center.
Step 2: Mix the dough (2 to 3 minutes)
Pour the cake mix into a large bowl. Add eggs, oil or melted butter, and vanilla. Stir with a spatula or beat on low until a thick, uniform dough forms. Fold in any chips or nuts.
Step 3: Chill the dough (15 to 20 minutes)
Slide the bowl into the fridge until the dough firms slightly. This short rest helps the cookies hold shape and bake with soft centers. I use this window to set up the cooling rack and grab my scoop.
Step 4: Scoop and coat (5 minutes)
Scoop 1.5 tablespoon portions and roll them into smooth balls. For crinkle cookies, roll each ball in powdered sugar until fully coated. Space the balls 2 inches apart on the lined sheets.
Step 5: Bake the cookies (9 to 11 minutes)
Bake one tray at a time until edges look set and the centers look slightly soft. Pull the cookies when the tops crackle and lose the glossy shine. They continue to set on the hot sheet, which keeps the centers fudgy.
Step 6: Cool and finish (10 minutes)
Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a rack to cool. Drizzle with cream cheese frosting or sandwich two cookies with a thin layer. Try not to eat one while it still steams, but I do not judge.
Yield: about 20 to 24 cookies, depending on scoop size.
Variations
- White chocolate chunk: fold in 3/4 cup chopped white chocolate for pockets of creamy sweetness.
- Double chocolate: use 1/2 cup white chips and 1/2 cup semisweet chips for contrast.
- Crinkle classic: roll in powdered sugar before baking for that crackled, snow-dusted finish.
- Cheesecake-stuffed: press a 1/2-inch cube of chilled cream cheese into the dough ball, wrap, and seal, then bake.
- Peppermint crunch: add 1/2 cup crushed candy canes and finish with a light vanilla glaze.
- Sandwich style: spread cream cheese frosting between two cookies and chill 10 minutes to set.
Ways to Serve
- Stack on a platter with fresh strawberries for a Valentine dessert board.
- Pair with cold milk, coffee, or hot cocoa.
- Crumble over vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of hot fudge.
- Box up for bake sales or teacher gifts with a note on ingredients.
Storage
Store plain cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. Keep frosted or sandwich cookies in the fridge for up to 5 days, and let them sit 10 minutes at room temp before serving for best texture. Freeze baked cookies or unbaked dough balls for up to 2 months; thaw dough balls in the fridge overnight or bake from frozen and add 1 to 2 minutes. Refresh baked cookies in a 300 degree F oven for 3 to 4 minutes if they need a little life.
Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set an oven rack in the center position.
- Add the red velvet cake mix to a large bowl. Add the eggs, oil or melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir with a spatula or beat on low speed until a thick, uniform dough forms. Fold in any chocolate chips or nuts, if using.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly firmed but still scoopable.
- Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough and roll into smooth balls. For crinkle cookies, roll each ball in powdered sugar until fully coated. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers look slightly soft and crackled but no longer glossy.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with cream cheese frosting or sandwich two cookies with a thin layer of frosting, if desired.
Notes
Approximate per cookie (22 cookies, without frosting or mix-ins): 130 calories; fat 7 g; saturated fat 2 g; carbohydrates 17 g; fiber 0 g; sugars 10 g; protein 2 g; sodium 180 mg. Values will vary based on cake mix brand, oil vs. butter, add-ins, and cookie size.