Easy Lemon Cake Mix Cookies Recipe (5 Ingredients)

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These lemon cake mix cookies are so beautiful & moist that they’ll be gone in no time! Use a lemon cake mix & a few fresh ingredients for the best sweet treat.

I’m always looking for a new cookie recipe. My family still likes my chocolate chip cookies the best, but sometimes it’s nice to make something different. This easy recipe for lemon cookies from cake mix are is so moist they melt in your mouth, they last for several days, and they are absolutely beautiful. They are literally the perfect cookie!

5 Easy Ingredients

  • A box of lemon cake mix: any brand will work!
  • Cream cheese: let it sit out and come to room temperature. It should be soft, but not melted.
  • Butter: let the butter sit out with the cream cheese.
  • Egg: large or extra large works best.
  • Lemons: you will need the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice from 2 large lemons. No lemon extract needed.

How To Make

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese, egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
  • Beat for one minute with an electric mixer on medium high. Make sure to scrape sides and bottom of bowl.
  • Combine box of cake mix with wet ingredients in two increments, beating well and scraping sides & bottom of bowl between additions.
  • Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  • Remove the bowl of dough from the refrigerator and preheat oven 350 degrees F.
  • Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Using a medium cookie scoop, drop the cookie dough on the baking sheet.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cookies will not brown on the top, but the bottom should be light golden.
  • Place a cooling rack on a cookie sheet.
  • Put baked cookies on the cooling rack/cookie sheet.
  • To prepare the lemon glaze: mix together powdered sugar, milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Glaze should pour off a spoon, but should not be runny. Adjust with more powdered sugar, or more lemon juice, to get desired consistency.
  • Using a spoon, drizzle glaze over cooled cookies.
  • Store in an airtight container, with wax paper between layers of cookies.

Delicious Flavor Variations

The sky is the limit when it comes to inventing your own variations for cake mix cookies. Here are a few suggestions:

Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

  • 1 box chocolate cake mix
  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 8 oz. package softened cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon milk
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Carrot Cake Mix Cookies

  • 1 box carrot cake mix
  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 8 oz. package softened cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon milk
  • 1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies

  • 1 box strawberry cake mix
  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 8 oz. package softened cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon milk
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips

Helpful Tips

lemon cake mix cookies landscape 2023
  • These lemon cake mix cookies can be stored in an airtight container for three or four days, and will still be fresh. Make sure to put pieces of wax paper between the layers of cookies. 
  • For best results, the cookie dough must be refrigerated for a minimum of 2 hours. Longer, or even overnight, would work just as well.
  • Even after refrigeration, the dough is slightly sticky. Make sure to use a medium scoop to drop the dough onto the cookie sheet. It makes it so much easier! If you use a small cookie scoop, you will get approximately 30 cookies.
  • If you don’t want to use a cookie scoop, you can make balls of cookie dough and roll them in powdered sugar before baking. You will be making lemon crinkle cookies!
  • Adding parchment paper to your cookie sheet is optional, but the bottoms of the cookies brown quickly. Using parchment paper will help keep the bottoms from getting too brown.
  • Store these easy lemon cake mix cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days. 
  • If, by chance, there are leftover cookies, place them in a freezer safe container, in between layers of parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months. Make sure the glaze is completely set before freezing. 
stack of lemon cake mix cookies

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Lemon Cake Mix Cookies

4.65 from 14 votes
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These lemon cake mix cookies are so fresh & moist that they'll be gone in no time! Use a lemon cake mix & a few fresh ingredients for the best sweet treat.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Servings 20 cookies
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Ingredients

For the Cookies

  • 1 box lemon cake mix
  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 8 oz. package softened cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (zest from one lemon)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

For the Glaze

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (zest from one lemon)

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese, egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
  • Beat for one minute with an electric mixer on medium high. Make sure to scrape sides and bottom of bowl.
  • Add cake mix in two increments, beating well and scraping sides & bottom of bowl between additions.
  • Cover mixing bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  • Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
  • Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Using a medium scoop, drop the cookie dough on the cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cookies will not brown on the top, but the bottom should be light golden.
  • Place a cooling rack on a cookie sheet.
  • Put baked cookies on the cooling rack/cookie sheet.
  • To prepare glaze: mix together powdered sugar, milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Glaze should pour off a spoon, but should not be runny. Adjust with more powdered sugar, or more lemon juice, to get desired consistency.
  • Using a spoon, drizzle glaze over cooled cookies.
  • Store in an airtight container, with wax paper between layers of cookies.

Notes

Dough will be slightly sticky. Using a scoop makes dropping the batter much easier. 
I heard from a reader who said she put the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes instead of the refrigerator for 3 hours. I haven’t tried it myself, but that’s a big time saver!
Author: Ann Drake
Like this recipe?Follow me at @onsuttonplace

If you make this recipe, and love it, please come back to leave a comment and a 5 star rating. I would really appreciate it, and it would help me so much. Thank you!

This simple recipe makes the easiest cookies that have a fresh and bright lemon flavor. They are perfect for special occasions, family gatherings, and after school snacks. 

4.65 from 14 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




13 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made your recipe with my KitchenAid ice cream attachment. OMG it is soooo yummy! I took it to a family dinner for dessert and was asked to make it again and again…….Thank you!

  2. Joan Mathieu says:

    Oh this recipe brings back memories! My mother made a variation of this recipe so often that we teased her about it. Would I love to have her baking some now!

  3. 5 stars
    These were super yummy! I took them to an event and was sad they were all eaten. I wanted some leftovers.

  4. 5 stars
    Yummmmy must try these! Thankyou!

  5. 5 stars
    These are delicious! I have had good luck putting the covered bowl in the freezer for about 30 minutes instead of the refrigerator the whole 3 hours. I then scoop out the first batch and put them in the fridge between batches. By the end, the dough is pretty soft, but it doesn’t seem to bother the result too much. Just wanted to mention in case anyone is short on time.
    I just discovered your site and am enjoying it!

    1. Ann Drake says:

      Thank you so much for the freezer tip. I will add it to the recipe!

  6. Ellen Jenkins says:

    Thank you Ann, for another incredible recipe! I have followed you for years, and you are the only one I follow. You are so relatable and don’t require a makeover to cost $10k. LOL!!! I have recently done a major renovation of my house but I am alway trying to keep it current. Your free printables are all over my house and such an easy vocal point from which to work from. Again, thank you for this new recipe, Starbucks lemon bread, English Muffin bread, just to name a few. I sincerely appreciate your efforts and creativity!!
    Stay safe and thanks for being apart of my life.

  7. I can’t eat cream cheese, I don’t know why, but it always does a number on me. I’m wondering if there is another ingredient that could be substituted? Otherwise, sounds delicious.

    1. I’m wondering if sour cream &/or goat cheese would work? Goat cheese is spreadable somewhat similar to cream cheese, so…what do you think?

  8. Ann,
    Thanks for sharing your recipe. We’ve had so much rain recently you just brightened my day.
    I cannot wait to make these Lemon Cookies!

  9. Maryann Noeak says:

    So, do you mean a block of cream cheese softened, or a tub of soft cream cheese (whipped?) for the lemon cookie recipe?

    1. These recipes sound delicious and easy too. It is time to start baking some cookies! Thanks for the great recipes Ann.

  10. I’m not much of a baker, but I love all things lemon. These look delicious. I’m going to have to try these for sure.