Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
These easy Lemon Cake Mix Cookies are sunshine in dessert form. Soft, chewy, sweet, and bursting with citrusy brightness… and they only take 17 minutes from start to finish! With a lemon glaze that drips like a dream and optional zest for extra zing, making lemon cookies from cake mix is your new favorite lazy baker’s miracle.
Author Donna Elick
Servings 12 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 box 15.25 oz lemon cake mix (Betty Crocker)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or substitute lemon extract for more citrus punch
- 2 cups powdered confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the Cookie Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the lemon cake mix, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract.
- Stir until fully combined and a soft dough forms.
- You can use a fork, spoon, or hand mixer — whatever makes you feel like the baking queen you are.
- Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop (or heaping tablespoon) to form dough balls.
- Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet to give them space to spread..
- Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are just set.
- *The cookies will continue to cook slightly on the sheet after baking.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring.
Make the Lemon Glaze:
- While cookies cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.
- If needed, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice a little at a time to reach desired drizzling consistency.
- The glaze should be thick but pourable.
Glaze the Cookies:
- Transfer cookies to a wire rack set over a sheet of parchment for easy cleanup.
- Spoon or drizzle glaze over each cookie, letting it drip slightly over the sides for that bakery-style finish.
- Sprinkle with lemon zest while glaze is still wet, if using.
- Allow cookies to cool completely for the glaze to set before serving or storing.
Notes
These go quickly so you might want to double the recipe. It only makes 12 cookies.
Lemon Cake Mix: Any 15.25-ounce box will work. Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, or store-brand are all fair game for making this lemon cookies recipe with cake mix.
Oil & Eggs: Use the amounts listed here, not what’s on the box. Canola or vegetable oil both keep the texture light and tender.
Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice gives the glaze that real pucker factor. Bottled works in a pinch.
Lemon Zest: Totally optional, but it adds a gorgeous pop of color and amplifies the lemon flavor.
Extract: Want a stronger lemon punch? Swap the vanilla extract for lemon extract in the dough.
Don’t Overbake: The cookies will look slightly underdone when you pull them out, but they set up perfectly while cooling.
VARIATIONS
Add White Chocolate Chips for a sweet surprise inside each bite.
Use Strawberry Cake Mix for a strawberry lemonade vibe.
Roll in Powdered Sugar before baking for a crinkle cookie version.
Top with Candied Lemon Peel for a bakery-style presentation.
Make It a Sandwich Cookie: Spread lemon buttercream between two cookies for a bakery-worthy dessert. Can I freeze cake mix cookies? Yes, and you can freeze them glazed too.
Arrange lemon cake cookies on a cooled sheet pan and freeze until firm, then stack in a freezer-safe bag or container.
Thaw on the counter when you’re ready to eat.
Avoid freezing the dough, though. Because of the cake mix, these should be mixed and baked right away.
Lemon Cake Mix: Any 15.25-ounce box will work. Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, or store-brand are all fair game for making this lemon cookies recipe with cake mix.
Oil & Eggs: Use the amounts listed here, not what’s on the box. Canola or vegetable oil both keep the texture light and tender.
Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice gives the glaze that real pucker factor. Bottled works in a pinch.
Lemon Zest: Totally optional, but it adds a gorgeous pop of color and amplifies the lemon flavor.
Extract: Want a stronger lemon punch? Swap the vanilla extract for lemon extract in the dough.
Don’t Overbake: The cookies will look slightly underdone when you pull them out, but they set up perfectly while cooling.
VARIATIONS
Add White Chocolate Chips for a sweet surprise inside each bite.
Use Strawberry Cake Mix for a strawberry lemonade vibe.
Roll in Powdered Sugar before baking for a crinkle cookie version.
Top with Candied Lemon Peel for a bakery-style presentation.
Make It a Sandwich Cookie: Spread lemon buttercream between two cookies for a bakery-worthy dessert. Can I freeze cake mix cookies? Yes, and you can freeze them glazed too.
Arrange lemon cake cookies on a cooled sheet pan and freeze until firm, then stack in a freezer-safe bag or container.
Thaw on the counter when you’re ready to eat.
Avoid freezing the dough, though. Because of the cake mix, these should be mixed and baked right away.
