Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
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‘Tis the season for Christmas cookies, and these Cake Mix Christmas Cookies bring all the holiday cheer! Loaded with semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, crunchy pretzel pieces, Christmas M&Ms, and festive sprinkles, they’re a fun and easy twist on a holiday classic.
Easy Christmas Cake Mix Cookies
Using a box of cake mix for cookies is one of my favorite baking hacks, especially during the busy holiday season. It’s a reliable shortcut that saves time and still delivers soft, flavorful cookies every time. Just like my Gooey Butter Cookies, these Christmas Cake Mix Cookies are easy to make and always well received. The combination of red and green M&Ms, sprinkles, marshmallows, and pretzels adds fun and texture without adding work.
These cookies are perfect for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or leaving out for Santa on Christmas Eve (he deserves the best, after all). If you’re more into chocolate, my Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies use a similar base with a cocoa twist and peppermint M&Ms for extra holiday flavor. You could easily mix in the toppings from these Christmas cookies to switch it up. Either way, it’s a festive favorite.
Ingredients
- Vanilla cake mix – Acts as the base for the dough, providing structure, sweetness, and flavor.
- Eggs – Help bind the dough and add moisture.
- Canola or vegetable oil – Adds richness and keeps the cookies soft.
- Christmas M&Ms (red and green) – Add color, crunch, and chocolate flavor.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – Bring extra chocolate flavor and melty texture.
- Mini marshmallows – Soften slightly when baked, adding a chewy, gooey texture.
- Crushed pretzels – Add a salty crunch that balances the sweetness.
- Red and green sprinkle mix – Adds festive color and a little crunch on top.
Making the Holiday Cake Mix Cookies
- Prep – Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the dough – In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, and oil. Stir until a thick dough forms.
- Add mix-ins – Gently fold in the M&Ms, chocolate chips, marshmallows, crushed pretzels, and sprinkles until evenly distributed.
- Scoop the dough – Use a large 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie.
- Top with extras – Press a few extra M&Ms or chocolate chips onto the tops of each dough ball if desired for a more festive look.
- Bake – Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers look just barely done.
- Cool – Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use different cake mix flavors – Yellow, chocolate, or red velvet cake mix all work well in place of vanilla and each gives a different base flavor to match your favorite holiday combos.
- Try different M&Ms – Use peppermint, peanut butter, or caramel M&Ms depending on what’s available or preferred.
- Leave out the marshmallows – For a less gooey cookie, the marshmallows can be omitted without changing the texture too much.
- Add chopped nuts – Stir in chopped pecans or walnuts for added crunch and richness.
- Use a smaller scoop – These are large, cheerful cookies when made with a 3-tablespoon scoop, but you can use a medium scoop for smaller portions. Just reduce the bake time slightly and keep an eye on the edges.
Tips for Success
- Don’t overbake – The cookies should look slightly underdone in the center when you take them out. They’ll continue to set as they cool.
- Keep marshmallows inside the dough – Try to tuck marshmallows into the dough ball so they don’t melt out too much on the pan.
- Use parchment paper – Lining your baking sheets makes cleanup easier and helps prevent sticking from melted mix-ins.
- Reshape if needed – If the cookies spread unevenly, use a large round cookie cutter to gently shape them right after baking.
- Adjust for smaller cake mix boxes – If your mix is 13.25 ounces, reduce the oil to 1/3 cup for the right dough consistency.
- Adjust bake time for smaller cookies – If using a smaller scoop, reduce the bake time slightly and watch for doneness at the edges.
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More Easy Cake Mix Christmas Cookies?
These holiday cookies are perfect for parties, cookie trays, or gifting.
Did you love these delicious, easy Christmas cookies? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Cake Mix Christmas Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box vanilla cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- ½ cup Christmas M&Ms red and green
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup mini marshmallows
- ½ cup crushed pretzels
- ¼ cup red and green sprinkle mix
- additional M&Ms and chocolate chips for topping cookies optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the cake mix, eggs, and oil in a large bowl until well combined.
- Fold in the M&Ms, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, crushed pretzels, and sprinkles.
- Scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets using a large cookie scoop. Leave at least two inches between each cookie, as they will spread while baking. Top the cookies with extra M&Ms and chocolate chips if using.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
- The cookies can be frozen in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw the cookies at room temperature before enjoying them.
- If using a 13.25-ounce box of cake mix, reduce the oil to 1/3 cup.
- Keep marshmallows tucked into the dough to prevent excessive spreading.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is estimated based on automated calculations and should be considered as an approximation. These estimates are provided as a courtesy. Please use your own brand’s nutritional values to verify accuracy.
What size box of cake mix was this developed for? The boxes keep shrinking.
Hi Donna. This recipe was developed for a 15.25 ounce box of cake mix. If you are using a 13.25 ounce box add 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour.
They flopped, they turned out very flat and did not taste good. I don’t know what went wrong.
Flat cookies usually mean something was off with the mix, so the first thing I’d check is the cake mix size. Did you use the 15.25-ounce box the recipe calls for? Using a smaller box can throw off the texture and cause the cookies to spread and taste off. Let me know what size you used and I can help you troubleshoot from there.