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These easy Lemon Cake Mix Cookies are such an easy cookie recipe! They’re made with yellow cake mix, sprinkles and are bursting with lemon flavor from lemon extract, juice, and zest. This is my go-to cake mix cookie recipe!

Close up photo of lemon cake mix cookies stacked on top of eachother


Why we love Lemon Cookies from Cake Mix

Lemon cake mix cookies are like little lemon clouds that taste like cake. I used one of my favorite baking shortcuts for these cuties – yellow cake mix. All of the dry ingredients are ready to go making these a super simple cookie recipe to make.

I like to doctor up the cake mix with lots of lemon flavor – lemon extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Adding the extra lemon ingredients makes these cookies taste like homemade delicious lemon cookies.

Triple the lemon gives a huge punch of lemon flavor, and then you add sprinkles, and by the magic of unicorns and rainbows, the cookies turn into funfetti. You know how I love my sprinkles! These are soft and chewy and so, so good.

Lemon Cake Mix Cookies Ingredients

  • Yellow cake mix: you can use white or yellow cake mix. Be sure to get one that is about 15 ounces (most cake mixes are around that size).
  • Softened butter: I use unsalted. Learn how to soften butter fast!
  • Egg: a regular cookie ingredient
  • Extracts: adding vanilla extract and lemon extract to cake mix cookies makes them taste homemade.
  • Lemon: Lemon juice AND fresh lemon zest amps up that lemon flavor of the cookies
  • Mix-Ins: Rainbow sprinkles are perfect but you could also use white chocolate chips.

How to Make Lemon Cookies Out of Cake Mix

  • Start the batter: Pour the dry cake mix into the bowl and add the butter and egg. This is best done with an electric mixer.
  • Flavoring: Add both extracts, lemon juice, and zest and mix to combine. Stir in the sprinkles.
  • Scoop and Bake: Drop two tablespoons of the dough (a medium cookie scoop) on the prepared baking sheet. I like to bake these cookies on silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Bake the cookies for eight to twelve minutes or until the cookies tops start to crack and the edges turn golden. 
Side view of three lemon cake mix cookies stacked on top of eachother

Recipe Variations

Maybe you’re not sprinkle obsessed like I am and want to try switching up the recipe? I’ve got you covered and have tried a few different variations for this recipe. All of these are amazing, too!

  • Swap the sprinkles for white chocolate chips, or you could do a combo of half and half. (See my White Chocolate Lemon Cookies recipe)
  • Whether you use sprinkles or chips, adding a simple lemon glaze takes them to a whole new level!
  • Sometimes I roll the cookie dough balls in powdered sugar before baking them. This turns them into lemon crinkle cookies.
Stack of lemon cake mix cookies with top one cut in half to show sprinkles on the inside of cookie

Tip From Dorothy

Expert Tips

  • You can use vegetable oil in place of the melted butter, but they will spread more.
  • These freeze really well – place them in an airtight container or gallon size bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. Place layers between paper towels – the paper towels absorb the moisture as the cookies defrost!
  • You can also use a lemon cake mix – you can omit the lemon extract but still use the zest and juice for that homemade fresh flavor.
  • The cookies are best when they are still a little underdone when you take them out of the oven, so keep an eye on them so they don’t overbake. Cool them on the cookie sheet and then store them in an airtight container.

FAQ

How do you thicken cake mix for cookies?

You don’t have to make the cake on the side of the box – use this recipe and it’ll be thick enough for cookies.

How to store lemon cake mix cookies

You can keep them at room temperature for up to four days or pop them in the freezer for up to a month.

Close up photo of lemon cake mix cookies stacked on top of eachother

Lemon Cake Mix Cookies Recipe

5 from 6 votes
A cake mix makes these cookies a snap to make. Add lemon zest, extract, and juice to a cake mix and you get super lemony cookies that taste like funfetti cake!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Yield 20 cookies
Serving Size 1 cookie

Ingredients
 

  • 1 15 ounce box yellow cake mix
  • ½ cup (113g) butter , softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon lemon extract
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (about 1 medium lemon)
  • ½ cup rainbow sprinkles or 1 cup white chocolate chips
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Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking mats.
  • Place cake mix in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (Alternately, use a large bowl and a hand mixer.) Add butter and egg and mix slowly until the butter works it’s way through the mix. Add the extracts, lemon juice, and zest. Stir until mixed, then stir in sprinkles.
  • Drop 2 tablespoon cookie dough balls onto your prepared cookie sheets. Chill at least 30 minutes.
  • Bake for 8-12 minutes until the tops start to show cracks and they just start to get golden around the bottoms. Don’t over bake these, they’re better more underdone. Cool completely on cookie sheets, then remove to an airtight container. Will keep for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

You can also use a white cake mix or a lemon cake mix. If using a lemon cake mix, omit lemon extract but I still love adding the fresh lemon juice.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 44mg | Potassium: 3mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Other Cake Mix Recipes to Try

These easy Lemon Cookies made with cake mix are an easy cookie recipe! They’re made with yellow cake mix, sprinkles and are bursting with lemon flavor from lemon extract, juice, and zest.

Last Updated on December 19, 2023



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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56 Comments

  1. I like cake mix cookies too (hides in corner). I love how you added lemon flavor to these – such a great way to jazz them up!

  2. Funfetti cookies are perfect for kicking off the weekend! I love the lemon twist – they’re perfect for bringing in some sunshine! Just like when I listen to TS’s music too! Even my 3 year old loves her new song:) 

  3. These are so YOU! The lemon, the funfetti, the whole vibe = YOU! I’d love a dozen myself 🙂

    Brandy G – always felt the same about her but lately seeing her on RHW’s, it’s just over the top. She’s put WAY too much drama into drama-filled reality tv and that’s saying alot, my .02 of course! 

  4. I will definitely be trying this out! I love funfetti cookies, but I think the lemon would add an extra umph to it! 

    I’ve also joined the Taylor Swift bandwagon. I think what she did for her fans on Christmas was really sweet. 

  5. First the cookies – love the lemon and funfetti combination.  This reminds me that I must make some funfetti cookies or cupcakes – something! – for my son one of these days.  I never have and I know he’d like it.  Secondly, so true about Taylor Swift (fingers crossed) and I agree with you so much about Rosie.  I remember watching it regularly way back in the day with the original crew but I haven’t tuned in for years now…

    1. Funfetti is the BEST. You must make some!! I miss the original View crew. Joy, Meredith. Those were the good days!

  6. I’ll definitely take a handful! Can’t go wrong with lemon and pretty funfetti.
    Happy Friday Dorothy!

  7. I seriously need to crawl out from under the rock I call home, because i have NOT heard Taylor’s new song and I did NOT know Rosie left the view.
    I’m missing out on life.
    Good thing I have these cookies to get me through my early life crisis. Funfetti all the things! Pinned!

    1. Ohmigosh! She’s got 2 or 3 on the radio now. I haven’t heard Welcome to NY yet on the radio but that one is my favorite!

  8. I also love Taylor Swift. Her new album is extremely catchy and poppy. It was the only CD in my car for a while so I kind of played the hang out of it. These cookies look really delightful! My best friend makes a cake cookie from chocolate cake mix that’s really amazing, but this lemon variety looks delicious. I love the sprinkles! They remind me of spring and everything happy. 

  9. Lemon and funfetti are such a great combo, Dorothy! These cookies are like little balls of sunshine. Love this!

  10. I’m also starting to join the Taylor Swift camp. I used to mock her because, you know, I teach high school and that’s the cool thing to do. But why do I have a feeling she has a long and amazing career ahead of her?
    I love the fact that you added in the lemon. Makes these so much better! I want them, if you can just send a few over…