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Fun, bright and festive cake mix cookies are all dressed up to look like monsters. Gooey monster cookies are great all year long!!

If you need more monsters try Monster Bark, Monster Rice Krispies Treats, and Monster Cupcakes.

Gooey monster cookies in all shades stacked together.


Kid Favorite!

We love cake mix cookies, and when my son was having a Monster themed birthday party, we decided to change up our classic cookie and make them match the party!

I couldn’t help but think of the Gooey Monster Eye Cookies I made a month or so ago but decided to add some more colors and just a few more eye balls.

The result? Gooey Monster Cookies that are now a new favorite and are requested all year long, especially around Halloween!

Orange, green, blue, and pink cookie dough in separate bowls.

How to Make

BATTER. Beat butter, vanilla, egg and cream cheese until fluffy. Mix in cake mix.

COLOR. Divide batter into bowls for the amount of colors you want. Add food coloring to each individual bowl and mix until all combined. Chill for 30 minutes.

BAKE. Roll into balls and dip in a bowl of powdered sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet and pat down a bit. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Note: Do not bake the eyes. They will turn to goo and/or burn in the oven. 

DECORATE & ENJOY! Add candy eyeballs while cookies are still warm. ENJOY!

Tip: When a batch of cookies are baking put the dough back in the fridge to chill. Bake the cookies in small batches as you need to add the eyes after you pull the cookies out of the oven. Unless you have helpers it can be tricky to get all the eyes on each cookie before they cool off. 

Powdered sugar covered cookie dough balls

Tips + Variations

Although these cookies are supposed to be “Gooey Monster Cookies” you don’t want them so gooey that they are raw. Here are a few tips to help you troubleshoot cookies that are too gooey:

  • Did you use the correct size cake mix.
  • Do not mix up the cake mix according to the directions on the box. For these cookies you only need the cake mix powder and then you mix it with the ingredients listed in our recipe.
  • Not chilling the dough long enough. You can even put it in the freezer for a bit.
  • Different ovens may require a different bake time. Add a few extra minutes if necessary.
  • If the dough still feels too sticky for your liking add a tablespoon of two of flour to firm it up.
Gooey monster cookies on a sheet pan.

Storing Tips

MAKE AHEAD OF TIME. You can make the dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to bake them. Do not add the powdered sugar until right before baking.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Form the dough into balls and put them on a baking sheet. FREEZE them until solid then transfer them to a freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before baking.

STORE baked cookies in the fridge for 3-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Gooey monster cookies dotted with eyeballs

For a few more FUN HALLOWEEN RECIPES:

4.97 from 122 votes

Gooey Monster Cookie Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
Fun, bright and festive cake mix cookies are all dressed up to look like monsters. Gooey monster cookies are great all year long!!
Servings: 24
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 30 minutes
Total: 20 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 box white cake mix
  • 1/2 c butter softened
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 egg
  • powdered sugar
  • food coloring I used NEON food coloring to make them more vibrant
  • candy eyeballs

Instructions 

  • Beat butter, vanilla, egg and cream cheese until fluffy.
  • Mix in cake mix. Divide batter into bowls for the amount of colors you want.
  • Add food coloring to each individual bowl and mix until all combined.
  • Chill for 30 minutes.
  • Roll into balls and dip in a bowl of powdered sugar.
  • Place on greased cookie sheet and pat down a bit.
  • Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.
  • Add candy eyeballs while cookies are still warm. ENJOY!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 24g, Calories: 69kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 67mg, Potassium: 17mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 255IU, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
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Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!


About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Recipe Rating




270 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I’ve made another cake box recipe, but these are by far my favorite! The guys at work also loved them. I love the cream cheese in the mix. The flavor is much more developed and makes for a chewier cookie!

  2. These were so good. I love how easy but festive there were. My daughter was so excited to take them to her class Halloween party!

  3. 5 stars
    Perfect for a spooky treat. I doubled the batch which made things a little more difficult because my bowl got super full, but they baked up great and we delivered two bags to “BOO” friends and the rest are headed to a youth activity!

  4. 5 stars
    The best cookies. I’ve made them 3 years in a row for Halloween. I’ve made them throughout the year as well (just without the Halloween coloring and eyes). So quick and easy!

  5. 4 stars
    Cute, but I found them far too sweet. I am wondering if the cake mix size should be specified as another person commented.

  6. In TIPS the first thing mentioned is “Did you use the correct size cake mix.” but nowhere in the recipe does it say what the correct size is. DH and BC alone are different weights, so please clarify.