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Melt-in-your-mouth lemon cake mix cookies are a simple cookie and summer favorite. With few ingredients, they are ready in minutes!
Of all the lemon recipes on the site, these lemon cake mix cookies are definitely the most simple! We also like the Frosted Lemon Cookies version and the Lemon Sugar Cookie recipe. All are delicious in different ways!
melt in Your Mouth Cookies
Remember how I’m a lemon convert?!
I haven’t always loved lemony treats, but I’m obsessed these days and thought it would be fun to try a lemon version of our Gooey Butter Cookies Recipe and make some delicious lemon cake mix cookies.
Knowing just how much we love our gooey cookies – all cookies really, we were sure a lemon version would be amazing. It also helps that this cookie recipe is simple and so soft.
The cream cheese and butter in the recipe make them so irresistible as well as make them so good, they melt in your mouth.
Simple Dough
Other than chilling the dough for half an hour, these lemon cream cheese cookies can be made quickly, and with the help of the kiddos.
DOUGH. Beat butter, lemon extract, egg, and cream cheese until fluffy, using a hand mixer. Add in cake mix and beat until smooth.
REFRIGERATE. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
POWDERED SUGAR. Add ½ cup powdered sugar to a small bowl. Roll dough into ½-1 inch balls and dip in powdered sugar. Placed on a greased baking sheet (or line the pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat).
BAKE. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Do not let the cookies brown.
Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking pan before transferring them to a cooling rack. If desired, sift more powdered sugar over the tops. ENJOY!
Recipe Tips
This lemon cookie recipe uses a lemon cake mix, you will love the bright lemon flavor.
Cake mix. I don’t always have lemon cake mix on hand, which is the main ingredient, but all the remaining ingredients are simple. Because we have been making these more, though, I’ve been sure to grab a few lemon cake boxes each month, especially because we’re also obsessed with this Lemon Sheet Cake that uses them.
Additions. If you’re feeling extra fancy, you can add white chocolate chips to the dough, top with toasted coconut, or even drizzle a powdered sugar/lemon glaze on top of your baked cookies.
STORING + FREEZING
Store baked cookies. Once the lemon gooey butter cookies have cooled place them in an airtight container. Cookies will keep for several days. To help keep them from getting stale put a slice of fresh bread in the container as well.
Freeze baked cookies. Once the cookies have cooled place them in an airtight container. Put parchment paper or wax paper between each layer. Freeze for 4-6 months.
Freeze cookie dough. Place the cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet to flash-freeze them. Freeze for about 2 hours or until the outside has become frozen. Place balls in an airtight freezer-safe container. Safely freeze for 4-6 months.
To bake. Remove the desired number of dough balls. Allow to thaw on a cookie sheet and bake according to the recipe or you can bake them straight out of the freezer and add 2-3 extra minutes to the bake time.
Recipe FAQ
To add even more flavor to these cookies I recommend mixing 1-2 teaspoons of lemon zest into the cookie dough. You can use lemon juice to make a lemon glaze to drizzle on top of the baked cookies.
One reason is that the butter became much too warm. Even if it wasn’t melted all the way warmer butter can cause the dough to spread in the oven. Another reason is that some people accidentally make the cake batter using the ingredients on the back of the box and then add even more ingredients listed in the recipe. You will only be using the cake mix powder. Do not add any ingredients other than what is listed in the recipe instructions.
Absolutely! Be sure that you use the cake mix powder for a 15.25-ounce box. You’ll also want to omit the lemon extract or change it to a different complementary flavor.
For More Cake Mix Cookies, Check Out:
- Funfetti Cookies
- Gooey Butter Cookies Recipe
- Cake Mix Cookie Bars
- Gooey Rolo Cookies
- Cake Mix Snickerdoodles
Lemon Cake Mix Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box Lemon Cake Mix
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 egg
- powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- With a hand mixer, beat butter, lemon extract, egg, and cream cheese until fluffy. Add in cake mix and beat until smooth.
- Chill in fridge for 30 minutes.
- Add ½ cup powdered sugar to a small bowl. Roll dough into ½-1 inch balls and dip in powdered sugar. Placed on greased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes. Sift with powdered sugar if desired. ENJOY!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My cake mix is 13.25 oz. (Thank you Betty Crocker 🤦♀️)
Do you know how I should adjust recipe for this amount of mix?
The recipe should turn our more or less the same even with the smaller cake mixes now. You could take a Tbsp of butter and cream cheese out if you’re worried about it, but I think the cookies will still turn out quite similar!
About how many cookies does the lemon cake mix cookies make?
I do not like to use lemon extract. Can I use lemon juice or zest instead? And how much? Thank you.
Can you use cake mix with pudding already in the mix?
Yep!
These lemon cake cookies are the kids fav after snack! They love the summer flavor vibe of the cookies as well as their texture! Such a great treat!
oh my goodness! I cannot thank you enough for this delicious recipe! all my friends ate this up at our game night!
These lemon cake mix cookies are so soft and delicious! Thank you for the recipe, I’ll definitely be making these again!
We’re doing a narrow-boat trip with a picnic for older people, so we will definitely be baking these delicious-looking goodies.
Thank you