We love cake mix cookies, and we love lemon, so it’s no surprise that we wanted to share our recipe for Frosted Cake Mix Lemon Cookies! This recipe is a new favorite, and it’s so yummy and really easy to make. They come together in minutes and taste delish! They are similar to another lemon cookie recipe on the site, but we especially love how easy this version is. You use a cake mix right out of a box, which makes the recipe nice and quick—our kind of dessert!
If you are a lemon fan, then you’ll definitely love this cookie with the frosting that has a touch of lemon as well.
For more lemon desserts, try Lemon Blossoms, Lemon Poppyseed Cookies, and Lemon Crinkle Cookies.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Bright and Zesty. These soft cookies are bursting with lemony flavor that feels fresh and fun.
- Cake Mix. Starting with a cake mix makes this recipe incredibly fast and simple to put together, perfect for a last-minute craving.
- Make-Ahead. The dough can be prepared in advance, so you can have fresh-baked cookies ready whenever the craving strikes!
Frosted Lemon Cookie Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box lemon cake mix
- â…“ cup butter, softened– We used unsalted butter, but salted works too.
- ÂĽ cup shortening
- 1 egg– We find that room temperature eggs incorporate better than cold eggs.
Frosting
- 5 tablespoons butter, softened– How to Soften Butter Quickly
- 2-2 ÂĽ cups powdered sugar– sifted to remove lumps
- 1 tablespoon milk– We use 2% milk, but higher or lower fat milk works too.
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- lemon juice, optional– Add to give the frosting a hint of lemon flavor. You can also mix in lemon zest.
How to Make Frosted Lemon Cookies
- PREP. Preheat oven to 375°F.
- COOKIES. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, butter, shortening, and egg until well combined. Using a cookie scoop, scoop onto a greased cookie sheet.
- BAKE. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Let cool completely.
- LEMON FROSTING. Mix butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, almond extract, and lemon juice (optional) until well combined. Add more milk or powdered sugar, depending on the consistency you like.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Do not make the cake into batter. You will only be using the lemon cake powder in the cookie recipe.
- If you want to amp up the lemon flavor even more, you can add some fresh lemon zest to the cookie dough and/or the frosting.
- To get a rounder, fluffier cookie, let the dough refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This will keep them from spreading as much.
- Cookie Cutters: Split the dough into 4 portions. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and use a cloth-covered rolling pin to roll each piece of dough to 1/8-inch thick. Use cookie cutters to create your desired shapes, and bake for about 6 to 8 minutes, taking them out of the oven when the edges turn a light brown.
Frosted Lemon Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box lemon cake mix
- â…“ cup butter, softened
- ÂĽ cup shortening
- 1 egg
Frosting
- 5 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2-2 ÂĽ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- lemon juice, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, beat cake mix, butter, shortening and egg until well combined.
- Using cookie scoop, scoop onto a greased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes. Let cool completely.
- For frosting, mix butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, almond extract and lemon juice (optional) until well combined. Add more milk or powdered sugar depending on the consistency you like.
- ENJOY!
Notes
- Do not make the cake into batter. You will only be using the lemon cake powder in the cookie recipe.
- If you want to amp up the lemon flavor even more, you can add some fresh lemon zest to the cookie dough and/or the frosting.
- To get a rounder, fluffier cookie, let the dough refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This will keep them from spreading as much.
- Cookie Cutters: Split the dough into 4 portions. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and use a cloth-covered rolling pin to roll each piece of dough to 1/8-inch thick. Use cookie cutters to create your desired shapes, and bake for about 6 to 8 minutes, taking them out of the oven when the edges turn a light brown.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
If you want to make the dough in advance, cover and refrigerate the dough up to a day ahead of baking. Or, freeze dough balls for up to 3 months. See How to Freeze Cookie Dough for tips.
Store baked cookies at room temperature for several days. If they are frosted, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. Freeze cookies (frosted or unfrosted) for 3-4 months.
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This recipe was originally published May 2015.
I love cake mix cookies! These lemon ones are so flavorful and easy to make.