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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 Suckers, Monster Rice Krispies Treats, and Apple Monster Teeth.

Gooey monster cookies in all shades stacked together.
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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 โ€œGooey Monster Cookiesโ€ you donโ€™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 123 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.

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and Iโ€™m the mom of SIX stinkinโ€™ cute kids and the wife to my smokinโ€™ hot hubby, Lo. My momโ€™s maiden name is Luna, and Iโ€™m one of the many crafty โ€œLilโ€™ Lunasโ€ 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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4.97 from 123 votes (83 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




281 Comments

  1. Allyssa says:

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for this amazing cookie recipe! It’s very easy to follow and taste really good! Well done!

  2. Laura Reese says:

    5 stars
    These cookies were so fun to make and my kids loved them!!

  3. Joy says:

    5 stars
    We made these last Halloween & they were a hit!! They are already requested for this year! They are fun & so good!

  4. Annalee says:

    Could you use red velvet cake mix for a Valentines flair?

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      That would be a good idea!

  5. Capri Bird says:

    5 stars
    I have been meaning to post a review for these cookies. They are so good and so much fun to make with my kids. We make them a few times a year.

  6. Emma Cooper says:

    5 stars
    This was the best recipe to make with my kids for Halloween. They loved it!

  7. Melissa says:

    5 stars
    My son’s favorite cookies we have ever made! He still talks about the monster cookies we made together! Making great family memories with these delicious treats!

  8. Jessica says:

    5 stars
    I almost didnโ€™t make these after reading a few negative comments, but they turned out so great! They are adorable, the kids had a blast making them and they were cery tasty. We chilled the dough for longer (a few hours) so maybe that made a difference, but we didnโ€™t have any issues with the cookies being too gooey. Thank you for the fun recipe!!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      You are so welcome!! SO glad they turned out!! Thank you ๐Ÿ™‚

  9. Leda tolliver says:

    5 stars
    My family ADORES THESE cookies! I literally will eat 4 dozen by myself.. so we cant make them too often or i will gain a lot of weight! SO good! be sure to not overcook them! Scrumptious sweet treats!!!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      LOL…I know what you mean! I am glad you all like them! Thank you!

  10. Alicia says:

    5 stars
    Do the eyeballs stick on since they’re put on after they’re baked? I’ve always added sprinkles prior to baking, but worried the eye balls might burn. Thanks!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      The eyeballs go on right after they come out of the oven ๐Ÿ™‚