This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
For a few more FUN HALLOWEEN RECIPES:
- Graveyard Dirt Cake
- Gummy Worm Jello Cups
- Boo-Nilla Ghost Milkshakes
- Candy Bar Trifle
- Witches Brew
- Pumpkin Guacamole
Gooey Monster Cookie Recipe
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Very cute, planning on making for my boys 1st birthday.. Cookie Monster theme… I think they will fit in 🙂
Wanting to confirm the quantity of cream cheese… (We don’t really go by oz in Oz (Australia!! Ha ha).. Is it 18 oz (532g) or 1 x 8 oz (236)??
Wow, cookies look scary and delicious at the same time! Thanks for an awesome recipe.
Hey!
I just wanted to let you know, that I tried making your cookies for Halloween time and they are DELICIOUS! I couldn’t find candy eye balls though, so I substituted with white frosting and mini hershey kisses. 🙂
Thanks for inspiring me. 🙂
Great idea, Hannah! So glad I could inspire, and that they were delicious. Thanks also for taking the time to comment back and let me know how they were. Have a great week! XO
These are EPIC!!!! Thank you so much. Did the tri color platter and got kudos from all ages. Followed directions to the t and they were perfect. THANK YOU!!!
Making with M&Ms for birthday tonight, thinking Toffee bits for November, and Peppermint for December. I feel a tradition in the making!!! THANK YOU!!!
YAY!! I’m so happy to hear they were a hit!! I have a few more versions coming up too in the next few weeks. They’re such a yummy and easy cookie recipe. 🙂
Just made these for my kids classes and they are very excited about them! They are tasty and so simple! Thanks!
So glad hey were a hit, Erin!! Hope you had fun making them too. 🙂 Happy Halloween!
Hi I’m probably a dummy because it seems like everyone else got this, but do you make up the cake mix first then add that to your other ingredients, or do you just use the dry powder from the cake mix and add your ingredients??
Thanks a bunch (trying to make these tonight, so any quick replies would be most welcome!!)
Just the dry cake mix with the ingredients she has listed 🙂
Thank you Ladies! They turned out fabulous – I am at 7500 feet and added 1 TSP flour (I usually add flour to get rise), could’ve added maybe 1.5. I put them in the fridge for 30 mins and they came out solid (not gooey), about the consistency of my regular chocolate chip cookie dough. 9.5 mins in the oven and they’re perfect!!
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly Erin, and for getting back to me Luna! Great recipe, the kids at preschool were already fawning over them when I dropped them off!
Sorry, Audrey – just now seeing this… just the dry cake mix. 🙂
Did you use the neon gel food coloring or the standard liquid in neon colors?
I used the neon gel food coloring for the pink and orange, and then used bright/neon food coloring from Hobby Lobby for the turquoise and green just because that is what I had on hand. I think most neon colors work well, and after the powdered sugar goes on it’s just slightly less brighter than the dough color, so you should know what color it ends up by looking at the dough. Hope that makes sense. 😉