One of the most irritating college transitions for a sweet tooth is not having access to freshly baked goods (Grandma’s 2000 miles away, sorry) and not having the time or motivation to make such freshly baked goods. Enter cake mix — a simple mixture of flour, milk powder, dehydrated eggs and sugar — a.k.a the perfect ingredient for the minimalist budget and creative mind. Surprisingly, cake mix creates a soft, yet dense cookie, complete with that iconic childhood vanilla flavor everyone knows and loves.
This recipe calls for yellow cake mix and chocolate chips, but feel free to tailor it to your tastebuds. Some fun flavor combos include devil’s food cake and mint chips, lemon and white chocolate or coconut and dried pineapple. Feel free to add in a small box of pudding mix (another opportunity for creative flavor pairings) for added chewiness. You can also try brown butter in place of oil to add a subtle nutty, toffee flavor.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 30 cookies
Ingredients:
1 box (18.25 ounces) cake mix
½ cup of oil or 1 stick melted butter
2 eggs
Optional: 1 ½ cups of mix-ins of your choice, or 3.4-ounce box of instant pudding mix
Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Photo by Naib Mian
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil or butter, eggs and pudding mix (if using). Mix thoroughly.
Photo by Naib Mian
Photo by Naib Mian
3. Fold in mix-ins.
Photo by Naib Mian
4. Form dough into 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on a baking sheet.
Photo by Naib Mian
5. Bake until edges are golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.
Photo by Naib Mian