These easy chocolate crinkle cookies with cake mix come together quickly with 5 ingredients! They're soft and chewy in the middle with crisp, crackly edges and are perfect for sharing during the holidays!
Jump to:
If you like crinkle cookies, try these gingerbread crinkle cookies, red velvet crinkle cookies, fudgy brownie crinkle cookies and crinkly chocolate peppermint blossom cookies too!
I've been making these cookies for years, and they're one of my favourites to make during the holidays and to bring to Christmas! Not only are they extremely easy to make, they come out perfect every single time with the right amount of cracks, and they look so festive from the powdered sugar (reminds me of snow!). My boyfriend and I devour them in just a few days and I usually have to make a second batch to bring to xmas!
If you're looking for more festive holiday cookies, then try these classic shortbread cookies, frosted gingerbread cookies, chocolate-dipped shortbread, chewy oatmeal raisin cookies, and thumbprint jam cookies too!
If you're on the search for more easy cake mix recipes, then try these chocolate chip cookie bars with cake mix, frosted carrot cake mix cookies, carrot cake using cake mix, and peach cobbler with cake mix too!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick: The cookies will be ready in just 3 simple steps!
- Easy: All you need is 5 basic ingredients to make this recipe! Anyone can do it!
- Delish: These cookies are extremely soft, chewy, and incredibly fudgy. Everyone at your holiday gatherings will be grabbing seconds!
Recipe Ingredients
- Boxed Chocolate Cake Mix: This recipe uses Betty Crocker's Devil's Food Chocolate Cake Mix, but any boxed chocolate cake mix will do!
- Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oil makes the cookies moist.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla is for flavour.
- Eggs: The eggs also help add moisture to the cookies and make them super scrumptious.
- Powdered Sugar: The cookies are rolled in powdered sugar for aesthetics, and the dusted texture and hint of sweetness make them extra delicious!
See the recipe card below for the ingredient measurements.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prep two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Mix: To a large bowl, add the cake mix, vegetable oil, vanilla, and eggs and mix with an electric hand mixer until combined. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes (it makes it less sticky and easier to roll).
3. Bake: Add the powdered sugar to a separate bowl and dust your hands with some of it. Roll dough into 1-inch balls in your hands, then toss into the powdered sugar to coat. Place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets and bake for 9-11 minutes. Tap the baking sheets a couple of times once removed from the oven to flatten and crack the cookies more.
Storage
Once cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months and then thaw at room temperature.
Helpful Tips
- Chill the dough: While I'm not a huge fan of waiting around for dough to chill, it's worth it for this recipe! Chilling it makes it firmer and less sticky, which will help you shape the cookies. It will also ensure the cookies don't spread and become too flat.
- Dust your hands: Dusting your hands with a little bit of powdered sugar will help you roll cookie dough balls and prevent your hands from sticking to the dough.
- Tap the baking sheets: To make the cookies have more cracks and be less domed and flat, tap the baking sheets a couple of times as soon as you remove them from the oven.
- Don't over-mix: To avoid dense cookies, mix the batter just until it's combined; don't overdo it!
Kitchen Equipment Needed
- Mixing Bowls: You'll need one bowl to make the cookie batter, and another to roll the cookies into the powdered sugar.
- Electric Hand Mixer: For mixing the batter.
- Baking Sheets: For baking the cookies.
- Cookie Scoop: Not required, but it will help shape the cookie dough balls.
- Measuring Spoons & Cups: For measuring the ingredients.
Alternative Ingredients
- Canola Oil: You can substitute vegetable oil with canola as it's similar to vegetable oil being flavourless.
- Other Cake Mix: You can make various types of cookies using this recipe; just swap the cake mix flavour!
Frequently Asked Questions
The dough is sticky, so you should chill it for at least 30 minutes. This helps it firm up and become less sticky.
It's recommended because otherwise the dough may be quite sticky and difficult to work with. The cookies may also spread a lot, creating very flat cookies.
This can occur if you don't roll them in enough powdered sugar. The cookies need to have a dry exterior (from the powdered sugar) so that while the cookies are baking and attempting to expand, they won't be able to properly because of the dry exterior, causing them to crack.
This can happen if the temperature of the oven is too high. You should bake the cookies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If they're puffy, you can also tap the baking sheets on the counter as soon as you remove the cookies from the oven to help flatten them.
This can occur if too much vegetable oil is added to the batter or if you don't chill the cookies before baking.
Yes they can freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Ensure they have completely cooled before freezing.
They're done when you see those signature cracks fully developed and have doubled in size from baking!
Related Recipes
- Fudgy Brownie Crinkle Cookies
- Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies with Cake Mix
- Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Classic Shortbread Cookies
- Frosted Holiday Gingerbread Cookies
- Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
- Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Thumbprint Cookies with Jam
📖 Recipe
Easy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies with Cake Mix
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 30 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These easy chocolate crinkle cookies with cake mix are super soft, chewy, and great for the holidays!
Ingredients
- Boxed Chocolate Cake Mix: 1 box
- Vegetable Oil: ⅓ cup
- Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon
- Eggs: 2
- Powdered Sugar: ½ cup
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prep two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix: To a large bowl, add the cake mix, vegetable oil, vanilla, and eggs and mix with an electric hand mixer until combined. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes (it makes it less sticky and easier to roll).
- Bake: Add the powdered sugar to a separate bowl and dust your hands with some of it. Roll dough into 1-inch balls in your hands, then toss into the powdered sugar to coat. Place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets and bake for 9-11 minutes. Tap the baking sheets a couple of times once removed from the oven to flatten and crack the cookies more.
-
Notes
Scroll up to the full blog post for recipe tips, FAQ’s and storage information.
Nutrition facts are for informational purposes only. We are not responsible for any errors. We have tested the recipe for accuracy, but your results may vary. Please note that this is not medical or nutrition advice. Seek advice from a licensed professional if you need advice. We are not liable for any damages caused by your use of this content.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: dessert, cookies
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: american
Andrea says
These are one of my favourite Christmas cookies to make because I make A LOT of cookies at Christmas and these are a quick and easy one that I like to add to the trays I take to my Christmas gatherings! Let me know what you think of them 🙂