Chocolate Crinkle Cake Mix Cookies

Patty Catalano
Patty CatalanoFood Editor at The Kitchn
The only subject that has ever held my attention has been food, because there’s no end to what you can taste, smell, learn, and cook. I patchworked my way to recipe development and food writing by earning degrees in Family & Consumer Sciences (you may have known it as Home Ec) and Food, Nutrition, and Culinary Science, and working anywhere that would take me: university food services, local bakeries, and the set of Good Eats on Food Network. Early on, I asked my mom how she knew what a cookbook recipe (with no pictures) would look and taste like. While my mom was there to teach me, I realized that not everyone has someone to turn to for trusted cooking guidance. I try every day to be that person for The Kitchn’s readers by sharing smart recipes they can feel proud to serve. Recipe development is the most fun job I can imagine, but it also comes with a lot of dirty dishes and hours spent in the grocery store. I’ve found that I actually really love grocery shopping — especially at Costco and Aldi — and it brings me such joy to share my finds with The Kitchn readers.
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updated Sep 23, 2022
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Credit: Joe Lingeman

A shortcut version of the classic fudgy cookies.

Makesabout 18 cookies

Prep20 minutes to 25 minutes

Cook10 minutes

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(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

No holiday cookie swap is complete without chocolate crinkle cookies. And while nothing beats a made-from-scratch cookie, there’s a shortcut to homestyle crinkle cookies right there in the baking aisle that will fool even the most discerning chocolate cookie connoisseurs.

Devil’s Food Cake Mix Makes the Richest Cookie

Maintain your sanity during this baking season with the help of a boxed cake mix. It contains the flour, sugar, leavening, chocolate, and some fats, greatly minimizing the mess that comes with measuring. Any chocolate cake mix will work, but Devil’s Food cake mix makes cookies with the richest fudge flavor.

How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cake Mix Cookies

Disregard the package instructions and instead whisk together two large eggs and 1/2 cup of vegetable oil. Set a fine-mesh strainer over the bowl and sift in the cake mix. This step eliminates clumps (and no, they won’t disappear in the oven if you skip this step!) while aerating the mix, giving the cookies a more “homemade” appearance and texture.

If you have one, use a one-ounce ice cream scoop to portion the dough (a soup spoon works too!). Roll each round of dough in powdered sugar, then refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes until chilled.

The cookies may absorb some of the sugar in the fridge, so if they aren’t fully coated when you pull them out, give them another tumble through the powdered sugar before you bake. You want them to be fully coated so that the sugar layer cracks in the heat of the oven, revealing a fudgy cookie surrounded by a generous dusting of sweet powdered sugar.

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Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

A shortcut version of the classic fudgy cookies.

Prep time 20 minutes to 25 minutes

Cook time 10 minutes

Makes about 18 cookies

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 2

    large eggs

  • 1/2 cup

    vegetable oil

  • 1 (15.25-ounce) package

    chocolate cake mix

  • 1 cup

    powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

  2. Place the eggs and vegetable oil in a large bowl and whisk until combined. Use a fine-mesh strainer to sift the cake mix into the egg mixture to break up any large lumps. Using a spatula, stir until all of the dry ingredients are moistened and a dough forms.

  3. Pour the powdered sugar into a shallow bowl. Scoop the dough into 2 tablespoon portions and form into balls. Toss the balls gently in the powdered sugar until completely and generously coated. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 1 inch between each cookie, about 12 cookies per baking sheet.

  4. Refrigerate until cool to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes. If the cookies absorb the powdered sugar, roll in the powdered sugar again to coat.

  5. Bake until the cookies are set, about 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire cooling racks and cool completely.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Filed in:
baked goods
Baking
children
Chocolate
Cookie
Dessert