You need to try these Christmas Cake Mix Cookies right now! I'm talking about the easiest, most festive cookies that come together in less than 30 minutes with just 4 simple ingredients. These cookies are soft, fluffy, and loaded with red and green M&Ms and white chocolate chips that make them perfect for your holiday cookie exchange.
I discovered this recipe three years ago when Emily asked if we could make cookies for her school's holiday party. I was completely overwhelmed with work deadlines and the last thing I wanted was a complicated cookie recipe with a million steps. That's when I remembered my mom's trick of using cake mix for quick cookies, and honestly? Best decision ever!
Speaking of quick and easy holiday treats, if you're looking for more simple desserts that don't require hours in the kitchen, you'll want to check out my Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Christmas Cookie Recipe
- Ingredients For Christmas Cake Mix Cookies
- How To Make Christmas Cake Mix Cookies
- How To Store Your Holiday Cookies
- Tips For Making The Best Cake Mix Cookies
- Christmas Cake Mix Cookies FAQs
- Recipe Variations You Should Try
- Recipes You May Like
- Final Thoughts On These Holiday Cookies
- Christmas Cake Mix Cookies
Why You'll Love This Christmas Cookie Recipe
Let me tell you what makes these cake mix cookies so amazing:
- Super quick prep time - We're talking 15 minutes from start to finish, which is perfect when you're juggling a dozen holiday tasks
- Only 4 ingredients needed - No fancy pantry items or special trips to the store required
- Light and fluffy texture - The secret? Clear soda! It makes these cookies incredibly soft
- Festive and fun - Those red and green M&Ms look absolutely adorable on a cookie platter
- Kid-friendly baking project - Emily loves helping me make these because they're basically foolproof
- Perfect for cookie exchanges - They look impressive but take almost no effort (don't tell anyone!)
Ingredients For Christmas Cake Mix Cookies
Here's what you'll need to grab from your pantry and fridge:
- 15.25 ounce box of white cake mix - This is your base ingredient (don't add the extra stuff on the box!)
- 2 large eggs - Helps bind everything together
- ⅓ cup clear soda - Use lemon-lime soda, ginger ale, or club soda (the carbonation is key!)
- ¾ cup red and green M&Ms - These make the cookies look so festive and Christmasy
- ½ cup white chocolate chips - Adds extra sweetness and holiday vibes
- Optional garnishes - Sprinkles or red/green food coloring if you want to make them even more festive
A quick note about the soda: make sure you use a fresh bottle or can! I learned this the hard way last December when I used flat soda that had been sitting in our fridge for weeks. The cookies turned out dense instead of fluffy because the carbonation is what makes them rise properly.
How To Make Christmas Cake Mix Cookies
These easy Christmas cookies come together so fast, you'll be shocked. Here's how I make them every single time:
Prep Your Baking Setup
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit while you get everything ready.
- Line two sheet pans with parchment paper (trust me on this one - these cookies will stick without it).
Mix The Cookie Dough
- Grab a large mixing bowl and combine the white cake mix, eggs, and clear soda. If you want to make them even more colorful, add a few drops of red or green food coloring at this stage.
- Stir everything together until it's fully combined. The batter will look a bit different from traditional cookie dough - it's supposed to be slightly sticky!
- Fold in the red and green M&Ms along with the white chocolate chips. I usually save a few M&Ms to press on top of the cookies before baking because it makes them look prettier.
Scoop And Bake The Cookies
- Use a 2-inch cookie scoop to portion out the dough onto your prepared sheet pans. Make sure you leave about 2 inches of space between each cookie because they'll spread a little.
- If you're using sprinkles, now's the time to coat the tops of the cookies. Emily loves this part!
- Pop them in the oven for 8-10 minutes. You'll know they're done when the middle of each cookie is set and the edges start turning a light golden brown.
Cool And Serve
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 10 minutes. Don't try to move them before this or they'll break apart (ask me how I know).
- Once they've cooled enough to release from the parchment paper, transfer them to a serving plate and watch them disappear!
The whole process takes maybe 25 minutes total, which is why these are my go-to when I need cookies fast. Last week, I made three batches in less than two hours for Emily's school party, my office potluck, and our neighborhood cookie exchange.
How To Store Your Holiday Cookies
Storing at room temperature: Keep your cooled Christmas cake mix cookies in an airtight container on your countertop. They'll stay fresh and soft for up to 5 days. I use a big plastic container with a tight-fitting lid.
Freezing for later: Want to make these ahead? Place the cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty Ziploc bag. They'll keep in the freezer for 2-3 months. When you're ready to serve them, just let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Here's something cool I discovered by accident: these cookies actually taste even better on day two! Something about the flavors melding together overnight makes them extra delicious. Emily swears the ones we eat the next day are better than fresh-baked ones.
Tips For Making The Best Cake Mix Cookies
After making these Christmas cookies probably 20 times over the past few years, I've picked up some tricks:
Don't let the dough sit around. You need to bake these cookies immediately after mixing the batter. If you wait too long, the carbonation from the soda escapes and your cookies won't be as fluffy. I made this mistake once when I got distracted by a phone call - the cookies turned out flat and dense.
Use fresh soda for maximum fluff. Open a new bottle or can right before you start baking. The more bubbles, the lighter your cookies will be. How do you know if your soda is fresh enough? It should fizz noticeably when you pour it.
Skip the extra ingredients on the cake mix box. This is super important! Don't add the oil, water, or extra eggs that the box instructions call for. We're making cookies here, not cake, so just use the dry mix as-is.
Make uniform cookie sizes. I highly recommend using a cookie scoop instead of just dropping spoonfuls of dough. When all your cookies are the same size, they bake more evenly and look more professional. Plus, you won't end up with some cookies burning while others are still raw in the middle.
Let them cool completely before moving. These cookies are extra soft when they first come out of the oven. If you try to transfer them to a cooling rack right away, they'll fall apart. Give them at least 10 minutes to firm up on the pan.
What's your biggest cookie-baking challenge during the holidays? For me, it's always finding time between work, holiday shopping, and Emily's school events. That's why these 4 ingredient cookies are such a lifesaver!
Christmas Cake Mix Cookies FAQs
Yes, you can substitute vanilla, funfetti, or even red velvet cake mix, but white cake mix works best for maintaining the festive red and green colors from the M&Ms.
Make sure you're not adding the extra ingredients listed on the cake mix box and bake the cookies immediately after mixing. Using flat soda will also cause spreading issues.
No, you must bake these cookies right away. The soda provides carbonation that makes the cookies rise and stay fluffy, and this is lost if the dough sits too long.
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze them in a freezer-safe bag for 2-3 months.
Recipe Variations You Should Try
Want to mix things up? Here are some fun ways to customize these white cake mix cookies:
Different candy colors: Use pink and red M&Ms for Valentine's Day, pastel colors for Easter, or red, white, and blue for July 4th. The basic recipe works for any holiday!
Add chocolate chips: Swap the white chocolate chips for milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips. I did this when Emily said she wanted more chocolate in her cookies.
Make them extra festive: Press a few extra M&Ms on top of each cookie before baking. It makes them look even more impressive on a cookie platter.
Try different sodas: I've used lemon-lime soda, ginger ale, and even cream soda. They all work, but each gives a slightly different flavor.
Add vanilla extract: A teaspoon of vanilla makes the cookies taste even more homemade. Not necessary, but it's a nice touch if you have it.
Use different sprinkles: Christmas tree sprinkles, snowflake sprinkles, or red and green sugar all look amazing on top.
Recipes You May Like
Looking for more simple holiday treats? Check out these other recipes:
- Cookie Monster Cookies - Another easy cookie recipe that kids absolutely love
- Lemon Blueberry Cookies - Light, fluffy cookies with bright lemon flavor
- 4th Of July Oreo Balls - No-bake treats that are just as easy as these cookies
Final Thoughts On These Holiday Cookies
Listen, I'm all about keeping holiday baking simple and stress-free. These Christmas Cake Mix Cookies are exactly that - simple, quick, and absolutely delicious. They look impressive enough for a cookie exchange but are easy enough to make with kids on a busy weeknight.
Emily and I make these every December now. It's become one of our little traditions, along with decorating the tree and watching holiday movies. Last year, she invited two friends over and they made triple batches while giggling about everything teenagers find hilarious.
The best part? Nobody ever guesses these start with a cake mix. Everyone always asks for the recipe, and when I tell them it's just four ingredients, they don't believe me! I've converted so many friends to this recipe over the years.
So grab a box of cake mix, some soda, and those festive M&Ms, and get baking! Your kitchen will smell amazing and you'll have beautiful holiday cookies ready in less than 30 minutes.
Don't forget to save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it easily next time you need a quick batch of Christmas cookies!
Christmas Cake Mix Cookies
Equipment
- Sheet pans
- Cookie Scoop
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce white cake mix box
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup clear soda like lemon-lime soda, Ginger-Ale, or club soda
- ¾ cup red and green M&Ms
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
Optional Garnishes
- sprinkles optional
- red or green food coloring optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and use parchment paper to line two sheet pans.
- Mix the white cake mix, eggs, clear soda, and optional red or green food coloring (if desired) together. Stir well until fully combined.
- Fold in the red and green M&Ms and white chocolate chips.
- Use a 2-inch cookie scoop to scoop batter onto the prepared sheet pans leaving 2-inches of space between each cookie. Coat the top of the cookies with sprinkles, optional.
- Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the middle of the cookie sets and the cookies start to turn a light golden brown on the edges.
- Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes, or until the cookies release from the pan, and then plate and serve.
Notes
- To Store: These will keep well if stored in an airtight container on the countertop for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: To freeze your cookies, place them in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag and place them in the freezer for 2-3 months.
- The cookies will stick to the bottom of the pan or parchment paper until they have cooled. They will release once they are cooled, but I recommend using parchment paper for these cookies to avoid a mess on your pan.
- If your dough isn't too sticky, you may want to use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to make all of your balls of dough the same size. They will bake more evenly, and the results will be better.
- Add the boxed cake mix like you would any dry ingredient. Do NOT add the extra ingredients called for on the side of the box.
- Be sure to use a new can or bottle of soda so that you get the most carbonation in your cookies.
- It is important to bake the cookies immediately after preparing the batter. Do not let it set out or chill it in the refrigerator. If the dough sits for too long it will lose the carbonation and since that is what helps the cookies rise, you won't get the light and fluffy cookies that you want.
