Christmas Cake Mix Sugar Cookies
These Christmas Cake Mix Sugar Cookies are big, soft, and packed with festive sprinkles inside and out. A box of white cake mix and a splash of almond extract make them taste just like a bakery sugar cookie.
Quick Look: Christmas Cake Mix Sugar Cookies
Ready In: 30 minutes, plus cooling time before frosting
Serves: 14 large cookies
Calories: 593 Calories
Main Ingredients: white cake mix, butter, eggs, almond extract, Christmas sprinkles, cream cheese frosting
Why You'll Love It: one bowl, no chilling, and a cookie that looks like it came from a bakery case
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This time of year, I want cookies that look festive but don't eat up a whole afternoon. These Christmas Cake Mix Sugar Cookies are exactly that: a box of white cake mix does a lot of the heavy lifting, and a little almond extract gives them that classic sugar cookie flavor.
They're built on my Lemon Cake Mix Cookies, which have become one of our family favorites, just swapped for the holidays. If you love a sprinkle-filled cookie, try my Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies too. And if you want a from-scratch option for your cookie tray, my Christmas Sprinkle Sugar Cookies and Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are both great picks.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy - cake mix means fewer ingredients to measure, and there's no dough chilling.
Family Friendly - kids can help stir in the sprinkles and decorate the tops.
Big and Soft - the cookies bake up thick and tender with lightly golden edges.
Festive - sprinkles in the dough and on top make them ready for any holiday cookie plate.
Great for Sharing - perfect for cookie swaps, class parties, or a plate for the neighbors.
Key Ingredients
White Cake Mix - gives the cookies their soft texture and a light color that lets the red and green sprinkles stand out.
Butter - starting with cold butter keeps the cookies thick and chewy instead of flat.
Eggs - two whole eggs plus one yolk for richness and structure.
Vanilla and Almond Extract - the vanilla rounds out the flavor, and the almond is what makes these taste like a classic sugar cookie.
Flour - unbleached all-purpose flour gives the dough enough body to hold its shape.
Christmas Sprinkles - mixed into the dough and scattered over the frosting.
Powdered Sugar and Cream Cheese - along with more butter, they are the base of the frosting, with a splash of milk to thin it.
Please refer to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients.
Substitutions and Variations
Different Frosting - swap the cream cheese frosting for buttercream, or drizzle with melted white chocolate.
Funfetti Cake Mix - use a funfetti mix for even more color.
More Almond - for a stronger almond flavor, add a little almond extract to the frosting too.
White Chocolate Chips - stir some in with the sprinkles for an extra treat.
Other Holidays - change the sprinkle colors for Valentine's Day, Easter, or birthdays.
How to Make Christmas Cake Mix Sugar Cookies
Step 1.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar, followed by the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cake mix, and flour and mix until well combined. Stir in the sprinkles.
Step 2.
Form into large dough balls, about ⅓ cup large. I use a 2 ounce cooking dough scoop. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Step 3.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. The edges will be slightly golden and the middle shouldn't be dough-y anymore but it might not seem set. They will firm up as they cool.
Step 4.
In a large bowl beat together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla until creamy. Then add the powdered sugar and mix until well combined. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until desired consistency is reached. Frost cooled cookies and top with sprinkles. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Don't Overbake - the middles will look a little soft when you pull them out, but they set as they cool.
Start with Cold Butter - it makes the dough easier to handle and helps the cookies spread less.
Pick Your Sprinkles Carefully - jimmies (the rod-shaped sprinkles) hold their color best in the dough. Tiny nonpareils can bleed color as the dough mixes and bakes, so save those for the topping.
Mix the Sprinkles In Last - add them on low speed at the very end so they don't break up or streak the dough.
Frost When Fully Cool - frosting on warm cookies will melt and slide off.
Storage - because of the frosting, keep the cookies in an airtight container in the fridge.
Freezing - the cookies freeze well in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 4 months.
Christmas Cake Mix Sugar Cookies Recipe FAQs
Cake mix adds flavor and keeps the cookies soft and tender, and it cuts down on the number of ingredients you need to measure.
A mixer makes this much easier since the butter starts cold. A stand mixer whips the butter and sugar evenly, but a hand mixer works too.
Yes. Bake and frost them, then store in the fridge, or freeze them for up to 4 months.
Jimmies hold up best inside the dough. Use any Christmas sprinkle mix you like on top of the frosting.
Other Christmas Recipes To Consider
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #greensnchocolate.
Christmas Cake Mix Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Christmas sprinkles
For the Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 4 tablespoons butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
- Christmas sprinkles for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until slightly creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions.
- Add the vanilla and almond extract and beat to combine.
- Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and beat to combine.
- Add the cake mix and flour and beat until combined.
- Add the Christmas sprinkles and mix on low speed just until evenly distributed.
- Use a 2-ounce cookie scoop to form the dough into balls.
- Place 4 dough balls on each baking sheet.
- Bake 10-12 minutes. The edges should be slightly golden and the middle set. They might still seem soft in the middle but it should not look dough-y. They will set up as they cool.
- Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely.
Frosting:
- In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt until well combined.
- Beat in the powdered sugar until well combined.
- Add milk, starting with 1 tablespoon, and add a second tablespoon only if needed.
- Spread on the cooled cookies and top with Christmas sprinkles.
