Julie Clark
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Cool Whip Cookies
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4 ingredients make up these delightfully easy Cool Whip Cookies. Make these cookies to fit any occasion by switching the flavor of cake mix!
Cake mix recipes are so fun. One of my favorites? Strawberries and Cream Cookies. One of your favorites? Cake mix pancakes. You can turn a box mix into just about anything, even cake mix cinnamon rolls!
Today, you’ll learn how to make Cool Whip Cookies with a cake mix. Only 4 ingredients and under 30 minutes, and you’ll have the prettiest cake mix crinkle cookies that you’ve ever seen, and just as fun as our yellow cake mix cookies.
Where this recipe came from.
About a month ago, I was visiting my 90+ year old Grandma and she handed us me recipe box. I love looking through recipes. And seeing a stack of recipe cards either typed out or written in my Grandma’s handwriting makes them pretty special.
One of the first recipes I came across were a cookie called Lemon Whippersnappers. They used Cool Whip and a cake mix to make lemon cake cookies. I’m not sure where the Cool Whip Cookies recipe originated, but I have my grandma’s copy and that is pretty special to me. They are unique little treats!
Ingredients for Cool Whip Cookies
You’ll need just 4 ingredients:
- Cake mix. Chocolate crinkle cookies are a classic, but use any flavor: chocolate cake mix, spice cake mix, red velvet cake mix, even strawberry cake mix. Showcased in this post are red velvet, lemon, and strawberry. And can you imagine carrot cake at Easter time?
- Cool whip. Although both cool whip and whipped cream try to achieve the same thing in recipes, they are not the same product and can’t always be used interchangeably. Both are light and fluffy and perfect for dolloping on top of shortcakes and ice cream, but a tub of Cool Whip, the frozen whipped topping is what you’ll use in this recipe. I have not tried these cookies with homemade whipped cream.
- Egg. Just 1 large egg.
- Powdered sugar. This is what the cookie dough balls will get rolled in before baking. This is also called confectioners’ sugar.
How to Make Cool Whip Cookies in 4 Steps
This recipe is a one-bowl recipe that can be made in 4 easy steps.
- Place the cake mix, egg and cool whip in a large bowl.
- Mix the dough using a hand mixer. The dough should be easy to mix up. The texture will be smooth, but very sticky.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop the cookie dough by teaspoons into powdered sugar and roll the dough to coat the cookies. If you have trouble with the dough sticking to your hands, spray your hands with cooking spray first. This trick should help.
- Place the cookies on a prepared baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. Remove them from the oven when they are set, but before they get too brown. As the cookies bake, they spread slightly which give them the “crinkle cookies” look because of the cracked powdered sugar.
Pro Tip:
The hardest thing about making cool whip cookies was that they wanted to stick to the pan just a little. We use either a Silpat Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat or parchment paper and don’t have any problems with not getting them off the pan.
Recipe Variations
- Use a Funfetti cake mix and add a few extra sprinkles to the batter. They’d make a great birthday cookie!
- Devil’s food cake with ½ cup mini chocolate chips is the ultimate for chocolate cookie lovers.
- Try butter pecan cake mix with ½ cup finely chopped pecans.
How to Store Cool Whip Cookies
Store the cool whip cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days. I do not recommend storing in the refrigerator as they might dry out.
For longer storage, store in an airtight container or freezer bag in the freezer. Place parchment paper between the layers so the cookies don’t stick when you defrost them. The powdered sugar may not be as pretty when you thaw the cookies.
You may also love our cinnamon rolls and apple pie filling, cream cheese cherry cookies, cream cheese sugar cookies, and almond sugar cookies.
Cool Whip Cookies
4 ingredients make up these delightfully simple Cool Whip Cookies. Make the cookies to fit any occasion by switching the flavor of cake mix!
Servings 20
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 box lemon cake mix (15.25 ounces or a traditional 9×13 box cake mix)
- 2 cups frozen whipped topping (thawed)
- 1 large egg
To roll the cookies:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a cooking sheet with a non-stick baking mat or spray with nonstick. cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cake mix, Cool Whip and egg. Stir until well mixed. 1 box lemon cake mix, 2 cups frozen whipped topping, 1 large egg
- Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Drop the cookie dough by teaspoons into the powdered sugar and roll the dough to coat. Place the balls 1 ½ inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. ½ cup powdered sugar
- Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. Remove them from the oven when they are set, but before they get too brown.
- Remove the cookies from the cookie sheet to a cooling rack and allow them to cool. Makes about 20 cookies (2 1/2" in diameter).
Video
Notes
- 1 batch makes about 20 cookies.
- Because the cake mix has so much flavor, there’s no need for extra vanilla extract.
Nutrition
Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 24mg | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 0.6mg
Can make these with a gluten free cake mix?
Some the gf mixes are just one layer. Does it matter?
This calls for 2 cups thawed cool whip. On the container of cool whip is 8 ozs which equals 1 cup. So do you use 2 containers of cool whip which is 16 ozs which is 2 cups?
A little sprinkle of unsweetened Kool-aid lemonade powder (1/4-1/3 of the packet) adds some brightness to the lemon flavor.
Can you freeze these cookies
Mine turned out terribly. Do you use 16oz of cool whip or 2cups.
I just made these but I altered the recipe slightly….
I used French vanilla cake mix and added some hazelnut instant coffee ☕
Wow!! Great flavor and a little buzz as I didn’t get decaf lol 😋😳
I’m making these with strawberry and lemon cake mixes together for summer strawberry lemonade cookies!
A friend made these and they were amazing. I’ve made them a couple of times and they are such a huge hit! Going to make some for my daughter’s students’ test day pick-me-up today. Thanks for sharing!
I made butter pecan cake mix with butterscotch chips. Amazing!!
Love these cookies! How long do they keep before you discard (assuming any are left to discard)?
Mine are still spreading thin and sticking to the parchment. Ugh
Most cake mixes are now 15oz and, the original recipe was made with an18oz box of cake mix, 2-1/4 cups of Cool Whip and one egg. I reduced the Cool Whip to two cups, but they didn’t spread out like they used too. Would an old cake mix cause that problem?
I wrote down the ingredients for this recipe, forgot about it, then made it by combining all ingredients. Oops! My flat cookies were still good, but the confectioners sugar is not meant to be mixed in.
Saw this on a cooking and baking Facebook page…oh my…I love them! Might go back to the store for other cake mixes now.
What do you think of swirling in some raspberry jam?