Today I'm showing you how to make lemon cookies from cake mix. These lemon cake mix cookies are another easy recipe to get your kids in the kitchen. These are one of our favorite ways to use lemons and are sure to be the easiest cookies you will ever make.
Of course, I'll always use any excuse to make delicious desserts as good as these delicious cookies! And I love all things lemon.
What are these?
These easy lemon cake mix cookies look and taste just like the ones your grandmother made. There is a good reason for this: This probably is your grandma's recipe!
With a taste of lemon in every bite, these easy lemon cookies are ready to dunk in 20 minutes. It's no wonder they are one of my favorite easy cookie recipes!
Ingredients and notes
One thing that makes this recipe so great is the ingredient list. Or, how small it is. There are only five simple ingredients!
- 1 Box of Lemon Cake Mix - Any brand of boxed cake mix will work for this recipe.
- Eggs - Use large to medium-size eggs, and remember: Organic cage-free eggs are always best. Even better is to buy your eggs from someone who has chickens!
- Lemon Juice - Squeeze your own, if possible for that fresh lemon flavor. You only need one lemon for this recipe. Garnish these with fresh lemon zest for extra flavor and flare after they cool!
How to make them
(Full recipe at the end of the post)
As always, make sure you have everything you need. New to baking? Learn how to make cookies from our in-house professional chef, CIA-trained Chef Kat.
Here are a few things you'll want handy for making this lemon cookie recipe:
- Mixing bowl
- Parchment paper-lined baking sheet
- Electric mixer
If you can plan ahead an hour or two, let the eggs come to room temperature before using them. This will help the cookies to bake more evenly.
Pro Baking Tip: How to bring eggs to room temperature quickly.
- Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl except the powdered sugar.
- Make the cookie dough balls and roll each in powdered sugar.
- Place them on a parchment paper-lined baking tray.
- Bake at 375° for about 10 minutes until the bottoms are lightly brown.
Expert baking tips
Chill the bowl of dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. (Be sure to cover it in plastic wrap.) Chilled dough is easier to work with and will help keep the cookies from spreading too far while baking.
A medium cookie scoop is a great way to form even balls of cookie dough. This helps to make them all the same size. If you want smaller ones, a small cookie scoop with does the same thing!
Line your baking sheet with parchment paper to make clean-up time easy and fast.
Common recipe questions
Use a white, lemon-flavored box of cake mix to make these.
You can use 1 teaspoon of lemon extract.
You can make the dough ahead of time and freeze until ready to use. Roll each cookie portion in the powdered sugar after thawing.
- Seal in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- For best results, allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
More Favorite Lemon Desserts
These lemon cake mix cookies are perfect for bake sales, birthday parties, work parties, and so much more! If you love cake mix cookie recipes, be sure and take a look at our Stuffed Peppermint Patti Cookies!
Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Cake Mix Cookie Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- Parchment paper
- Electric mixer
Ingredients
- 1 box Lemon cake mix
- 2 Eggs
- ⅓ cup Vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice (or 1 teaspoon lemon extract)
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375° and allow your eggs to come to room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, oil, lemon juice (or extract), and cake mix, and stir it all together until well blended.
- Drop teaspoons full of dough in powdered sugar and form into cookie balls. Roll until lightly covered. Once sugared put on an ungreased cookie sheet ( You can use parchment paper on a cookie sheet).
- Bake for about 10 until bottoms are lightly browned. (My oven takes 12 mins)then move to a cooling rack.
Notes
- You can use 1 teaspoon of lemon zest if you don't have fresh lemon juice.
- Rolling in powdered sugar is optional.
- Top with fresh lemon zest after they come out of the oven for extra flavor.
Nutrition
This recipe has been updated from the original post of September 8, 2020.
Tracie
I don't understand this part of the notes. I think you meant lemon zest instead?
Dan from Platter Talk
Thanks, Tracie! We corrected that.
Linda Lou Johnson
I was pleasantly surprised by how marvelous these Lemon Cake Cookies are! Used a couple of extra -dashes of lemon extract, to the recipe. Wonderful!!!! Thank you.
Dan from Platter Talk
Linda Lou - (I love you name.) Thanks for taking the time to leave your kind comment. We're happy that these turned out for you, they're practically no-fail cookies!
Janelle WB
Looking for a fast lemon dessert idea to take into work with me the following morning, I came across this gem. I had never ventured into lemon dessert items for whatever reason, but these needed to be quality assured by someone before I took them to others - and I was the only one available to do so. I have made this recipe countless times now as it is a favorite of family and friends alike. Oh! I am a loyal fan of these amazing cookies!
Dan from Platter Talk
Thanks for the awesome comments, Janelle!
Starr
Have made these, always enjoyed!
Even include them on my Christmas cookie trays❣️
Christine Flott
I haven't made these yet but will! I love lemon desserts but nobody else in my family does (quite as much). These seem easy and yummy!
JANIS L Neill
Easy good cookies
JANIS L Neill
JANIS