marilynpeight
These chocolate cake mix cookies actually surprised me with how good they were! Who knew, that taking just a boxed cake mix, a few eggs and oil could turn into beautifully fudgy cookies?! Topping these cake mix cookies with a homemade caramel frosting really elevates them to the next level too! If you love shortcuts in baking, you may also enjoy my Reese’s peanut butter skillet cookie and peanut butter brookies.
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Chocolate cake mix cookies with caramel frosting
Equipment
- baking sheets (linked below)
- Mixing bowl (linked below)
- Whisk (linked below)
- Ice cream scoop (linked below)
Ingredients
For the chocolate cookies:
- 16.5 oz. Devil's Food cake mix (I used Ginger Evans)
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Caramel Frosting:
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 2 dashes salt
- 2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar sifted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
- Combine the cake mix with the eggs and oil (the batter will be thick and slightly stiff), then drop onto parchment lined baking sheets using a tablespoon or ice cream scoop.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-12 minutes until the centers are set and the cookies are beginning to crack on the tops. Be sure to keep a close eye on the cookies to prevent them from overbaking. Allow the cookies to cool on the parchment paper, then remove with a spatula.
Caramel Frosting:
- Melt butter in a medium sized saucepan, then add brown sugar and bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Once the mixture has reached a slow boil, reduce the heat to low and continue stirring for 2-3 minutes until the sugar has mostly dissolved. Add milk and salt, then continue stirring until the caramel comes to a full boil. Immediately remove from the heat and allow to cool at room temperature.
- Once the caramel has cooled to room temp, sift confectioners sugar and add 1/2 cup at a time. Mix the frosting (with a hand mixer) between each addition of confectioners sugar, until the icing has become thick enough to frost the cookies (the last 1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar may not be needed). Frost cooled cookies with a spatula or piping bag and then enjoy!
Notes
Equipment:
- Baking sheets I prefer to use Nordic ware baking sheets (not an ad), because I have found them to be superior to other baking sheets for baking cookies such as these chocolate cake mix cookies, and more.
- Mixing bowl I personally like to use metal mixing bowls for their durability and dish washer friendliness.
- Whisk A large whisk is needed to combine the ingredients for the cake mix cookies.
- Ice cream scoop An Ice cream scoop works the best when it comes to scooping drop cookies.
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Ingredients needed for the chocolate cake mix cookies and caramel frosting: Chocolate devil’s food cake mix, butter, confectioner’s sugar, milk, brown sugar, oil, and eggs.
Step 1: Combine the chocolate cake mix with oil and eggs.
Note*
For these chocolate cake mix cookies you do not need to add the water as most cake mixes instruct. For cookies, the batter needs to be thick enough to hold its shape on the baking sheet. I use three large eggs, but if your eggs are on the small side you can also add a little extra oil for added moisture in the cookies.
Step 1 continued: Drop the cookies onto parchment lined baking sheets using a tablespoon or an ice cream scoop.
Note*
These cookies can be difficult to remove from the baking sheet, so I prefer to use parchment paper. Parchment paper also makes it easier to lift the cookies and check for doneness on the bottoms.
Step 2: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-12 minutes until set in the center and beginning to crack on the tops.
Note*
These chocolate cookies can be a little trickier to tell whether they are done or not. I prefer to leave them just slightly under-baked because they continue to bake a little as they cool on the baking sheet. A few tips for doneness include a slight hissing sound coming from the baked cookies, as well as the tops beginning to crack (as shown above).
Step 3: Melt butter and brown sugar together to make a caramel sauce while stirring constantly. Allow to boil for several minutes to dissolve the brown sugar, then add milk and salt and bring to a full boil again. Immediately remove from heat and allow the caramel sauce to cool.
Note*
Be sure to keep a close eye on the caramel sauce while cooking.
Step 4: Slowly add sifted confectioner’s sugar to the cooled caramel sauce. Mix well after each addition of confectioner’s sugar until the frosting is thick, but spreadable.
Step 4 Continued: Frost the tops of the cooled cookies to preference using a piping bag or spatula. Enjoy on its own or with a cup of milk or coffee!
These cookies were so deliciously fudgy!! I prefer my cookies to sit for a day, to me they just develop a richer flavor on day 2 than on day 1. You can store these cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days and freeze them for up to 3 months.
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