Lemon Cool Whip Cookies are a quick and easy dessert that makes party hosting easier than ever. They are cute, budget-friendly, and delicious. If you haven’t made cookies from cake mix, now is the time to start! It’s one of my favorite baking hacks that I use often to make the perfect soft and fluffy cookie.
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I love the subtle lemon flavor you get from the cake mix, and the light citrus reminds me of spring! The Cool Whip keeps the cookies perfectly soft, while the powdered sugar creates the best lemon crinkle cookies. This is one of my favorite treats!
If you like Cool Whip dessert recipes, you will love Chocolate Cool Whip Candy, Cool Whip Cake Mix Cookies and Jello Cool Whip Pie.
Why You’ll Love This Cool Whip Lemon Cookie Recipe
- There are only 4 ingredients: You only need 4 easy-to-find items to make lemon cake mix cookies with Cool Whip.
- It’s easy to double: Making these cookies for a crowd? It’s super simple to double or even triple the recipe.
- You can customize it easily: Since this recipe includes so few ingredients, it takes no effort to customize it and make it your own.
Ingredients
Here are all of the items you’ll need to make these easy lemon cookies with Cool Whip. Check out your local grocery store — you can find these things all year!
- Lemon cake mix: Use any brand of lemon cake mix that you prefer. You won’t be using the package directions to prepare them, so just ensure it’s big enough to make a 9x13 cake.
- Egg: I add one egg for the structure of the cookies. Ensure it is at room temperature so it incorporates with the other ingredients better.
- Whipped topping: I use the Cool Whip brand but you can use any brand of whipped topping in the frozen aisle at your local grocery store.
- Powdered sugar: The cookies are rolled in powdered sugar before baking to create the classic crinkle.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Chocolate: Choose your favorite chocolate cake mix and make chocolate Cool Whip cookies.
- Vanilla: Try this recipe with vanilla cake (or any basic white or yellow cake mix) for a simple flavor profile.
- Lemon blueberry: Fold in some fresh blueberries for pops of color and tart flavor.
How to Make Lemon Crinkle Cookies With Cake Mix
Here are the instructions on how to make these simple lemon cookies with Cool Whip. Once the cookie dough has been chilled, preheat your oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 1: Combine the ingredients and chill. Add the cake mix, egg, and Cool Whip to a mixing bowl. Stir until the ingredients are well combined, and place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Roll into balls. After the dough has chilled, scoop and form it into 1-1 ½ inch balls.
Step 3: Coat them in sugar. Lightly and carefully coat each dough ball in a small bowl of powdered sugar.
Step 4: Bake. Place the cookie balls on the prepared baking sheet and bake them for about 10 minutes.
Step 5: Serve. Allow the lemon cookies to cool for a few minutes and then enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overbake the cookies: The centers will be soft when they’ve finished baking. Overbaking can cause the cookies to become dry and crumbly.
- Don’t overwork the dough: Mix the cookie dough until the ingredients are just combined. Overmixing can result in a tough texture.
- Make the dough ahead: Prepare the lemon cake cookie dough ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake.
- Cool on the pan: I recommend letting the cookies cool on the pan for a couple of minutes and then transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
If you love easy cookie recipes like this one, you may also enjoy my Cake Mix Cool Whip Cookies.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. You can also place them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze them for up to 2 months.
- Make Ahead: Since the dough needs time to chill, I like to make it up to 24 hours in advance (especially if they’re for a party). Then, I’ll scoop and bake them the next day.
Serving Suggestions
- You can even make an ice cream sandwich. Try using our Fruity Pebbles ice cream or strawberry crunch ice cream to make uniquely flavored combinations.
- Make these alongside other easy cake mix cookies like my cake mix cookie bars and these pumpkin cake mix cookies.
- Pair it with a scoop of basic, yet fun sprinkles ice cream.
Recipe FAQs
It’s normal for the dough to be pretty sticky. If it's too hard to work with, place it back into the refrigerator for a little longer to make it less sticky and easier to handle.
Add some lemon zest to the cookie dough, and then top the lemon cake and Cool Whip cookies with a simple lemon glaze made with powdered sugar and lemon juice.
Whipped cream and Cool Whip are not the same. You must use whipped topping or the “dough” will be very wet and watery.
More Delicious Lemon Recipes
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section, I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Lemon Cool Whip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 15.25-ounce box Lemon cake mix for 9x13-inch cake
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ cups whipped topping
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, egg, and whipped topping until smooth.
- Cover and refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.
- Form 1 to 1 1⁄2 inch balls of dough.
- Roll each dough ball into the powdered sugar and place them on your prepared baking sheet.
- Bake cookies for 10 minutes. They may appear a little soft in the middle, but be sure not to overbake them.
Video
Notes
- It's normal if the centers are still a bit soft when the cookies are ready. Be sure to not overbake as they may become dry and crumbly.
- You can prepare the lemon cake cookie dough ahead of time and store the in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake.
- You can easily change the flavor of these cookies by swapping the flavor of cake mix.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in January 2017. It's been updated with new content and images.
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