Cool Whip Cookies are soft, fluffy crinkle cookies made with just 4 ingredients: a box of cake mix, a tub of Cool Whip, an egg, and powdered sugar. Pick any cake mix flavor to match the occasion, like red velvet for Christmas, lemon for spring, or funfetti for birthdays. They cost about $3.74 for 20 cookies, or just $0.19 per cookie, and are ready in about 25 minutes.
My kids love helping make these cookies, especially rolling the dough in powdered sugar. We enjoy making different flavors for Christmas cookie trays, bake sales, and family get-togethers. With their soft, fluffy texture and simple ingredients, these cookies are always a fun treat to make together.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Budget-Friendly Treat: These cookies cost about $0.19 per cookie, making them an affordable dessert to share.
- Only 4 Ingredients: Cake mix, Cool Whip, an egg, and powdered sugar are all you need.
- Quick and Easy: Ready in about 25 minutes with minimal prep and simple steps.
- Easy to Customize: Choose different cake mix flavors for Christmas, birthdays, spring celebrations, and more.
- Soft and Fluffy Texture: The Cool Whip gives these cookies a light, cake-like texture with pretty powdered sugar crinkles.
- Fun for Kids: Little helpers can roll the dough balls in powdered sugar and enjoy helping in the kitchen.
After more than 14 years of baking and developing dessert recipes, I’ve learned that simple recipes can be some of the most fun to share. These cookies are easy enough for beginner bakers, and choosing different cake mix flavors makes it simple to create a variety of treats without needing a separate recipe for each one.
You may also like Cool Whip Candy and Cool Whip Cream Cheese Frosting if you have extra cool whip.
Ingredients
- Cake mix: One 15.25-ounce box, any flavor. Chocolate, red velvet, lemon, strawberry, and funfetti all work. See Cake Mix Cookies for more ideas.
- Cool Whip: One 8-ounce tub, thawed in the fridge (not the microwave). Fold it in gently so it stays fluffy.
- Egg: A large egg at room temperature helps bind everything together for the perfect consistency.
- Powdered sugar: Sift before using to eliminate clumps and ensure a smooth coating on each cookie.
Find the complete list of ingredients at the bottom of the page in the recipe card.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This sticky dough releases much more easily than from a sprayed pan.
Step 2. In a large bowl, gently fold together the cake mix, Cool Whip, and egg with a spatula until no dry streaks remain. The dough will be very fluffy and sticky — that’s normal. (I mix by hand; a mixer can deflate the Cool Whip.)
Step 3. Chill the dough for 20–30 minutes. It firms up enough to scoop and roll, and the cookies spread less.
Step 4. Use a tablespoon cookie scoop to drop the dough straight into the powdered sugar. Don’t try to roll it in your hands first. Roll the ball around in the sugar until it’s thickly coated, then place it on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
Step 5. Bake for 8–10 minutes, just until the edges are set and the tops are crinkled but not browned. They’ll look a little soft in the center, and that’s what keeps them fluffy. They finish setting as they cool on the pan.
Storage
Room Temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4–5 days. Keep them out of direct sunlight and heat to prevent them from getting too soft.
Refrigerate (Optional): If your home is warm or humid, you can refrigerate the cookies to keep them fresh longer. Just let them sit out for a few minutes before serving.
Freeze for Later: Cool Whip cookies freeze well! Place in a single layer on a baking sheet to flash freeze, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Store for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature when ready to enjoy.
Pro Tips
- Avoid overbaking: Bake just until the edges are set and the tops are crinkled. Overbaking will make them dry instead of soft and chewy.
- Line your baking sheet: The dough is sticky, so be sure to line your pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Use a cookie scoop: A cookie scoop helps you portion the dough evenly, giving you uniform cookies that bake consistently.
- Leave space between cookies: Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. They will spread as they bake.
- Let them cool completely: These cookies are delicate when hot. Transfer them to a cooling rack and let them cool fully before handling to avoid breakage.
- Chill the dough (optional): If the dough feels too sticky to handle, you can chill it for 15–20 minutes to make it easier to roll.
- Roll in powdered sugar generously: Coat the cookie dough balls thoroughly in powdered sugar before baking for that classic crinkle look.
Pick a Flavor for Every Holiday
Christmas: Red velvet, or half red velvet and half green-tinted white cake mix
Valentine’s Day: Strawberry
Easter/Spring: Lemon
Halloween: Chocolate with orange sprinkles
Fall: Spice cake
Birthdays: Funfetti
Each batch makes about 20 cookies for around $3.74—that’s about $0.19 a cookie, perfect for big bake sale or cookie exchange batches.
Variations
- Add chocolate chips: Fold in about ½ cup of mini chocolate chips. Milk, dark, or white all work.
- Mix in chopped nuts: Fold in about ½ cup of finely chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Add chocolate chips: Stir in a handful of chocolate chips. Choose from milk, dark, or white chocolate to add delicious richness and texture.
- Mix in chopped nuts: For added crunch, fold in chopped pecans, walnuts, or even almonds. Great for balancing the sweetness!
- Decorate with sprinkles: Add festive sprinkles to match any holiday, birthday, or themed party for a fun and colorful touch. We love to add Christmas sprinkles during the holidays and rainbow sprinkles for birthdays. Extra sprinkles are always fun.
- Make sandwich cookies: Spread frosting or marshmallow fluff between two cookies for a sweet sandwich treat.
- Add extract for extra flavor: A dash of almond, peppermint, or lemon extract can boost flavor and complement the cake mix variety you choose.
- Stuff them: Add a surprise center such as a mini peanut butter cup or a dollop of Nutella before baking for a fun twist.
FAQ
It’s supposed to be! The Cool Whip makes a soft, fluffy dough. Fold it by hand, chill it for 20–30 minutes, and scoop it straight into the powdered sugar without rolling it in your hands. See “How to Handle the Sticky Dough” above.
Cool Whip holds its shape better and gives the most reliable results. Homemade whipped cream deflates more easily, so the cookies may spread.
Roll the dough balls in a thick coat of powdered sugar, and don’t overbake. The cracks form as the cookies puff in the oven.
I always do. 20–30 minutes in the fridge makes the dough easy to scoop, and the cookies spread less. If you skip it, the cookies will still taste great, just flatter.
More Easy Cake Mix Cookie Recipes
Go ahead and give these Cool Whip Cake Mix Cookies a try. Leave a comment and let me know what flavor you tried.
Cool Whip Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 box cake mix 15.25 ounces, any flavor
- 8 ounces Cool Whip thawed
- 1 large Egg
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray Cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, cool whip and egg. The mix will be very fluffy. Just keep mixing until well combined.
- Use a small cookie scoop or two spoons to drop rounded cookie dough into powdered sugar. Roll the dough ball until completely covered. Set cookies on the prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until cookies browned just slightly on the edges. You want the cookies to be set but not fully browned so watch them closely.
- Allow the cookies to sit on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes. Then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve and enjoy!
Super easy recipe and turns out great!