Soft, chewy, and bursting with real lemon flavor, these lemon cake mix cookies get their punch from a few secret ingredients. They’re an easy Cool Whip cookie recipe that’s always the first to disappear from the cookie plate!
I originally shared this recipe back in 2016, and today I’m updating it with new information and extra tips!
Most lemon cookies are a letdown. They look pretty, but you bite in and get a faint hint of lemon. That’s it. These lemon cake mix cookies are different. They’re soft, chewy, rolled in powdered sugar, and packed with bright lemon flavor that actually tastes like lemon.
We’ve always called them lemon snowflake cookies, because the powdered sugar crackles into a snowy finish in the oven. They’re one of the easiest cookies I make, and they’re always the first to disappear from the holiday cookie plate. Lemon is a welcome break next to all the shortbread, chocolate, and gingerbread.
This recipe comes from Elizabeth Barrett’s family, and I haven’t changed a thing.
Why These Lemon Cake Mix Cookies Taste So Lemony
The secret is using three kinds of lemon instead of one:
- Lemon extract gives a strong, steady lemon base.
- Fresh lemon zest adds bright, fresh flavor. A good zester makes this a 30-second job. I’ve used a Microplane for years. It’s inexpensive, it comes in fun colors, and it’s a frequent use tool in my kitchen
- Lemon oil is the real secret ingredient. Just one teaspoon makes these cookies taste lemony in a way extract alone never does. It can be hard to find in regular grocery stores. I first bought mine at a local co-op, but lemon oil is easy to order online, and it’s often cheaper there. (We are looking for baking lemon oil not olive oil flavored with lemon or lemon essential oil!)
Lemon pudding mix and lemon cake mix carry that flavor through every bite, and the pudding keeps the centers soft and chewy for days.
How to Make Cool Whip Cookies
Cool Whip cookies might be the easiest cookies you’ll ever bake. Beat the Cool Whip, eggs, and lemon flavorings together. Mix in the pudding, then the cake mix, one box at a time. Scoop the dough, roll each ball in powdered sugar, and bake. That’s it: no softening butter and no creaming. Full measurements and steps are in the recipe card below.
Tips for the Best Cool Whip Cookies
- Expect sticky dough. That’s normal for Cool Whip cookies. A 1-ounce cookie scoop (size #40 or 2 Tablespoon) is the easiest way to portion it without getting dough all over your hands.
- Be generous with the powdered sugar. A thick coat is what gives you that crackly snowflake top. Drop each scoop straight into a bowl of powdered sugar and roll it around.
- Rotate your pans. Swap the pans halfway through baking so every cookie bakes evenly.
- Don’t overbake. Pull them when the edges are set and the centers still look soft. They firm up as they cool.
- Let them rest on the pan. Cool them on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. If you move them too soon, they can break.
Lemon Cake Mix Cookie FAQ
Can I use vanilla pudding instead of lemon?
Yes. Vanilla instant pudding works well if that’s what you have. The lemon flavor will be a little softer, but the lemon oil, extract, and zest still give you plenty of lemon.
Do I really need lemon oil?
The cookies will still be good without it, but lemon oil is what takes them from nice to wow. Even if you bake with lemon often, a small bottle lasts a long time.
Do Cool Whip cookies need to be refrigerated?
No. Once they’re baked, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 or 5 days.
More Favorite Lemon Recipes
- Better than Starbucks Lemon Loaf
- Classic Lemon Bars With Berry Sauce
- Extra Zesty Lemon Sugar Cookies
Lemon Cake Mix Cookies with Cool Whip
Ingredients
- 16 oz Cool Whip any brand is fine
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon oil
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 boxes instant lemon pudding 3.4oz each – sub vanilla pudding if needed
- 2 boxes lemon cake mix I prefer Betty Crocker
- Powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer combine Cool Whip, eggs, lemon extract, lemon oil and lemon zest. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
- With the mixer on medium speed slowly add both boxes of pudding one at a time until combined. Then slowly add cake mixes one at a time until combined; batter will be very sticky.
- Use a cookie scoop (#40 or 2 Tablespoon scoop ) to make balls. Roll each ball in powdered sugar until well coated and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350F for 10 minutes until the cookies are set and edges are firm but not quite brown. Switch top and bottom sheets of cookies at the five minute mark.
- Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on the sheets and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Nutrition Estimate
A Note on Nutrition
Nutritional info is an imperfect estimate. Please take it with a grain of salt.
Recipe Credit: Thanks to Elizabeth Barrett for sharing her family’s recipe for these cookies! The recipe is wonderful the way it is and I have not adapted it at all.
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