Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Recipe
These easy Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies are soft, chewy, and fudgy treats made with a boxed chocolate cake mix. Inspired by classic blossom cookies, they often feature a peanut butter cup or chocolate kiss in the center. Ready to whip up in under 10 minutes of prep time, they are kid-friendly and perfect for baking fun with family.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 9-10 minutes
- Total Time: 20-25 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 24 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 boxed chocolate cake mix (15.25 oz)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coating
- 1/4 cup sugar, for rolling the cookies
Optional Add-ins
- Peanut butter cups (e.g. Reese’s miniature)
- Hershey kisses
- Chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Wet Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Mix Dough: Add the boxed chocolate cake mix to the wet ingredients and stir until fully incorporated. If using, fold in any chocolate chips or other add-ins at this stage.
- Chill Dough: Chill the dough for 15 to 30 minutes until it firms up enough to roll easily. Lightly oil your hands if the dough is sticky to make rolling easier.
- Roll and Coat: Roll dough into balls and then roll each ball in sugar to coat evenly.
- Arrange and Bake: Place the sugar-coated dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350°F for about 9 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies are puffy and slightly crinkly but not overbaked.
- Add Center Decorations: If making blossom style cookies, immediately press a Reese’s miniature peanut butter cup or Hershey kiss into the center of each cookie upon removal from the oven, pressing firmly but gently so as not to break through.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional Decoration: To decorate with melted chocolate, melt about 1 cup of white chocolate and drizzle it over the cooled cookies. Allow the drizzle to set before serving.
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, ensuring they stay soft and fresh.
Notes
- You can substitute canola oil for the melted butter if preferred, but butter provides superior texture and flavor.
- Cookies stay soft for 3-4 days; baking longer will create a chewier cookie.
- If chilling dough longer than 30 minutes, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before baking for ease of rolling.
- If dough is cool, cookies may need a couple of extra minutes of baking time.
- Nutritional info is an estimate; ingredient variations may affect exact values.
