Description
Festive Christmas cookies emerge from a simple cake mix, creating magic in minutes. Holiday bakers discover effortless sweetness with minimal ingredients and maximum cheer.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 box (15.25 ounces / 432 grams) chocolate cake mix (unprepared)
- 1 cup M&Ms
Optional Mix-Ins:
- Peppermint bark squares
- Chocolate chips
- Toffee bits
- Crushed candy canes
- Chopped pecans
Wet Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), ensuring the rack is positioned in the center for even baking.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the chocolate cake mix, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and eggs until a consistent, thick dough forms.
- Gently incorporate M&Ms into the cookie dough, distributing them evenly throughout the mixture.
- Optional: Enhance the cookies by adding extra toppings like peppermint bark, chocolate chips, toffee bits, crushed candy canes, or chopped pecans for added complexity.
- Shape the dough into uniform 1-inch balls using clean hands or a cookie scoop.
- Arrange the cookie balls on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them approximately 2 inches apart to allow for spreading during baking.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, watching for a set texture and slight golden edging that indicates perfect doneness.
- Remove from the oven and allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes to firm up.
- Transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack, letting them cool completely to develop their final texture and flavor.
Notes
- shorter for softer cookies, longer for crispier edges.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling to prevent spreading and create more uniform cookies.
- Try different cake mix flavors like red velvet or funfetti for unique holiday variations.
- Use gluten-free cake mix and swap eggs with flax eggs to make these cookies allergy-friendly and inclusive for various dietary needs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 153
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 146 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 23 mg