Easy Lemon Cake Mix Cookies with White Chocolate

Pucker up, cookie lover! These ridiculously easy lemon cake mix cookies are one of the quickest lemon desserts to whip up. 

This recipe uses a boxed cake mix to save time. But it also includes a few add-ins to punch up the lemony flavor. Plus, a drizzle of lemon white chocolate for subtle sweetness.

Just like all cake mix cookies, this recipe will bake up thick, soft, gooey cookies.

Powered by lemon and sweetened by white chocolate, you'll love baking this easy lemon cookie recipe for potlucks or anytime family desserts.

Ready to get your lemon on? Let's bake.

This Recipe's a Keeper -- Here's Why

• Easy recipe -- ingredients and directions. You just need a box of cake mix plus a few simple ingredients. And no need to whip out an electric mixer. A large bowl and wooden spoon will do the trick.

• Unique, delicious glaze. You may not have ever tried lemon white chocolate. But once you do, you won't be able to resist the bright lemon flavor of this simple glaze.
  
  And don't worry. It is extremely simple to make with white chocolate chips and fresh lemon juice.

• Simple to freeze. Want to save the leftovers? Lemon cake cookies are foolproof to freeze. Make them early or save the leftovers. The freezer can be your best friend.

Cookie Ingredients

• Box of lemon cake mix. Duncan Hines lemon supreme cake mix is my favorite brand to use. However, Betty Crocker and Pillsbury also have lemon cake mix that makes tasty cookies.
  
  Note that Betty Crocker cake mixes are smaller (13.25 vs. 15.25 ounces) when compared to other brands.
  
  I don't find the size difference to influence the recipe much. Just make sure to rest the dough or chill it if it is too sticky.

• Box of instant pudding mix. This is the secret ingredient that adds a delicious flavor to the cookies. Use either vanilla or lemon pudding. Both are excellent in the recipe.

• Unsalted butter. Many cake mix cookie recipes use vegetable oil. However, butter tastes so much better and gives the cookies a nice texture.

• Lemon zest. Just a bit of zest brings fresh lemon flavor to the cookie.

• Large eggs. Use room temperature eggs.

• Lemon extract. For another zing, use lemon extract.

Lemon Glaze Ingredients

Lemon glaze makes this sweet treat unique. You'll love it on your homemade cookies.

• Ghirardelli white chocolate melting wafers are the best option. But you can also substitute white chocolate chips.

• Fresh lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon). Get real lemon flavor by using fresh juice.

Substitutions

Cake mix cookies are the easiest cookies to customize. Swap out any boxed cake mix for the lemon mix and follow the rest of the cookie directions. Don't forget to customize the glaze to match the cookie flavor.

• Use yellow cake mix and chocolate chunks to make chocolate chip cookies.

• Combine chocolate cake mix with peanut butter chips.

• Make red velvet cake mix cookies with cream cheese frosting.

Variations

• Make lemon crinkle cookies by rolling the cookie dough balls in a small bowl of powdered sugar. Bake normally but skip the lemon white chocolate glaze.
  
  The powdered sugar coating makes the lemon-flavored cookie sweet enough.

• Use a combination of butter and cream cheese to make cookies with the taste of lemon. The addition of cream cheese will yield a batch of soft cookies.

• Try different mix-ins like white chocolate chips or coconut.

RELATED: You may also be interested in this post on how long cake mixes last. 

Tasty Tips

• Rest the batter for 10 minutes before baking the cookies. The batter will look soft and oily when you first combine cake mix and melted butter. However, resting the dough for a few minutes allows the dry ingredients to absorb the moisture.
  
  The result is cookie dough with the ideal texture to bake the perfect cookie. Not too sticky and not too dry.

• Shape the baked cookie with a cookie ring. A round cookie ring is just a cookie cutter. Use a size larger than the cookie.
  
  To shape the cookie, encircle it with the cookie ring when it is fresh from the oven and hasn't solidified yet. Swirl the ring around the cookie a few times. The cookie sides will pull in, giving you a more uniform-shaped cookie.

• Freeze leftover cookies to enjoy later. The great thing about all your favorite cookie recipes is that they freeze beautifully, including these cookies.
  
  So, lemon lover, you can have an easy dessert anytime you want. Just pull a cookie from the freezer and wait a few minutes for it to thaw.

• Make mini cookies. This is a simple recipe to adapt to mini cookies. Simply scoop the dough with a small cookie scoop. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes. Then follow the rest of the directions.

Directions

This recipe yields 12 large delicious cookies. If you want even more cookies, it's easy to make a big batch by doubling the recipe.

• PREHEAT the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

• MELT the butter in the microwave in a microwave-safe container. Heat for about 45 seconds. Cool for 2 to 3 minutes.

• POUR the dry cake mix into a large bowl. Stir in the lemon zest. Add the melted butter, eggs, and lemon extract. Mix with a wooden spoon until the dough is combined.

• SCRAPE the bowl's sides with a spatula to ensure all the dry ingredients are incorporated into the cookie dough.

• REST the lemon cookie dough for 5 to 10 minutes. This resting period gives the dough time to absorb the moisture and become the perfect scoopable texture.

• SCOOP the cookie dough balls with a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons size is ideal). Roll dough with your palms to make it round and smooth. Then flatten the dough ball slightly with your palms.

• PLACE the balls of cookie dough about two inches apart on the lined baking sheet.

• BAKE in the oven for 11 to 13 minutes or until the edges are done. The middles may not look completely done, but they will finish baking with the residual heat when out of the oven.

• SHAPE the cookies uniformly. Use a round cookie ring larger than the cookie's size. A 2½ to 3-inch size works well for these cookies. (A cookie ring is essentially a round cookie cutter.)
  
  Position the cookie ring around the warm cookie, ensuring that the ring completely encircles the cookie. With the cookie inside the circle, start rotating the ring around the cookie. Continue turning for about 5 seconds.
  
  As you rotate, you'll notice the sides of the cookie pulling in and the cookie gradually becoming rounder and more uniform in shape.
  
  The warmth of the cookie will help it conform to the ring. By the end of the rotation, the cookie should have taken on a perfectly round shape. Repeat this technique with all the cookies.

• PLACE the cookie sheet on a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes.

• TRANSFER the cookies to the cooling rack in a single layer. Cool them completely.

Make the Glaze

Make the glaze when the cookies are cool. You will be decorating the cookies right after the glaze is ready.

• JUICE the lemon.

• MELT the white chocolate in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl.

• STIR in half of the lemon juice. The chocolate will start to thicken and come together in a lump. Add the remaining juice and stir it until it is liquid again.
  
  It will be thicker than plain melted white chocolate but still be easy to spread. If it is too thick, you can add more lemon juice.

• TRANSFER the white chocolate lemon glaze to a frosting decorating bag or a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off. Work quickly before the chocolate hardens.

• PLACE all the cookies on a sheet of parchment paper or wire cooling rack.

• DRIZZLE the glaze back and forth across the cookies.

• REST the cookies until the glaze dries.

• ENJOY right away.

How to Store 

Store the leftover cookies in an airtight container on the counter at room temperature. For best results, wrap the cookies in plastic wrap before placing them in the container.

For longer storage, freeze the cookies.

How Long Do Lemon Cake Mix Cookies Last

Correctly stored, the cookies will last 3 or 4 days before beginning to get stale.

How to Freeze

The best way to freeze cookies is to flash freeze them first before the final freeze. Flash freezing keeps the cookies from sticking to each other when frozen. This makes it easier to grab a single cookie at a time.

Here's how to do it:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Don't skip this step, or the cookie will freeze to the pan.
2. Place the cookies on the baking sheet. They can be close together, but they shouldn't be touching.
3. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and freeze for 1 hour.
4. Remove the cookies from the freezer and immediately place the frozen cookies in an airtight freezer-safe container or a freezer zip-top bag.
5. Label the container and return it to the freezer.
6. Freeze for up to 6 months.

To thaw the cookies:

1. Remove however many cookies you want from the freezer.
2. Thaw them on the counter for 15 to 30 minutes (depending on your kitchen temperature). I recommend thawing them in a plastic bag or airtight container so they don't dry out as they thaw.
3. Enjoy.

What to Serve With Cake Mix Cookies

• A cold glass of milk.

• Hot chocolate. Make a quick cup using melted chocolate chips.

Bake Cookies for Special Occasions

Gooey, chewy lemon cake mix cookies are perfect for bake sales, holiday get-togethers, birthday party treats, or friendly gifts.

Packaging each gorgeous cookie separately in a cellophane cookie bag is a great way to display the cookies before gifting or selling them. Buy cookie bags here.

Hungry for More Cake Mix Cookies

Try these cake mix cookie recipes. They are the easiest cookie recipes around. And the best news is that you can use any flavor cake mix.

• Funfetti cake mix cookies. Make frosted cookies with cream cheese or Funfetti cookie sandwiches.

• Cherry chip cake mix cookies dipped in white chocolate

• Butter pecan cake mix cookies with toasted pecans and toffee bits

• Pineapple cake mix cookies with pineapple glaze and toasted coconut

• Strawberry crinkle cookies with cake mix.

• Devil's food chocolate cake mix cookies