Cool Whip Cookies

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4 ingredients make up these delightfully easy Cool Whip Cookies. Make these cookies to fit any occasion by switching the flavor of cake mix!

Cake mix recipes are so fun. One of my favorites? Strawberries and Cream Cookies. One of your favorites? Cake mix pancakes. You can turn a box mix into just about anything, even cake mix cinnamon rolls!

Today, you’ll learn how to make Cool Whip Cookies with a cake mix. Only 4 ingredients and under 30 minutes, and you’ll have the prettiest cake mix crinkle cookies that you’ve ever seen.

stack of cool whip cookies with cool whip on top

Where this recipe came from.

About a month ago, I was visiting my 90+ year old Grandma and she handed us me recipe box.  I love looking through recipes.  And seeing a stack of recipe cards either typed out or written in my Grandma’s handwriting makes them pretty special.

One of the first recipes I came across were a cookie called Lemon Whippersnappers.  They used Cool Whip and a cake mix to make lemon cake cookies. I’m not sure where the Cool Whip Cookies recipe originated, but I have my grandma’s copy and that is pretty special to me.

Ingredients for Cool Whip Cookies

You’ll need just 4 ingredients:

ingredients for cool whip cookies on a table
  • Cake mix. Chocolate crinkle cookies are a classic, but use any flavor: chocolate cake mix, spice cake mix, red velvet cake mix, even strawberry cake mix. Showcased in this post are red velvet, lemon, and strawberry. And can you imagine carrot cake at Easter time?
  • Cool whip. Although both cool whip and whipped cream try to achieve the same thing in recipes, they are not the same product and can’t always be used interchangeably. Both are light and fluffy and perfect for dolloping on top of shortcakes and ice cream, but a tub of Cool Whip, the frozen whipped topping is what you’ll use in this recipe. I have not tried these cookies with homemade whipped cream.
  • Egg. Just 1 large egg.
  • Powdered sugar. This is what the cookie dough balls will get rolled in before baking.
cool whip cookies with bite out of one

How to Make Cool Whip Cookies in 4 Steps

This recipe is a one-bowl recipe that can be made in 4 easy steps.

collage of how to make cool whip cookies
  • Place the cake mix, egg and cool whip in a large bowl.
  • Mix the dough using a hand mixer. The dough should be easy to mix up. The texture will be smooth, but very sticky.
  • Use a cookie scoop to drop the cookie dough by teaspoons into powdered sugar and roll the dough to coat the cookies. If you have trouble with the dough sticking to your hands, spray your hands with cooking spray first. This trick should help.
  • Place the cookies on a prepared baking sheet. As the cookies bake, they spread slightly which give them the “crinkle cookies” look because of the cracked powdered sugar.

Pro Tip:

The hardest thing about making these cookies was that they wanted to stick to the pan just a little. We used a Silpat Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat and didn’t have any problems with not getting them off the pan. Parchment paper works also, or spray the pan with cooking spray.

closeup of a cool whip cookies

Storage Instructions

Store the cool whip cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

For longer storage, store in an airtight container or freezer bag in the freezer. Place parchment paper between the layers so the cookies don’t stick when you defrost them. The powdered sugar may not be as pretty when you thaw the cookies.

You may also love our cream cheese cherry cookies, cream cheese sugar cookies, and almond sugar cookies.

closeup of a cool whip cookies
closeup of a cool whip cookies

Cool Whip Cookies

4.63 from 394 votes
4 ingredients make up these delightfully simple Cool Whip Cookies. Make the cookies to fit any occasion by switching the flavor of cake mix!
Servings 20
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

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Ingredients
 

  • 1 box lemon cake mix (15.25 ounces or a traditional 9×13 box cake mix)
  • 2 cups frozen whipped topping (thawed)
  • 1 large egg

To roll the cookies:

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the cake mix, Cool Whip and egg. Stir until well mixed.
  • Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Drop the cookie dough by teaspoons into the powdered sugar and roll the dough to coat.
  • Place the balls 1 ½ inches apart on a baking sheet that has been covered with a non-stick baking mat or sprayed with cooking spray.
  • Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. Remove them from the oven when they are set, but before they get too brown.
  • Remove the cookies from the cookie sheet to a cooling rack and allow them to cool. Makes about 20 cookies (2 1/2″ in diameter)

Video

Notes

  • 1 batch makes about 20 cookies.
  • Because the cake mix has so much flavor, there’s no need for extra vanilla extract.
The calories shown are based on the recipe making 20 cookies, with 1 serving being 1 cookie. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.*

Nutrition

Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 24mg | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 0.6mg
Course Cookies
Cuisine American
Calories 122
Keyword cool whip cookies, easy cake mix cookies, EASY COOKIE RECIPE, fruity cookie recipe, how to make cake mix cookies
About JulieJulie Clark

About Julie Clark

I'm Julie Clark, CEO and recipe developer of Tastes of Lizzy T. With my B.A. in Education and over 30 years of cooking and baking, I want to teach YOU the best of our family recipes.

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Donna T.
2 years ago

Cool whip lemon cookies Added 1 teaspoon each of lemon and vanilla extracts.

Lori
2 years ago

I’m making these with strawberry and lemon cake mixes together for summer strawberry lemonade cookies!

Linda
9 years ago

I had this recipe once and misplaced it. I’m so Happy that you posted it. because I really Love these cookies! I remember I begged a co worker for the recipe for the Fabulous cookies she would bring to work and she always said it was a Secret Family Recipe. When she was quitting she pulled me aside and gave me the recipe…..and I was like “That’s it?” These are so Yummy!

Ellen @ From Scratch
9 years ago

We’ve done this with green added and called them “Grinch Cookies” for Christmas. 🙂

Cassie
5 years ago

5 stars
I made these last year for our Christmas cookie day and they were a HUGE hit! The only thing I do differently is add lemon zest to give it that extra lemon kick. I’m am making them again this year. Tried and true so why give up a good thing?

Kathy
1 month ago

4 stars
Great recipe. I found refrigerating dough 15 minutes first keeps dough from being sticky

kim kinney
4 years ago

What do you think of swirling in some raspberry jam?

Janet
9 years ago

Just finished baking the cookies. The cookies turn out great. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Mallory @ Chocolate with Grace
9 years ago

Such a simple, fresh summer recipe. Its wonderful to keep things simple in the summer.

Selma @ Selma's Table
9 years ago

Stopping by from Spoonful of Foodies to say hello! I love that you got a chance to look through your gran’s recipe box – imagine having the time to type using the typewriter! I would have to have shares in Tippex to cope with all my typos!

Debbi
4 months ago

5 stars
These are the easiest,best tasting cookies ever. We started making these when our son was younger and he still request them all the time. We use all kinds of cake mixes.

Cathy
1 year ago

5 stars
These are delicious! I did the lemon ones, and I added a little ginger to the cake mix and it was amazing. I also bought a devil’s food cake mix and added a little orange zest. Yummy 😋

Jade
2 years ago

5 stars
I just made these but I altered the recipe slightly….

I used French vanilla cake mix and added some hazelnut instant coffee ☕

Wow!! Great flavor and a little buzz as I didn’t get decaf lol 😋😳

Janice
3 years ago

5 stars
I made butter pecan cake mix with butterscotch chips. Amazing!!

Treva Brownlee
5 years ago

5 stars
I make these with a strawberry cake mix and and mini chocolate chips. Gone before I know it.