Easy & Irresistible Strawberry Lemonade Crinkle Cookies: Your Go-To 5-Ingredient Cake Mix Recipe!
Craving a delightful cookie that’s bursting with vibrant flavor and requires minimal effort? Look no further than these incredible Strawberry Lemonade Cake Mix Cookies! Made with a simple lemon cake mix and the delightful addition of freeze-dried strawberries, these soft, chewy crinkle cookies are a dream come true for any baker. With just 5 simple ingredients, you’ll achieve the perfect balance of tart lemon and sweet strawberry in a charming, powdered sugar-dusted package. They are incredibly easy to whip up, making them an ideal treat for busy weeknights, special occasions, or just because you deserve something sweet.
The Unbeatable Charm of Cake Mix Cookies
We absolutely adore cookies made with a cake mix, and for good reason! They are unequivocally one of the easiest and most foolproof dessert recipes out there. The inherent qualities of cake mix—its pre-measured ingredients and consistent flavor profile—take much of the guesswork out of baking, leading to perfectly delightful cookies every single time. This foundational simplicity also makes them incredibly versatile. You can effortlessly swap out the flavor of cake mix, experiment with different mix-ins, and create an endless array of unique cookie varieties. With just a few additional pantry staples, your cookie dough can be ready for baking in a matter of minutes, transforming into soft, tender treats that taste like they took hours to make.
Strawberry Lemonade Crinkle Cookies: A Burst of Summer Flavor
These exquisite Strawberry Lemonade Crinkle Cookies perfectly encapsulate the essence of a refreshing summer drink in a chewy, sweet, and tart bite. They begin with a bright, zesty lemon cake mix, which provides a fantastic citrus base. The real magic happens with the inclusion of crushed, freeze-dried strawberries. This innovative ingredient delivers an intense, natural strawberry flavor and a lovely textural element without introducing excess moisture that could affect the cookie’s consistency. The process is wonderfully straightforward: combine the cake mix with eggs and oil, fold in the strawberries, shape the dough into balls, generously coat them in powdered sugar, and then bake to golden perfection. The powdered sugar creates that signature “crinkle” effect, giving them a beautiful, rustic appearance. While strawberries are our top choice for this recipe, feel free to get creative! Freeze-dried raspberries or blueberries would also yield equally delicious results, offering a delightful twist on this classic flavor combination.
Key Ingredients for Your Strawberry Lemonade Cake Mix Cookies
Creating these delightful cookies is a breeze thanks to a short and sweet ingredient list. Each component plays a vital role in achieving the perfect texture and flavor:
- Lemon Cake Mix: This is the foundation of our cookie. A standard 15.25 oz box of lemon cake mix provides all the dry ingredients, including flour, sugar, and the characteristic lemon flavor. Using a cake mix not only simplifies the process but also ensures a wonderfully soft, cake-like texture in your finished cookies. Any major brand will work beautifully, so pick your favorite!
- Freeze-dried Strawberries: An absolute game-changer for these cookies! Just one ounce of these gems brings an intense, concentrated strawberry flavor without adding extra liquid that could thin out your dough. Freeze-dried fruits are fantastic because their flavor is locked in, and they add a lovely, slightly chewy texture when crushed. You’ll want to crush them yourself to get a mix of fine powder (for flavor distribution) and small chunks (for bursts of berry goodness). If you’re feeling adventurous, freeze-dried raspberries or even a mix of berries could offer a fun alternative.
- Large Eggs: Two large eggs are essential binders in this recipe. They help hold all the ingredients together, contribute to the dough’s structure, and add richness and moisture, resulting in a soft, tender cookie. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature if possible, as this helps them incorporate more smoothly into the batter.
- Oil (Canola or Vegetable): You’ll need half a cup of oil for these cookies. Canola or vegetable oil are excellent choices as they are neutral in flavor and contribute significantly to the cookies’ soft, moist texture. The oil ensures the cookies stay chewy and prevents them from drying out too quickly. For an even richer flavor, you can swap the oil for an equal amount of melted unsalted butter. Both options work wonderfully, so choose what you prefer or have on hand.
- Powdered Sugar: This is the secret ingredient for achieving that signature crinkle effect! About half a cup of powdered sugar is used to coat the cookie dough balls before baking. As the cookies bake and expand, the powdered sugar coating cracks, creating those beautiful, snow-dusted fissures. While you *could* skip this step, it truly adds a delightful extra layer of sweetness, a unique melt-in-your-mouth texture, and, of course, the iconic appearance that makes these crinkle cookies so appealing.
Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Delicious Crinkle Cookies
Making these Strawberry Lemonade Cake Mix Crinkle Cookies is an incredibly straightforward process, perfect for bakers of all skill levels. Follow these simple steps for perfect results:
- Preheat Your Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). A properly preheated oven ensures even baking and helps your cookies maintain their shape and texture from the start.
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line two standard cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This crucial step prevents the cookies from sticking, allows for easy removal, and promotes even browning on the bottoms.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the entire box of lemon cake mix, the ½ cup of oil (canola, vegetable, or melted butter), and the two large eggs. Mix with an electric mixer on low speed, or by hand with a sturdy spoon, until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; stop as soon as a cohesive dough forms.
- Prepare Freeze-Dried Strawberries: In a separate small bowl, gently crush the freeze-dried strawberries. You can use your fingers, a fork, or even a rolling pin in a zip-top bag. The goal is to have a mix of fine powder and small, delightful chunks to distribute throughout the dough for both flavor and texture.
- Fold in Strawberries: Carefully fold the crushed strawberries into your cookie dough. Mix just enough to evenly distribute the strawberries without overworking the dough. Overmixing at this stage can cause the strawberry color to bleed excessively, turning your dough entirely pink, which might detract from the lovely yellow-pink contrast you see in the photos.
- Scoop Dough Balls: Using a cookie scoop (approximately 1.5-2 inches in diameter) or two spoons, scoop out uniform portions of the dough. Roll each portion into a smooth ball. Consistency in size helps ensure all cookies bake evenly.
- Coat in Powdered Sugar: Place the ½ cup of powdered sugar into a shallow bowl. Take each dough ball and roll it generously in the powdered sugar. The key to prominent crinkles is a thick, even coating of sugar. Don’t be shy – try to get as much powdered sugar onto the ball as possible, even leaving a slight mound on top for maximum visual effect.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the powdered sugar-coated dough balls onto your prepared cookie sheets, ensuring you leave at least 2 inches of space between each cookie. This allows them to spread without merging into one giant cookie.
- Bake to Perfection: Transfer the cookie sheets to your preheated oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes. For even baking, rotate the pans halfway through the baking time. The cookies are done when the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft or puffy. They will continue to set as they cool.
- Cool and Serve: Once baked, remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the trays for about 5-10 minutes. This allows them to firm up before transferring. After this initial cooling, you can move them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature, and store any leftovers in an airtight container once fully cooled.
Strawberry Lemonade Cake Mix Cookies
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Ingredients
- 15.25 oz lemon cake mix
- 1 oz freeze dried strawberries
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350°.
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Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
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In a large bowl mix together the cake mix, oil, and eggs.
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In a separate bowl, crush the freeze dried strawberries. You want to have some chunks and some will become a powder.
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Carefully fold the crushed strawberries into the cookie dough, don’t overmix or the dough will become completely pink.
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Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop all of the dough into approx 1.5”-2” balls.
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Place the powdered sure into a bowl. Roll each of the dough balls in the powdered sugar. Try to get as much powdered sugar onto the ball as possible.
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Place each of the powdered balls onto your prepared cookie sheets, leaving a couple inches between each.
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Place the cookies in the preheated oven, and bake them for 8-10 minutes rotating the pans halfway through.
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Remove the cookies when they are done baking and let cool on the trays.
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Serve or store in an airtight container once completely cooled.
Nutrition
Storage Solutions: Keeping Your Crinkle Cookies Fresh
Once your delectable Strawberry Lemonade Crinkle Cookies have cooled completely, proper storage is key to maintaining their soft texture and delightful flavor. These cookies store remarkably well, allowing you to enjoy them for days after baking.
How Long Are Crinkle Cookies Good For?
You can keep these cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 to 4 days. To ensure they stay as fresh and soft as possible, avoid exposing them to air, which can quickly dry them out. A clever trick that my mother-in-law passed down is to place a half-slice of plain bread (any type will do) inside the cookie container with your cookies. The cookies will absorb moisture from the bread, helping them to stay wonderfully soft and chewy for an extra couple of days. Just remember to replace the bread every day or two to keep it fresh.
Can I Freeze Cookies Made With a Cake Mix?
Absolutely, these cookies are excellent candidates for freezing! Freezing is a fantastic way to extend their shelf life and ensures you always have a quick treat on hand. Simply place the completely cooled cookies into an airtight freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. Be sure to separate layers of cookies with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. They can be frozen for up to three months without compromising their quality. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply remove the desired number of cookies from the freezer and let them thaw on the counter at room temperature. A single cookie or two will typically thaw in just a few minutes, making them soft enough to bite into and enjoy as if they were freshly baked.
Achieving Crinkle Cookie Perfection: Expert Tips and Tricks
While making cake mix cookies is inherently easy, a few simple tips can elevate your baking and ensure your Strawberry Lemonade Crinkle Cookies turn out absolutely perfect every single time. These small adjustments make a big difference in texture, appearance, and overall deliciousness:
- Always Preheat Your Oven: This might seem like a basic step, but it’s crucial for consistent baking. Placing cookies into a properly preheated oven ensures that they start baking immediately and evenly, preventing them from spreading too much or baking inconsistently. It helps achieve that desired soft center and slightly crisp edge.
- Invest in a Cookie Scoop: If you want all your cookies to be perfectly uniform in shape and size, a cookie scoop is your best friend. It takes the guesswork out of portioning dough, leading to aesthetically pleasing cookies that bake at the same rate. This consistency is especially important for crinkle cookies, as even spreading contributes to the best crinkle effect.
- Use Parchment Paper or a Silicone Baking Mat: For effortless removal and beautifully shaped cookies, always line your baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. These non-stick surfaces ensure your cookies slide right off the pan without any scraping, preserving their perfect round form. A common mistake is to grease parchment paper; avoid this, as it’s already non-stick!
- Do Not Overbake the Cookies: This is perhaps the most important tip for soft, chewy cookies. When you remove your cookies from the oven, they should still look slightly underbaked in the center. The edges might be just barely golden. This is exactly what you want! Cookies continue to bake and set on the hot cookie sheet for a few minutes after being removed from the oven, a phenomenon known as “carryover baking.” Overbaking will result in dry, crumbly cookies.
- Be Mindful When Folding Strawberries: While you want the crushed freeze-dried strawberries evenly distributed, avoid overmixing the dough once they’ve been added. Excessive mixing can cause the vibrant red color from the strawberries to dye the entire dough pink. While this is purely an aesthetic choice and won’t affect the flavor, gently folding them in will help maintain the beautiful yellow and pink speckles you see in our photos, creating a more visually appealing cookie.
- Pro-Tip: Really Pack the Powdered Sugar! For the most dramatic and beautiful crinkle effect, be generous with the powdered sugar coating. Roll each dough ball thoroughly, pressing it gently to ensure a thick, even layer of sugar adheres to the surface. Don’t be afraid to leave a small mound of powdered sugar on top of each ball before placing it on the baking sheet. This generous coating is what creates those characteristic cracks as the cookie expands during baking, forming the lovely “crinkles.”
Love Cake Mix Cookies? Explore Our Favorite Recipes!
If you’ve fallen in love with the ease and deliciousness of cake mix cookies, you’re in for a treat! The versatility of cake mix means there’s an endless world of flavors and textures to explore. These simple recipes are perfect for any occasion and are guaranteed crowd-pleasers. Check out some of our other fantastic cake mix cookie recipes:
- Cake Mix Jello Cookies
- Lemon Cake Mix Cool Whip Cookies
- White Chocolate Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
- Cake Mix Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- Caramel Spice Cake Mix Cookies
- Caramel Apple Cake Mix Cookies
- Chocolate Caramel Cake Mix Cookies
- Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
- Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
- Fudge Walnut Cake Mix Cookies
In conclusion, these Strawberry Lemonade Cake Mix Cookies are a testament to how simple ingredients can create extraordinary flavors. With just 5 ingredients – a lemon cake mix, freeze-dried strawberries, eggs, oil, and powdered sugar – you can bake a batch of soft, sweet, and perfectly tart crinkle cookies that will delight everyone who tries them. They embody the ideal balance of convenience and gourmet taste, making them a fantastic addition to any cookie lover’s repertoire. Enjoy the vibrant taste of summer in every bite!
Speaking of family and cherished memories, I recently stumbled upon this picture on my phone – it just popped up in my memories from 14 years ago! These two adorable girls are now 15 and 17, and it’s truly hard to even recall what life was like so long ago. Back then, life felt a bit simpler, with just two young children who were pretty easily entertained during the summer months with a pool and simple pleasures. Fast forward to today, and I’m blessed with five wonderful kids, all deeply involved in a whirlwind of activities, sports, friendships, camps, and a million other commitments. Summer these days is a vastly different experience, a vibrant blur of schedules and adventures! Occasionally, I find myself wishing I could step back into that much simpler time, a moment of calm amidst the beautiful chaos. But truthfully, most of the time, I absolutely love staying busy, embracing every moment of our bustling family life. Each new memory, whether it’s baking these easy cookies or cheering at a sports game, is a treasured part of our ongoing story.