Irresistible Strawberry Cake Mix Sandwich Cookies with Dreamy Cream Cheese Frosting
Prepare for an explosion of fruity flavor with these incredible Strawberry Cake Mix Sandwich Cookies! Crafted with the convenience of a boxed cake mix, these delightful treats feature the vibrant taste of freeze-dried strawberries and are generously filled with a smooth, tangy cream cheese frosting. They are truly easy cookie sandwiches that deliver an unparalleled strawberry experience in every single bite.
Sandwich cookies hold a special place in the dessert world for countless reasons. They offer the perfect excuse to enjoy two cookies at once, with a luscious filling that gives you the best of both cake and cookie in a single, irresistible package. What’s more, they are incredibly fun for kids and adults alike to help assemble, making them a fantastic activity for family baking sessions or a delightful treat for any occasion. The combination of soft, chewy cookies and a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth filling creates a textural symphony that’s hard to resist, and these strawberry sensations are no exception.
The Allure of Strawberry Cake Mix Sandwich Cookies
These captivating sandwich cookies begin with a simple yet ingenious hack: a strawberry cake mix forms the base of the cookies. This shortcut ensures a consistent, tender crumb and an immediate burst of strawberry flavor. To elevate the texture and taste even further, we incorporate baking powder for extra softness, eggs and butter for richness, a hint of strawberry extract to intensify the fruitiness, and finely chopped freeze-dried strawberries. The result? Cookies that are exceptionally soft, wonderfully chewy, and bursting with authentic strawberry goodness. Once baked and cooled, these vibrant pink cookies are then paired with a velvety, homemade cream cheese frosting, creating a harmonious balance of sweet and tangy flavors. The classic pairing of cream cheese and strawberries is a match made in dessert heaven, and these cookie sandwiches showcase it beautifully.
Essential Ingredients for Your Strawberry Masterpiece
Crafting these delectable strawberry sandwich cookies requires a few key ingredients, each playing a crucial role in achieving the perfect flavor and texture. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need:
For the Irresistible Strawberry Cookies
- Strawberry Cake Mix: A standard 15-ounce box of strawberry cake mix is your secret weapon. Any brand will work perfectly, providing a convenient and flavorful foundation for your cookies. This eliminates the need for multiple dry ingredients, making the baking process incredibly simple.
- Baking Powder: Just two teaspoons of baking powder are added to give these cookies that desirable soft, chewy texture. It acts as a leavening agent, helping the cookies rise slightly and achieve a light, airy crumb rather than becoming dense.
- Eggs: You’ll need two large eggs. For optimal results, allow your eggs to come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before mixing. Room temperature eggs emulsify more evenly with the other ingredients, leading to a smoother batter and a more consistent cookie texture.
- Butter: Real butter is highly recommended for its superior flavor and richness. Ensure it’s melted and then allowed to cool slightly before incorporating it into the batter. This prevents it from “cooking” the eggs and ensures a uniform mix.
- Strawberry Extract: A small quarter-teaspoon of strawberry extract is optional but highly recommended if you want to intensify the natural strawberry flavor of your cookies. It provides a concentrated burst of fruitiness without adding excess liquid.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries: One cup of roughly chopped freeze-dried strawberries adds both texture and an intense, concentrated strawberry flavor. Unlike fresh strawberries, freeze-dried ones won’t add excess moisture to the cookie dough, ensuring a perfect bake. They also provide a delightful chewiness once baked.
For the Dreamy Cream Cheese Frosting
- Butter: For the frosting, you’ll need a quarter cup of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. It’s crucial that the butter is soft, not melted, so it can be properly creamed with the cream cheese to create a smooth, fluffy frosting.
- Cream Cheese: A four-ounce portion (half a standard block) of full-fat cream cheese, also softened to room temperature, is essential. Full-fat cream cheese yields the richest, most luxurious frosting. Like butter, softening it ensures a lump-free, creamy consistency.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: One teaspoon of vanilla extract complements the strawberry and cream cheese flavors beautifully, adding a touch of warmth and depth to the frosting.
- Powdered Sugar: Two cups of powdered sugar (also known as confectioners’ sugar) provide the perfect sweetness and thickness for the frosting. Adding it gradually helps achieve a smooth, lump-free consistency. You can sift it first if you’re concerned about lumps.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Strawberry Cake Mix Sandwich Cookies
Follow these straightforward steps to create your own batch of irresistible strawberry sandwich cookies:
Crafting the Perfect Strawberry Cookies
- Prepare Your Oven and Baking Sheets: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This crucial step prevents sticking and ensures easy removal of your delicate cookies. Set them aside while you prepare the dough.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a spacious mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the strawberry cake mix and baking powder. Whisk them together briefly to ensure the baking powder is evenly distributed throughout the cake mix.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Pour the cooled melted butter, room temperature eggs, and strawberry extract into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using a hand mixer on low speed, beat everything together until a thick, uniform dough forms. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tougher cookies.
- Fold in Freeze-Dried Strawberries: Gently fold in the roughly chopped freeze-dried strawberries using a spatula. Distribute them evenly throughout the dough for a burst of flavor in every bite.
- Chill the Dough (Optional but Recommended): Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. This optional step is highly beneficial as it helps to firm up the dough, preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking and resulting in a chewier texture.
- Scoop and Space Cookies: Once chilled, use a small cookie scoop (approximately 1.5 tablespoons) or two spoons to drop uniform balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Ensure you leave a few inches of space between each cookie to allow for proper spreading without them merging into one another.
- Bake to Perfection: Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. Look for the edges to be just barely turning golden brown. The centers may still look slightly soft; this is perfectly fine as they will continue to set on the baking sheet after removal from the oven.
- Cool Completely: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire cooling rack. It’s essential for them to cool completely before you apply the frosting, otherwise, the frosting will melt.
Whipping Up the Creamy Frosting
- Cream Butter and Cream Cheese: While your cookies are baking and cooling, you can prepare the luscious cream cheese frosting. In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the softened butter and softened cream cheese together until the mixture is completely smooth, light, and creamy. This should take a few minutes.
- Add Vanilla and Powdered Sugar: Stir in the vanilla extract until well combined. Then, gradually add the powdered sugar, about half a cup at a time, beating after each addition until all the sugar is incorporated and the frosting is beautifully smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is fully mixed.
Assembling Your Delicious Cookie Sandwiches
- Pair and Fill: Once your cookies have cooled completely, select pairs of cookies that are roughly the same size for a neat presentation. Use a piping bag fitted with a round tip, or simply an icing spatula or butter knife, to generously spread a dollop of cream cheese frosting onto the flat bottom of one cookie.
- Create the Sandwich: Gently place a second cookie on top of the frosting, flat side down, and lightly press until the frosting spreads to the edges. Repeat this process with the remaining cookies, creating a delightful collection of strawberry cookie sandwiches ready to be devoured!
STRAWBERRY CAKE MIX SANDWICH COOKIES
Print
Pin
Rate
Ingredients
- 15 ounce box strawberry cake mix I used Betty Crocker
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup butter melted and cooled
- ¼ teaspoon strawberry extract optional to enhance the strawberry flavor
- 1 cup freeze dried strawberries roughly chopped
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- ¼ cup butter softened to room temperature
- 4 oz half block full fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
MAKE THE COOKIES
-
Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
-
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the strawberry cake mix and baking powder.
-
Add the melted butter, eggs, and strawberry extract to the bowl and use a hand mixer on low to beat everything together.
-
Fold in the freeze dried strawberries.
-
Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. This is an optional step, but it helps to keep the cookies from spreading too much.
-
Once chilled, use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to drop 1 ½ tablespoon sized balls onto the baking sheets. Space them a few inches apart to leave room for the cookies to spread.
-
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges just barely begin to brown.
-
Allow the cookies to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
MAKE THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
-
While the cookies bake, you can prepare the frosting. In a medium mixing bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
-
Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and mix again until all the sugar has been added and the frosting is smooth.
PUT THE COOKIE SANDWICHES TOGETHER
-
Once the cookies have cooled, you can use a piping bag or an icing spatula and put the icing on the bottom of a cookie. Then grab another cookie to place on top and you have a cookie sandwich! Repeat with the rest of the cookies.
Nutrition
Creative Variations and Customizations
While these Strawberry Cake Mix Sandwich Cookies are perfect as is, feel free to unleash your creativity and try some delicious variations:
- Explore Different Cake Mix Flavors: The beauty of using a cake mix is the endless possibilities! Instead of strawberry, experiment with other exciting flavors. Lemon cake mix cookies with a lemon cream cheese frosting would be bright and zesty. Chocolate cake mix cookies filled with this strawberry cream cheese frosting would be a decadent treat. Red velvet, funfetti, or even spice cake mixes offer a wide array of flavor profiles to explore.
- Homemade Cookie Base: If you have a beloved homemade cookie recipe, you can absolutely use that as the base for your sandwich cookies. Simply bake your favorite cookies and then fill them with this delightful cream cheese frosting. Sugar cookies, shortbread, or even delicate butter cookies would make excellent companions to the creamy filling.
- Alternate Frosting Flavors: While the cream cheese frosting is divine, you can easily adapt it. Add a touch of lemon zest to the frosting for a citrusy kick. Mix in some finely crushed pistachios or a teaspoon of almond extract for a gourmet touch. You could also swap the cream cheese frosting for a rich vanilla buttercream or even a chocolate ganache for a completely different flavor profile.
- Skip the Sandwich: For those who prefer a single indulgence, you can simply pipe or spread frosting onto individual cookies. They still taste amazing and are a bit less messy for younger eaters.
- Add a Decorative Touch: Elevate the presentation by rolling the edges of your assembled sandwich cookies in colorful sprinkles, finely chopped nuts, or even a dusting of powdered sugar. A drizzle of melted white chocolate or a fresh strawberry slice on top could also add an elegant finish.
Expert Tips for Baking Success
Achieving bakery-quality cookies is easier than you think with these expert tips:
- Always Preheat Your Oven: This golden rule of baking ensures that your oven reaches and maintains the correct temperature, leading to consistent baking and perfectly cooked cookies every time. Opening the oven door to place cookies in a cold or partially heated oven can result in uneven baking and less desirable textures.
- Invest in a Cookie Scoop: For beautifully uniform cookies, a cookie scoop is your best friend. It guarantees that each cookie is the same size, which is especially important for sandwich cookies where matching pairs makes for a much neater and more appealing final product. Plus, it makes portioning dough quick and mess-free.
- Utilize Parchment Paper or Silicone Mats: Lining your baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat is a game-changer. These non-stick surfaces allow your cookies to release effortlessly from the pan, preventing breakage and preserving their perfect shape. They also aid in more even baking and make cleanup a breeze.
- Avoid Overbaking: This is arguably the most important tip for soft and chewy cookies. When you remove your cookies from the oven, they should still look slightly underbaked in the center. The residual heat from the baking sheet will continue to cook them for a few more minutes, a process known as “carryover baking.” Overbaking will lead to dry, crumbly cookies.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: As mentioned in the ingredient list, using room temperature eggs, butter, and cream cheese is crucial. This allows them to combine more smoothly and evenly, resulting in a superior dough and frosting texture.
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: Once the wet and dry ingredients are just combined, stop mixing. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense cookies.
Mastering Cream Cheese Softening
Properly softened cream cheese is vital for a smooth, lump-free frosting. Here are two effective methods to achieve the perfect consistency:
- Room Temperature Method (Accelerated): To quickly soften cream cheese at room temperature, unwrap the block and place it on a plate. Cut the cream cheese into smaller, 1-inch cubes. The increased surface area will help it absorb room temperature more rapidly. It should reach a soft, pliable consistency in approximately 15-20 minutes, depending on your kitchen’s temperature.
- Microwave Method (Quickest): If you’re short on time, the microwave can soften cream cheese effectively. Remove the cream cheese from its foil packaging and place it in a microwave-safe bowl or on a plate. Microwave on high for about 10-15 seconds. Check its softness. If it’s still cold and firm, continue to microwave in 5-second increments, checking after each burst, until it is uniformly soft throughout. Be very careful not to overheat it, as melted cream cheese will result in a runny, unusable frosting. You want it softened, not liquid.
Storage and Shelf Life for Your Sandwich Cookies
These delightful strawberry sandwich cookies are truly best enjoyed on the day they are made, when the cookies are at their softest and the frosting is perfectly fresh. However, if you find yourself with leftovers (a rare occurrence!), they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Due to the cream cheese in the frosting, refrigeration is essential to maintain freshness and prevent spoilage. For longer storage, you can freeze these cookies. To do so, place the assembled sandwich cookies on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe airtight container or bag, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Baking is more than just following a recipe; it’s about creating joyful moments and sweet memories, especially when shared with loved ones. These Strawberry Cake Mix Sandwich Cookies are a testament to that, offering a simple yet incredibly satisfying way to bring smiles to faces. Whether it’s a birthday celebration, a family gathering, or just a quiet afternoon treat, these cookies are sure to be a hit. They remind us that the best things in life are often made with a little love and a lot of delicious flavor.
More Delightful Cake Mix Cookie Recipes to Explore!
If you love the ease and deliciousness of cake mix cookies, you’re in for a treat! Here are some of our other favorite recipes that leverage the convenience of a boxed cake mix to create fantastic cookies:
- 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
- Strawberry Lemonade Cake Mix Cookies
