Effortless Strawberry Cool Whip Cookies: Your Go-To Cake Mix Recipe for Irresistible Softness
Prepare to be enchanted by these delightful Strawberry Cool Whip Cookies, a truly simple and utterly delicious treat that brings together the convenience of a cake mix with the airy lightness of Cool Whip and just one egg. This incredible cake mix cookie recipe boasts a vibrant strawberry flavor and a wonderfully tender, almost melt-in-your-mouth texture that is pure bliss. Perfect for seasoned bakers and beginners alike, these cookies prove that extraordinary flavor doesn’t require complex ingredients or hours in the kitchen.
These beautiful Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies offer a light, chewy, and intensely flavorful experience. They are the ideal indulgence for satisfying your sweet tooth with minimal fuss. Crafting Cool Whip Cookies from a cake mix is unbelievably straightforward; the dough comes together in mere minutes, making it an excellent choice for impromptu baking sessions or when you need a quick dessert that truly impresses.
What Are Cool Whip Cookies?
Cool Whip cookies are a fantastic category of cookies known for their incredibly soft, fluffy texture and minimal ingredient list. At their heart, they are typically a one-bowl wonder, combining a box of cake mix, thawed whipped topping (like Cool Whip), and an egg. Unlike many traditional cookie recipes that rely heavily on butter and sugar, the whipped topping introduces a unique lightness and moisture, resulting in a cookie that is distinctly tender and often described as cake-like. Many variations feature the cookies rolled in powdered sugar before baking, which creates a charming “crinkle” effect as they expand. Our particular rendition of these enticing treats elevates the classic by using a strawberry-flavored cake mix and a simple, sweet powdered sugar glaze after baking. The result is a vibrant pink cookie that is not only delicious but also visually appealing, making them a fantastic addition to celebrations like baby showers, Valentine’s Day, or simply a delightful pick-me-up on any ordinary day.
Why You’ll Adore This Cake Mix Cookie Recipe
This recipe isn’t just easy; it’s a game-changer for anyone who loves delicious homemade cookies without the usual effort. Here’s why these Strawberry Cool Whip Cookies will become a staple in your baking repertoire:
- Unforgettable Flavor: The combination of fruity strawberry cake mix, the subtle creaminess of the Cool Whip, and the sweet, almond-kissed glaze creates a symphony of flavors that is both comforting and exciting. Each bite delivers a burst of strawberry goodness, perfectly balanced by the sweet, smooth topping. It’s a taste experience that truly stands out.
- Remarkably Simple to Make: Forget complicated steps and extensive ingredient lists. This recipe is designed for maximum ease. With just a few staple ingredients, you’ll simply mix, scoop, bake, and then apply the optional (but highly recommended!) glaze. It’s the ultimate quick treat, perfect for busy schedules or when unexpected guests arrive. You can go from craving to indulging in under 30 minutes!
- Versatile Glaze Option: While these cookies are absolutely scrumptious on their own, the delicate powdered sugar glaze adds an extra layer of sweetness and a beautiful finish. It enhances the cookie’s tender texture with a slight crispness on top. We definitely encourage you to give the glaze a try, as it elevates the cookies from great to truly extraordinary. However, if you’re short on time or prefer a less sweet option, they are still wonderful without it.
Essential Strawberry Cool Whip Cookie Ingredients
You’ll love how few ingredients are needed to create these delightful cookies. Each component plays a crucial role in achieving their signature flavor and texture:
Strawberry Cake Mix: The foundation of our cookies! You’ll need one standard-sized box (typically 15.25 ounces) of strawberry-flavored cake mix. Feel free to use your favorite brand; any variety will work wonderfully to infuse that sweet, fruity essence. The cake mix not only provides flavor but also the flour, sugar, and leavening agents needed for a perfect cookie base.
Cool Whip: This is the secret ingredient for that incredibly light and tender texture. Use one 8-ounce tub of thawed whipped topping. While the brand name “Cool Whip” is commonly used, any store-brand whipped topping or even a vegan alternative will yield excellent results. Ensure it’s fully thawed before mixing to achieve a smooth, consistent dough.
Egg: Just one large egg is required. The egg acts as a binder, helping to hold the dough together and contributing to the overall structure and moisture of the cookie, ensuring they don’t crumble and have a pleasant chew.
For the Irresistible Glaze
The optional glaze adds a touch of elegance and extra sweetness that truly complements the strawberry cookies:
Powdered Sugar: One cup of powdered sugar (also known as confectioners’ sugar) is essential for creating a perfectly smooth, sweet, and lump-free glaze. Its fine texture dissolves easily, ensuring a silky finish.
Melted Butter: A single tablespoon of melted butter adds a rich, creamy depth of flavor to the glaze, making it feel more luxurious and decadent. It also helps with the glaze’s consistency.
Almond Extract: For an elevated flavor profile, add ½ teaspoon of almond extract. Its sweet, nutty aroma beautifully enhances the strawberry and sugar notes. If almond isn’t your preference or you don’t have it on hand, vanilla extract is a fantastic and readily available substitute that will also work wonderfully.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Strawberry Cool Whip Cookies
Making these cookies is incredibly easy, making them perfect for a quick dessert or a fun baking project with kids. Follow these simple steps for perfect results every time:
Preparation is Key
Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). This ensures your oven is at the correct temperature for even baking. Next, take a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Parchment paper is crucial for preventing sticking and making cleanup a breeze. Set the prepared baking sheet aside as you mix your dough.
Crafting the Cookie Dough
In a spacious mixing bowl, combine the entire box of strawberry cake mix, the thawed 8-ounce tub of Cool Whip, and the single large egg. Using a sturdy spoon or a rubber spatula, stir these ingredients together thoroughly. Continue mixing until all ingredients are well combined and a soft, cohesive dough forms. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky, but easily scoopable. Avoid overmixing; just enough to bring everything together is perfect.
Once your dough is ready, use a cookie scoop (approximately 1.5 to 2 tablespoons in size) to portion out uniform balls of dough. Place these scoops onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie to allow for spreading during baking. For slightly larger cookies, you can use a larger scoop, but adjust baking time accordingly.
Baking to Perfection
Carefully place the baking sheet into your preheated oven. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. The exact baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven and the size of your cookies, so keep an eye on them. The cookies are done when the edges are lightly browned, and the tops appear set, though they may still look soft and slightly puffy in the center.
Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven. It’s important to let them rest on the hot baking sheet for about 5 minutes. During this crucial resting period, the cookies will continue to cook slightly from the residual heat of the pan, helping them firm up and achieve their final tender texture. You’ll notice they flatten out a bit as they cool. After 5 minutes, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. This allows air to circulate around them, preventing sogginess and ensuring an even cool. If a wire rack isn’t available, leaving them on the baking sheet to cool fully is also acceptable, though they might take a little longer.
Crafting the Luscious Glaze
While your cookies are cooling, prepare the sweet glaze. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, and your chosen extract (almond or vanilla). Whisk vigorously until the mixture is completely smooth and free of any lumps. If the glaze appears too thick, add a tiny amount of milk or water (about ¼ teaspoon at a time) until it reaches your desired pourable consistency. If it’s too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
Once the cookies are completely cool, spoon approximately 1 teaspoon of glaze onto the top of each cookie. Using the back of the spoon, gently spread the glaze to cover the surface of the cookie. Allow the glaze to set for 10-15 minutes, or until it has hardened slightly. This will prevent smudging and give the cookies a beautiful, glossy finish.
Serve your freshly baked and glazed Strawberry Cool Whip Cookies and savor every delightful bite!
STRAWBERRY COOL WHIP COOKIES
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Cookies, Dessert
American
strawberry cool whip cookies
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
24 cookies
116kcal
Jessica & Nellie
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz Strawberry cake mix
- 8 oz Cool Whip (thawed)
- 1 large egg
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- ½ tsp almond extract (or vanilla extract)
Instructions
-
Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
-
Dough: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cake mix, thawed Cool Whip, and egg. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and a cohesive dough forms.
-
Bake: Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the tops are set.
-
Remove from oven and let the cookies rest on the baking tray for about 5 minutes. They will be soft and puffed up initially but will settle and firm as they cool. After 5 minutes, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
-
Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, and chosen extract until smooth. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of glaze onto the top of each cooled cookie and gently spread it around. Allow the glaze to set for 10-15 minutes before serving. Enjoy your delicious cookies!
Notes
Nutrition
Calories:
116
kcal
|
Carbohydrates:
22
g
|
Protein:
1
g
|
Fat:
3
g
|
Saturated Fat:
1
g
|
Polyunsaturated Fat:
0.1
g
|
Monounsaturated Fat:
0.3
g
|
Trans Fat:
0.02
g
|
Cholesterol:
10
mg
|
Sodium:
135
mg
|
Potassium:
13
mg
|
Fiber:
0.04
g
|
Sugar:
15
g
|
Vitamin A:
41
IU
|
Calcium:
45
mg
|
Iron:
0.3
mg
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How Long Do Cool Whip Cookies Stay Fresh?
One of the many advantages of these delightful cookies is their excellent shelf life. Once completely cooled, store your Strawberry Cool Whip Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain wonderfully soft and flavorful for up to 5 days. For optimal freshness, ensure the container is sealed tightly to prevent them from drying out. This gives you ample time to savor these tasty treats throughout the week, though they’re so good, they might not last that long!
Can I Freeze Strawberry Cool Whip Cookies?
Absolutely! These cookies are perfect for freezing, making them ideal for meal prep or enjoying a homemade treat whenever a craving strikes. To freeze, place the completely cooled and glazed cookies in an airtight freezer-safe container. I highly recommend placing a layer of parchment paper between each layer of cookies to prevent the glaze from sticking and to keep them from freezing together. They can be frozen for up to 3 months without compromising their texture or flavor. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply remove them from the freezer and allow them to thaw at room temperature for an hour or two before serving. You’ll find they taste just as fresh as the day they were baked.
Can I Substitute Homemade Whipped Cream for Cool Whip?
While the recipe specifically calls for Cool Whip (or a similar store-bought whipped topping) due to its stability and consistent texture, you might be curious about using homemade whipped cream. I haven’t personally tested this recipe with homemade whipped cream, so I can’t guarantee the exact same results. However, if you wish to try it, I would suggest using about 3 cups of homemade whipped cream, which typically comes from whipping approximately 1.5 cups of heavy cream. The key challenge with homemade whipped cream is its tendency to deflate and become watery over time, which could affect the cookie dough’s consistency and the final texture of the baked cookies.
If you’re determined to use homemade whipped cream, I strongly recommend making a stabilized whipped cream. This involves adding an ingredient like unflavored gelatin, cornstarch, or cream of tartar to the heavy cream before whipping, which helps it hold its shape much better and makes it more comparable to the stability of Cool Whip. A stabilized version will likely perform better in this recipe and give you a result closer to the intended tender, cake-like texture.
Expert Tips for Making the Best Cake Mix Cookies
Even though this recipe is incredibly simple, a few expert tips can elevate your Strawberry Cool Whip Cookies from great to absolutely extraordinary:
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: Once the ingredients are just combined and no dry streaks of cake mix remain, stop mixing. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to tougher cookies. A light hand keeps them tender.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: While Cool Whip is used thawed, ensure your egg is at room temperature. Room temperature eggs emulsify better with other ingredients, creating a smoother, more uniform dough.
- Use a Cookie Scoop: For perfectly uniform cookies that bake evenly, a cookie scoop is your best friend. This ensures each cookie is the same size, resulting in consistent baking times and a beautiful presentation.
- Parchment Paper is Essential: Don’t skip lining your baking sheets with parchment paper. It prevents sticking, promotes even browning, and makes cleanup effortless.
- Cool Completely Before Glazing: It’s tempting to glaze warm cookies, but patience is key! Glazing warm cookies will cause the glaze to melt and run off, resulting in a messy and less appealing finish. Ensure cookies are fully cooled before applying the glaze.
- Adjust Glaze Consistency: If your glaze is too thick, add a tiny bit more milk or water (¼ teaspoon at a time). If it’s too thin, whisk in a little more powdered sugar until it reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency.
How to Achieve a Perfectly Round Cookie Shape
Ever wonder how bakeries get those flawlessly round cookies? It’s a neat little trick that’s surprisingly easy to do at home! After your cookies have finished baking and are still hot and cooling on the pan, grab a medium-sized round cookie cutter or even a round glass/drinking mug. The key is that the opening of your round object should be slightly larger than the diameter of your baked cookie.
Carefully place the round cutter or glass over the top of one hot cookie. Gently swirl the cutter around the cookie, allowing its inner edge to lightly bump and push the warm, pliable cookie into a perfect circle. As you swirl, the edges of the cookie will be gently pressed inwards and smoothed out. The more you swirl, the more condensed and perfectly round (and sometimes slightly thicker) the cookie will become. Once you’ve achieved your desired shape, simply let the cookies cool completely. This ingenious method works wonders for achieving bakery-quality rounded edges on drop cookies and rolled cookies, though it won’t work for cutout cookies that already have a defined shape.
Kids are simply the best! Who else would possess the uninhibited creativity to craft a whimsical face out of a simple tortilla? I absolutely adore her playful spirit!
Explore More Easy Cake Mix Cookie Recipes!
If you’ve fallen in love with the simplicity and deliciousness of these Strawberry Cool Whip Cookies, you’re in luck! The world of cake mix cookies is vast and full of exciting possibilities. Cake mix provides an incredible shortcut, allowing you to create an endless array of flavors with minimal effort. Whether you’re craving something fruity, chocolatey, nutty, or spiced, there’s a cake mix cookie recipe for every mood and occasion. Expand your baking repertoire and try some of these other fantastic cake mix cookie creations:
- WHITE CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY CAKE MIX COOKIES
- CAKE MIX PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOMS
- CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CAKE MIX COOKIES
- CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CAKE MIX COOKIES
- CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX COOKIES
- STRAWBERRY CAKE MIX COOKIES (different variation)
- MINT CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX COOKIES
- VALENTINE’S CAKE MIX COOKIES
- CARAMEL SPICE CAKE MIX COOKIES
- CARAMEL APPLE CAKE MIX COOKIES
From rich chocolate to vibrant fruit flavors, cake mix cookies are incredibly versatile and consistently deliver fantastic results. They are a testament to the fact that you don’t need to be an expert baker to create memorable, delicious desserts. So, grab another box of cake mix and get ready to bake some more magic!
You are truly going to adore this incredibly simple and easy strawberry cool whip cookies recipe. With just a few basic ingredients, it comes together in a flash, making it an ideal dessert for any occasion, from casual family gatherings to festive celebrations. Its delightful flavor and tender texture are sure to make it a new favorite in your home.
