3-Ingredient Lemon Cake Mix Cookies

4.57 from 470 votes
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Soft and chewy lemon cake mix cookies are the ultimate easy lemon cookie recipe. The delicious cookies are bursting with lemon flavor and super easy to make with just 3 ingredients: a box of cake mix, eggs, and oil.

Lemon cake mix cookies stacked on top of each other with cookies cooling on a rack behind them.

Give these funfetti cake mix cookies, red velvet cake mix cookies, and strawberry cake mix cookies a try for more easy cake mix cookie recipes.

Easy Lemon Cake Mix Cookies

Lemon desserts are a favorite in our house. There is just something about that combination of sweetness and tartness that we can’t get enough of.

Lately, I have found myself craving delicious lemon cookies.

Luckily, I have found that having warm and tasty just-from-the-oven lemon cake cookies doesn’t have to be difficult. 

Cake mix lemon cookie with fresh lemons and lemon linen.

All you need is a box of lemon cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and this easy lemon cookie recipe!

Why you will love this recipe

  • Bright lemon flavor in every bite.
  • The easiest cookies you’ll ever make.
  • Only 3 simple ingredients.
  • Perfect for a special occasion, bake sale, or as a quick treat.

Ingredients

This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Box of lemon cake mix, 2 eggs, confectioners sugar, and vegetable oil.
  • Lemon Cake Mix – I have used both Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines cake mixes with great results, but any 15.25-ounce boxed cake mix should be fine.
  • Vegetable Oil – Canola oil can be used as well.
  • Large Eggs
  • Confectioners Sugar – Optional, for rolling the dough balls in to make lemon crinkle cookies.

How to Make 3 Ingredient Lemon Cookies From Cake Mix

This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below. 

Step 1: Mix cake mix, eggs, and oil in a large mixing bowl until combined.

Bowl of lemon cookie dough with rubber spatula.

Step 2: Chill dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Step 3: Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Optionally, place confectioners sugar in a small bowl and roll each dough ball in it. Place 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets.

Cookie dough balls coated in powdered sugar on lined baking sheet.

Step 4: Bake for 10-12 minutes in preheated oven. Cool on the sheet for a few minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Lemon cake cookies on wire rack.

Storage

Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

What readers are saying

I made these at a Christmas cookie party for the first time. There were 15-20 different cookies made and these lemon cookies were picked the favorite of everyone! Also shared with family and friends who loved them as well, everyone wanted your recipe. Thank you for sharing! – Dawn

Lemon Cookie Tips

  • Use parchment paper. Non-stick cooking spray can cause cookies to over-spread so I recommend using ungreased cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
  • Chill the dough. For best results, chill your cookie dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. Chilling the dough works to prevent over-spreading in the oven.
  • Keep the same size. Use a medium cookie scoop to make the size of your cookies the same to ensure even baking.
  • Roll in sugar. Roll cookie dough balls in confectioners sugar (aka powdered sugar) before baking for a crinkle cookie effect.
Lemon cookies made from cake mix next to a wire cooling rack with more cookies.

Additions and Variations

These simple lemon cookies are incredible on their own, but sometimes it is fun to switch it up. Here are some simple ideas to try:

  • Lemon Zest: Mix in the zest from one lemon into the dough. This gives your cookies a pop of fresh lemon flavor.
  • Sweet Lemon Glaze: After the cookies cool down, mix 1 cup of confectioners sugar with 2-3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice until it’s smooth. Use a spoon to drizzle this sweet glaze over the cookies.
  • White Chocolate Chips: Fold some white chocolate chips into the dough for added sweetness that pairs perfectly with the cookies’ tangy lemon flavor.
  • Lemon Extract: For cookies that pack an extra lemon punch, add up to 1 teaspoon of lemon extract to the dough to intensify the lemon flavor.

Feel free to play around with these ideas and see what you like best. You can even mix and match them to make your cookies just the way you want.

Stack of lemon crinkle cookies with wire rack and additional cookies in the background.

More Easy Lemon Recipes

If you enjoy these easy lemon cookies, I’m certain that you will love these easy recipes as well: 

Recipe
Easy Lemon Cookies
Recipe
4.57 from 470 votes

Lemon Cake Mix Cookies

Author: Jaclyn
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Soft and chewy lemon cake mix cookies are incredibly delicious and super easy to make with just 3 ingredients.

Ingredients
 

  • 15.25 ounce lemon cake mix (1 box)
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • confectioners sugar optional

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, mix well to combine cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil.
  • Place dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill.
  • Preheat oven to 350℉. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Form dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar, if desired. Place balls of cookie dough on baking sheets at least 2 inches apart.
  • Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Store covered in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Chilling the dough works to keep the dough from spreading as it cooks and results in puffier cookies. However, if you are short on time you can skip chilling the dough. The cookies will still taste yummy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 136mg | Potassium: 14mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Easy Lemon Cookies

Did You Make This Recipe?

Share it with me on Instagram @crayonsandcravings and follow on Pinterest @crayonsandcravings for even more!

Note: Recipe updated 2/23/24 with added recipe notes, variations, and new photos. The original photos are below.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies with Cake Mix.
Lemon Cake Mix Cookies on cooling rack.
Easy Lemon Cookies with powdered sugar cooling on wire rack.
3-Ingredient Lemon Cookie with a bite taken out of it.
Easy Lemon Cake Mix Cookie Recipe Pin.

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Recipe Rating




144 Comments

  1. Just curious. I just made these and the batter was extremely sticky even after chilling 30 min. I added some flour to help make the batter more pliable to work with. I know the cake mix box lists as being 13.25 instead of 15.25 which is what all manufacturers are doing with everything lately. What am I doing wrong? Also they didn’t go flat at all and stayed in somewhat of a ball. What am I doing wrong? Haven’t tasted yet as I’m waiting for them to cool.

    1. Hi Joan, it sounds like you had quite the unfortunate chain of events! While cake mix cookies do have a stickier dough than regular cookies, when you used a smaller size cake mix than called for in the recipe it likely made your dough extra sticky. Then when you added extra flour to compensate it resulted in the cookies having too much flour and holding their shape rather than spreading as they should while baking. If you want to try the recipe again be sure to use a 15.25 ounce box of cake mix (I believe only Betty Crocker mixes changed their sizes). I haven’t tested the recipe with the new 13.25 oz boxes of mix yet but I am adding it to my to-do list so I can troubleshoot and see if there is a way to make the recipe work with the “shrunk” packages.

  2. 5 stars
    First time trying this recipe. The batter was very sticky when I first mixed it up but after putting it in the fridge for about 30 minutes and using a greased scoop, they came out perfect and tasted great. I did bake mine brown a bit because I glazed them but they were delicious. Thank you.

  3. theses lemon cookies look good.can I add cream cheese to this recipe. some recipes you can’t use cream cheese.

  4. 5 stars
    Simple and delicious! I use a glaze to top mine made of lemon juice, powdered sugar and a little butter. I do not chill my dough. Cookies are flatter this way.

  5. 5 stars
    excellent!!! ty for posting this recipe.. the cookies turned out so perfectly soft. 👌 👍

  6. 5 stars
    I used a Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Cake mix.
    Refrigerated the dough , and yes it was sticky, but I sprayed my scooper and rolled each dough ball in powdered sugar. Baked.
    Easy and delish!

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