Cakebox Cookies

Cakes that are made from cake mixes can also be used to make cookies. Also many times there are sales on cake mixes which means that can be a fun item for food storage. Use these mixes in making cookies for your family.

1. Basic Cake Mix Cookies:

1 package cake mix any flavor
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Add eggs and oil to cake mix and combine until smooth.
3. Drop in one inch balls on un-greased cookie sheet or baking pan.

Variations:
1. Use carrot cake mix and frost with cream cheese frosting.
2. Use pineapple cake mix and put a cherry in the middle of the dough before baking. It is like pineapple upside down cake.
3. Use a German Chocolate cake mix and make sandwich cookies with coconut frosting in the middle.
4. Use a cherry cake mix and add dried cherry chips to make cherry chip cookies.

2. Peanut Butter Kisses: 

Allrecipes.com
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 egg
1 (18 ounce) jar crunchy peanut butter
Granulated sugar
Hershey Kisses

1. Heat oven to 375ºF. Remove wrappers from chocolates.
2. Stir cookie mix, butter, brown sugar, water, egg and crunchy peanut butter in a medium bowl until soft dough forms.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.  (Note it is suggested the these cookies be baked on parchment paper)
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into the center of each cookie. The cookie will crack around the edges. (Note allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.)
5. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.  Cool completely.
(Note-- The Kisses can be omitted if desired, just smash the cookie with a fork)
Makes 3 dozen cookies

3. Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

(These are very good)
1 box (about 18.25oz) chocolate cake mix
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Line 2 cookie sheets with Parchment Paper and set aside.
2. Beat cake mix oil, water eggs and vanilla extract together in a large bowl, with an electric mixer, until well blended.
3. Stir in white chocolate chips, nuts and chocolate chips.
4. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a parchment-lined cookie sheets.
5. Bake at 350ºF for 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Slide parchment with cookies onto a wire rack to cool. Cool cookies completely before removing with a spatula.
6. Drizzle with melted white chocolate chips for a more professional look.
Make 36 cookies.   (Cooks.com and ® Reynolds )

Notes:
1. This same recipe can be used with any cake flavor and any additions
2. Examples are:

• White or yellow or chocolate cake: use chocolate chips or M&M's or Reese's Pieces
• Strawberry cake with white chocolate chips
• Chocolate cake with mint chocolate chips  

4. Lemon Drop Cookies

1 box  lemon cake mix
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup applesauce or 1/4 cup butter
1 egg

Glaze ingredients
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice

1. Heat oven to 375ºF. (350ºF. for dark or nonstick cookie sheets)
2. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, butter or applesauce, shortening, and egg on medium speed about 1 minute or until blended
3. Onto ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until light brown around edges. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet.
4. Combine all glaze ingredients in a small bowl; stir until smooth.
5. Frost the cookies while warm with the glaze4. Sprinkle with additional lemon peel, if desired.
Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Variation
Frost the cookies with 1 (16 ounce) can of Betty Crocker lemon ready to spread frosting.

5. Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

1 Box white cake mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 cup white vanilla baking chips
Red or green sugar, if desired

1. Heat oven to 375ºF. In large bowl, stir cake mix, butter, egg, and flour until dough forms.
2. Roll dough into 3/4-inch balls; place 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Using thumb or handle of a wooden spoon, make indentions in center of each cookie. Spoon about 1/4 teaspoon jam into each indentation.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
4. In a small microwavable bowl, microwave baking chips on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until chips are melted; stir until smooth. Spoon melted chips into small resalable plastic bag; cut small hole in corner of bag. Squeeze bag gently to drizzle melted chips over cookies. Sprinkle with colored sugar.
Makes 5 1/2 dozen

Notes:
1. Step four is not necessary for yummy cookies but gives it more of a professional look.
2. Thumbprint cookies can be made with many types of jam; try apricot, blackberry, or blueberry.
3. Try using strawberry jam with strawberry cake mix.

Variation:
From Bettycroker.com/recipes/
Substitute the cake mix for 1 pouch (1lb. 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
Then follow the same recipe. It is exactly the same.

6. Easiest Pumpkin Cookies Ever 

1 box spice cake mix
1 (15ounce) can pumpkin (pureed pumpkin not the pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350ºF.
2. Mix together all ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are done
  
Note
1. Try making these out of carrot cake

7. Brownie Bites

1 box Betty Crocker® fudge brownie mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6oz)
Fresh raspberries, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Make brownie batter as directed on box. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full (about1 tablespoon each) with batter.
2. Bake 18 to 21 minutes or until toothpick inserted in edge of brownie bites comes out clean. Do not over bake. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Cool completely about 30 minutes. Carefully remove paper liners if desired.
3. In 1 quart saucepan, heat whipping cream over low heat just to boiling. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted. Let stand about 15 minutes or until mixture coats a spoon.
4. Spoon about 1 teaspoon chocolate mixture onto each brownie. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

Notes:
1. When making brownie bites without paper baking cups, spray your baking tray well with Pam nonstick spray and when you think you have sprayed it enough, SPRAY IT A LITTLE MORE!!.  These really stick.
2. These are even yummy without the chocolate glaze and raspberries.

8. Cake Balls

1(18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1 (16 ounce) container prepared chocolate frosting
1 (3 ounce) bar chocolate flavored confectioners coating

1. Prepare the cake mix, according to package directions using any of the recommended pan size. When cake is done, crumble while warm into a large bowl, and sir in the frosting until well blended.
2. Melt chocolate coating in a glass bowl in the microwave, or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.
3. Use a melon baller or small scoop to form balls of the chocolate cake mixture. Dip the balls in chocolate using a toothpick or fork to hold them. Place on waxed paper to set.

Notes:
1. You can mix and match cake and icing flavors as well as the chocolate coatings.
2. If you want to go the extra mile, cake balls can be rolled in nuts, sprinkles, coconut, etc. or double dipped in white and dark chocolates. 
3. Chocolate confectioners' coating is also called Almond Bark in some stores
4. Use German Chocolate cake with German chocolate frosting top with nuts
5. Strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting dipped in white chocolate
6. Red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting dipped milk or dark chocolate

9. Earthquake Cookies

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon water

1. Mix cake mix, eggs, shortening, and water in medium size bowl; mix with a spoon. Chill for 1 hour.
2. Shape dough into balls, roll in powdered sugar. Place on cookie sheets and bake at 375ºF. (190ºC.) for 8-10 minutes; or until brown.
Allrecipes.com

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I have added a couple of easy cookie recipes to add to the above cake box cookies for your information. Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas is coming and I hope these might give a couple of ideas for you to use during these holidays.  I was going through some old notes and came up with some tips for making cookies especially ones for gifts or to take to parties.

1. Be sure to check the dates on all packages to ensure that the ingredients are fresh. For instance, baking powder over time can loose its leavening powder over time, nuts and oils can become rancid if kept for too long.

2. Baking is an exact science, so measure carefully. Also if the recipe calls for an ingredient to be packed such as brown sugar then it needs to be packed. If you are weighing ingredients packed brown sugar weighs 7.5 oz per cup.

In measuring flour, use a spoon to fluff up the flour within the container next, use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup, then level off the cup with a straight edge or knife. For all purpose flour 1 cup weights is 4.25oz cake flour is 4.00 ounces and whole wheat flour is 4.50 ounces.

3. If a recipe calls for a sticky substance, examples would be peanut butter, honey, or molasses; lightly spray the inside of the measuring cup with cooking spray before filling. This helps the ingredients slide easily from the cup.

4. A professional baker told me to use unsalted butter instead of salted butter in baking cookies. The taste of the finished product is superior.

5. If you have small ice cream scoops use them for scooping out dough to ensure uniform cookie size and even baking results.

6. When baking cookies use parchment paper for a better cookie. Also parchment is wonderful for brownies. The whole brownie comes out of the pan and no residue is left on the baking pan.

7. Cooling racks are important. Place the racks on a counter with good air circulation, so the moisture does not build up underneath the cookies and make them soggy.

8. The same baker told me that adding a small amount of lecithin to a baked product will add moisture he did not tell me how much. 

9. Save money by planning ahead and purchasing, ingredients in bulk or on sale. Also, check your newspaper for manufactures' coupons to get even more savings!

Sand-Dollar Cookies

(Friend July 2009)

1 cup margarine or butter softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup milk
3 3/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Slivered almonds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon mixed with
3 tablespoons sugar

1. Mix the margarine and sugar together in a mixing bowl until creamy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and milk and mix until smooth.
2. In another bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Add the flour mixture to the margarine mixture. Mix well.
3. Roll dough into small balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Dip the bottom of a drinking glass in flour, and use it to press the balls of dough into circles about 1/4 inch thick. Press five slivered almonds on each cookie so they look like sand dollars. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
4. Bake the cookies at 375ºF (190ºC) for 7-10 minutes.

Note
1. I like a little more cinnamon flavor so I use equal amounts of cinnamon and sugar to roll the cookies in.

Here is a simple Snickerdoodle recipe that is like the above recipe.

Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies

(Foods.com)

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon.

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Mix butter, sugar and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl.
3. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
4. Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture.
5. Chill dough, and chill an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10--15 minutes in the fridge.
6. Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons sugar and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl.
7. Scoop 1 inch globs of dough into sugar/cinnamon mixture. Coat by gently rolling balls of dough in the sugar mixture.  Place on chilled ungreased cookie sheet, and bake 10 minutes. Remove from pan immediately.

Simple Rolled Sugar Cookies 

(Real simple.com)

1 1/2 cups butter, softened (Make sure it is very soft)

2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter sugar until smooth.
2. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
4. Preheat oven to 400ºF. (200ºC.).
5. Roll dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter.
6. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
7. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven.
8. Cool completely.

Idea 1: The cookies can be decorated with colored sugar before baking if desired.
Here is the recipe to color sugar also salt can also be colored.

Colored salt or sugar
Sugar or salt about 1 cup
Food coloring.
1. Place salt or sugar in a zip-lock bag and then add food coloring.
2. Shake and squeeze bag to distribute the color. (Add more food coloring if you want a darker color.)
Let dry on a paper plate.
(From Kathleen Cramer)

Idea 2: The cookies can be frosted after baking if desired.

Frosting recipe #1

(All recipes.com)
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Assorted food coloring

1. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth.
2. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick add more corn syrup.
3. Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip or paint them with a brush.

Frosting recipe #2

(All recipes.com)

4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup shortening
5 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Food coloring.

1. In a large bowl, cream together the confectioners' sugar and shortening until smooth.
2. Gradually mix in the milk and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about 5 minutes.
3.Color with food coloring if desired.

Original NESTLE ® TOLL HOUSE ® Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups (12-oz pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate morsels.

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.

2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.

3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl creamy.

4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts.

6. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

7. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.

8. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Slice and Bake cookie 

Variation:

1. Prepare dough as above.

2. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper.

3. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.

4. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper.

5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

6. Preheat oven to 375ºF.

7. Cut into 1/2 inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets.

8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

9. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

*May be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week or freezer for up to 8 weeks.

For High Altitude Baking (5,200feet)

Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 teaspoons water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes.

   

Note: I worked in a child care facility for over 14 years. I thought some Halloween Punches recipes would be fun. We used these around Halloween. I do not know where we got these from. If the children help you make these punches almost always they love to drink the punch. If you make it alone then offer it to them there may be a different story.

1. Frankenstein Punch

 Strawberry soda with a straw as a licorice stick add green food coloring to add a gray tint

2.Witches Brew

Green sherbet in 7-UP add red food coloring. And drink out of red or black licorice.

3. Goblin Goop

Apple cider with red and green food coloring and then add a gummy worm.

Variation

Use ice cubes with gummy worms in it.