Go Back

Cake Mix Santa Cookies

Cake Mix Santa Cookies turn yellow cake mix dough into soft, festive cookies topped with frosting beards, red sugar hats, and candy details. Chill the dough before baking for easy-to-shape cookies, then decorate each one like Santa.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 24 minutes
Chilling and cooling 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 19 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 180
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cookies
  • 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
  • 2 eggs large
  • 0.5 cup neutral oil such as canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the decorations
  • 1.5 cups vanilla frosting divided
  • 0.25 tsp red gel food coloring
  • 0.33 cup red sanding sugar
  • 48 mini chocolate chips
  • 24 red candy-coated chocolate candies
  • 24 mini marshmallows

Equipment

  • 1 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheet

Method
 

Make the cookies
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line an 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Stir the yellow cake mix, eggs, neutral oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until no dry mix remains.
  3. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
  4. Scoop the dough into 24 level tablespoon portions and arrange 12 portions about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
  5. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set and the bottoms are lightly golden. Let the baking sheet cool before baking the remaining dough.
  6. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely.
Decorate the cookies
  1. Tint 1/2 cup of the vanilla frosting red with the food coloring, and set the remaining 1 cup of frosting aside.
  2. Spread the white frosting over the lower two-thirds of each cookie, pulling the lower edge into points to suggest a beard.
  3. Spread the red frosting in a triangle over the top of each cookie, leaving a narrow strip of white frosting below it for the hat brim.
  4. Sprinkle the red sanding sugar over the hats, then press one mini marshmallow onto each hat tip, two mini chocolate chips into each cookie for eyes, and one red candy onto each cookie for a nose.

Notes

For neat frosting edges, make sure the cookies are completely cool before decorating. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freezer: yes; freeze in a single layer until firm, then store in an airtight container.