You will love these Frosted Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies if you want bakery-style, pretty treats with almost zero effort. These soft, chewy red velvet cookies start with a simple cake mix, get topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting, and look absolutely adorable. They are perfect when you are short on time but still want a standout option for parties, date nights at home, or last-minute cookie ideas for work and school.
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Ingredients for Frosted Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
For the Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
- 1 box red velvet cake mix (about 15.25 oz)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How to Make Frosted Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
I love this recipe because it turns a simple box of cake mix into one of the prettiest red velvet desserts with almost no work. Here is exactly how I make them.
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, mix cake mix, eggs, oil, and vanilla (if using) just until combined. Dough will be thick and sticky.
3. Scoop dough into 1.5 Tbsp portions.
4. Place dough balls on baking sheets a couple inches apart. If too sticky, lightly oil your hands or chill dough 10–15 minutes.
5. Bake one sheet at a time for 8–10 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly soft (they’ll firm up as they cool).
6. Cool cookies on the baking sheet. If using a silicone mat and they stick, gently lift off with a rubber spatula once cooled.
7. Make frosting: beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Slowly beat in powdered sugar, then add vanilla and mix until creamy.
8. Once cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe frosting on top.
I like to use a piping bag with no tip or a plain round tip to pipe a simple swirl around each cookie.
9. Optional: crumble a cookie and sprinkle crumbs over the frosting.
10. Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the fridge. Let sit at room temp 10–15 minutes before serving.
Pro Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. Softened cream cheese, butter, and room temp eggs blend together more easily and give you a smoother cookie dough and frosting. Definitely don’t skimp on softening the cream cheese and butter, or you’ll end up with chunky frosting unless you feel like beating it for a looooong time.
- Chill the dough if needed . If the dough is very soft or your kitchen is warm, a quick 10 to 20 minute chill in the fridge will help the cookies hold their shape and bake thicker.
- Check your cake mix weight. This recipe works with cake mixes that are 15.25 ounces. Not all cake mixes are the same size, so just make sure to check. A different weight could throw off the ratio of wet to dry ingredients.
- Do not overbake. Pull the cookies out when the edges are set but the centers still look a bit soft. Overbaking can turn cake mix desserts dry and cakey instead of chewy.
- Try different mix-ins. White chocolate chips feel classic with red velvet. Mini chocolate chips make them taste like brownie cookies. Sprinkles add crunch and color, which is perfect if you want them to look extra festive.
FAQs
Can I use a different flavor of cake mix?
Yes. The method works with other flavors like chocolate, funfetti, or strawberry if you want more cake mix desserts in your rotation. The frosting and bake time stay the same.
Do I have to chill the dough?
Not always. The recipe works without chilling, but if your dough feels very sticky or your cookies are spreading too much, chilling will give you thicker, puffier cookies.
Can I use store-bought frosting?
For sure! If you are in a rush, you can use canned cream cheese frosting or vanilla frosting. I, personally, love the homemade version for flavor, but use whatever makes your life easier.
How do I store these cookies?
Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving so the texture softens.
Can I freeze these?
You can technically freeze them, but sometimes cream cheese frosting doesn’t have the same texture when it’s defrosted. These are best served fresh or within 4 days of baking.
Why did my cookies turn out cakey?
Cake mix cookies can turn cakey if they are overbaked or if extra dry ingredients are added. Next time, bake on the shorter end of the time range and pull them when the centers still look slightly soft.
I love how these Frosted Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies turn a simple box of mix into something that looks completely bakery-level with almost no effort. They are quick, pretty, and perfect for any moment when you want red velvet desserts without making a full cake. Keep this recipe saved for your next party, holiday, or dessert-related emergency (people other than me have those, right??) and you will be set.
Frosted Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
- 1 box red velvet cake mix
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup neutral oil vegetable or canola work well
- 1 tsp vanilla
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Make Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix cake mix, eggs, oil, and vanilla (if using) just until combined. Dough will be thick and sticky.
- Scoop dough into 1.5 Tbsp portions.
- Place dough balls on baking sheets a couple inches apart. If too sticky, lightly oil your hands or chill dough 10–15 minutes.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 8–10 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly soft (they’ll firm up as they cool).
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet. If using a silicone mat and they stick, gently lift off with a rubber spatula once cooled.
Make Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Slowly beat in powdered sugar, then add vanilla and mix until creamy.
- Once cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe frosting on top. I like to use a piping bag with just the tip snipped off and pipe a plain swirl around the cookies.
- Optional: crumble a cookie and sprinkle crumbs over the frosting.
- Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the fridge. Let sit at room temp 10–15 minutes before serving.
