You will love this recipe for Neapolitan Cake Mix Cookies if you want something pretty, fast, and fun that still looks a bit fancy. These soft, two-tone neapolitan cookies start with cake mix cookies, so there is no fussing with measuring flour or chilling dough for hours. You get chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla buttercream in every bite; it is like the classic Neapolitan ice cream turned into an easy tray of cake mix desserts you can whip up on a weeknight.
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Ingredients for Neapolitan Cake Mix Cookies
For the Chocolate Cookie Dough
- 1 box Duncan Hines Swiss Chocolate cake mix (about 15.25 ounces)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Strawberry Cookie Dough
- 1 box Duncan Hines Strawberry Supreme cake mix (about 15.25 ounces)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
How to Make Neapolitan Cake Mix Cookies
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Add the chocolate cake mix, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to a large bowl. Stir until no dry cake mix remains and a thick dough forms. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the strawberry cake mix, remaining 2 eggs, remaining 1/3 cup oil, and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir until a thick, smooth dough forms.
4. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of chocolate dough and 1 tablespoon of strawberry dough. Press the two portions together, then gently roll them into a ball while keeping the colors distinct.
5. Arrange the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Lightly flatten each one with your fingertips or the bottom of a measuring cup.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
7. Let the cookies cool completely before frosting.
8. To make the buttercream, beat the softened butter in a large bowl for 1 to 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy.
9. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar on low speed. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk or cream.
10. Beat the buttercream for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add additional milk or cream, a little at a time, if needed to reach a pipeable consistency.
11. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip or no tip at all. Pipe a swirl around each cooled cookie.
12. Serve immediately, or allow the frosting to sit until it sets slightly on top. To help the frosting set faster, you can also chill frosted cookies in the fridge.
Pro Tips
- Do not overmix the two colors. Roll the chocolate and strawberry dough together just until they form one ball. If you twist or knead too much, the colors blend instead of giving that pretty Neapolitan look.
- Use a cookie scoop. A tablespoon cookie scoop helps keep the chocolate and strawberry portions the same size, so the neapolitan cookies bake evenly and look uniform.
- Watch the bake time closely. Pull the cookies out when the edges look set and the centers look slightly soft. They finish setting as they cool and stay soft instead of turning dry.
- Chill the dough if it feels too sticky. If your kitchen is warm, you can chill each dough for 10 to 15 minutes so it is easier to roll.
- Turn them into sandwich cookies. For extra decadent cake mix cookies, sandwich 2 cookies together with buttercream in the middle instead of piping on top.
- Storage and freezing. Store frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days or in the fridge up to 5 days. Unfrosted cookies freeze well; freeze in a single layer, then move to a bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and frost later. Technically, you can freeze frosted cookies, but some people think the frosting comes out with a weird texture after it thaws (I’m not one of those people, though! 😂).
FAQs
Can I use a different brand of cake mix?
Yes. Any standard 15.25 ounce chocolate and strawberry cake mix will work. If your box is slightly bigger, you can still use it; the dough will just be a bit thicker and you may get a few extra cookies.
Do I have to use vegetable oil?
No. Canola oil works the same, and light olive oil can work in a pinch. I avoid strong-tasting oils so the chocolate and strawberry flavors stay clean.
How do I keep the cookies soft?
Do not overbake and store them in an airtight container once they are completely cool. Adding a small piece of sandwich bread to the container helps keep them soft.
Can I make smaller or larger cookies?
Yes. For smaller cookies, use about 1 teaspoon of each dough and start checking at 8 minutes. For larger cookies, use heaping tablespoons of each dough and bake a bit longer, checking around 12 minutes.
Neapolitan Cake Mix Cookies are one of my favorite quick cake mix desserts when I want something that looks like I spent all afternoon in the kitchen, but really came together in under 30 minutes of hands-on time. With soft chocolate and strawberry cake mix cookies topped with a simple vanilla buttercream swirl, you get all the nostalgic Neapolitan ice cream flavors in an easy, pretty treat. Next time you need a fun dessert for girls’ night, a birthday, or just to brighten up a busy week, these neapolitan cookies are such a sweet win.
Neapolitan Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cookie Dough
- 1 box Duncan Hines Swiss Chocolate cake mix about 15.25 ounces
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Strawberry Cookie Dough
- 1 box Duncan Hines Strawberry Supreme cake mix about 15.25 ounces
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 Tbsp milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Add the chocolate cake mix, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to a large bowl. Stir until no dry cake mix remains and a thick dough forms. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the strawberry cake mix, remaining 2 eggs, remaining 1/3 cup oil, and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir until a thick, smooth dough forms.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of chocolate dough and 1 tablespoon of strawberry dough. Press the two portions together, then gently roll them into a ball while keeping the colors distinct.
- Arrange the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Lightly flatten each one with your fingertips or the bottom of a measuring cup.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Let the cookies cool completely before frosting.
- To make the buttercream, beat the softened butter in a large bowl for 1 to 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually mix in the powdered sugar on low speed. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk or cream.
- Beat the buttercream for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add additional milk or cream, a little at a time, if needed to reach a pipeable consistency.
- Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip or no tip at all. Pipe a swirl around each cooled cookie.
- Serve immediately, or allow the frosting to sit until it sets slightly on top. To help the frosting set faster, you can also chill frosted cookies in the fridge.
