During the holidays, you want desserts that feel festive without being fussy. These chocolate cake mix cookies are exactly that: rich, chewy chocolate cookies topped with a swirl of creamy vanilla buttercream and finished with colorful Christmas sprinkles. They look bakery-perfect but come together with simple ingredients and minimal effort.
If you’re planning your cookie trays, hunting for easy Christmas desserts, or need something quick for a holiday gathering, these cookies are always a hit. They’re soft, pretty, and taste just as good as they look.
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Ingredients for Chocolate Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
For the cookies:
- 1 box (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix
- ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted butter, slightly cooled)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional, for richer chocolate flavor)
For the vanilla buttercream:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Christmas sprinkles for decorating
This makes enough for a moderate layer of frosting on each cookie. If you like a thicker swirl of buttercream (like I do!), consider making 1.5x the frosting recipe to be safe. You can also add up to ½ cup more powdered sugar for a slightly stiffer or sweeter frosting, if desired.
How to Make Chocolate Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 1: Make the cookie dough.
In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix, oil, eggs, flour and espresso powder (if using) until you have a thick dough.
Step 2: Scoop and bake.
Scoop about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9–11 minutes, just until the edges are set. The centers should still look soft, as that’s what keeps them chewy after cooling. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
Step 3: Make the frosting.
While the cookies cool, beat the softened butter in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar gradually. Add in a bit of milk (or cream) and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Adjust as needed with extra milk or powdered sugar for your desired consistency.
Step 4: Frost and decorate.
Once the cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe the vanilla buttercream over the tops. I like to put my frosting in a piping bag with no tip (or a plain round tip) and pipe simple swirls on top. However, spreading with a butter knife is also fine.
While the frosting is fresh, sprinkle generously with your favorite Christmas sprinkles for the ultimate easy holiday treats.
Pro Tips for Perfect Christmas Cookies
- Don’t skip the espresso powder. It really, really helps enhance the chocolate flavor. If you don’t have instant espresso powder, instant coffee that’s been crushed into a fine powder will also work.
- Boost the amount of frosting. This recipe as written makes enough for a thin, pretty layer on each cookie. If you like a more generous swirl, make 1 ½ times the frosting recipe. You definitely won’t regret it!
- Pretty frosting. Speaking of frosting, for a cleaner look, use a piping bag with a large round or no tip at all (just snip the end off with some scissors). For a more rustic vibe, you can also spread the frosting with a small offset spatula.
- Store them the right way. Keep the frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate them for up to 5 days. If refrigerated, let them come to room temperature before serving so the frosting softens.
- Let the frosting set first before stacking these cookies. To avoid your frosting getting all a-mess, definitely let it set before stacking cookies on top of one-another. Also, you can stack your cookies with a layer of parchment paper between them to help keep the frosting from getting everywhere.
FAQs
What brand of cake mix should I use?
Really, any brand will work. What’s more important is the weight of the cake mix; make sure your cake mix comes in at 15.25 ounces. I like the Duncan Hines brand because they’re always 15.25 ounces.
Do these cookies need to be refrigerated?
Once frosted, they’ll stay fresh at room temperature for 2 days in an airtight container. If you need to store them longer, refrigerate them for up to 5 days. It is best to bring them to room temperature before serving so the buttercream softens, though.
Can I freeze these cookies?
Yes, but it’s typically best to freeze the plain baked cookies and add the frosting and sprinkles after thawing. Frosting doesn’t always freeze and thaw as neatly, but I can say that I’ve definitely frozen frosted cookies and been fine with the results! Sometimes, the color in the sprinkles runs a bit, too, when you defrost them, and you can end up with some colored splotches in your frosting.
What kind of sprinkles work best?
Classic jimmies or nonpareils are perfect, but holiday confetti shapes (like little trees, stars, or snowflakes) also look adorable. Sanding sugar doesn’t work great, because the sugar kind of dissolves into the frosting, but cookies will still taste fine.
Can I use store-bought frosting?
You definitely can, but I am a firm believer in “the frosting makes the dessert.” If these cookies come from a cake mix instead of from scratch, I like to give them a little bit of love with some homemade frosting. Homemade frosting is my secret to (pretty much always) cheating and using cake mixes without anyone ever calling me out on it.
These Chocolate Cake Mix Christmas Cookies with buttercream and sprinkles are the kind of recipe that makes holiday baking feel fun instead of stressful. They’re easy to whip up, taste amazing, and look like something straight from a bakery case. Whether you’re filling your cookie trays, bringing a platter to a get-together, or just making a batch to enjoy at home, they’ll bring plenty of festive cheer.
Save this recipe for your list of favorite holiday treats! It’s a keeper you’ll want to come back to year after year.
Frosted Chocolate Christmas Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 box chocolate cake mix 15.25 ounces
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder or instant coffee crushed into powder (optional)
Buttercream Frosting and Decoration
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened* See note about frosting
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
Make and Bake Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix, oil, eggs, flour and espresso powder (if using) until you have a thick dough.
- Scoop about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, just until the edges are set. The centers should still look soft, as that’s what keeps them chewy after cooling. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
Make the Frosting and Decorate
- Beat the softened butter in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar gradually.
- Add in a bit of milk (or cream) and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Adjust as needed with extra milk or powdered sugar for your desired consistency.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe the vanilla buttercream over the tops. I like to put my frosting in a piping bag with no tip (or a plain round tip) and pipe simple swirls on top. However, spreading with a butter knife is also fine.
- While the frosting is fresh, sprinkle generously with your favorite Christmas sprinkles
