Lemon Cake Mix Cookies with Strawberry Frosting
Soft, chewy lemon cake mix cookies topped with a creamy strawberry frosting made from powdered freeze-dried strawberries. Quick to prep, cute on a platter, and perfect for spring parties, showers, or whenever you need an easy baked goods win.
Ingredients
Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
- 1 box lemon cake mix 15.25 oz. (check the weight, if it's not 15.25 oz, your cookies will have a different texture)
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup neutral oil vegetable or canola work
- 1-2 Tbsp lemon zest go with 2 for a strong lemon flavor
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Strawberry Buttercream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 Tbsp milk or heavy cream to adjust the texture
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup freeze dried strawberries crushed into a fine powder
- 1 pinch salt optional, to cut the sweetness a bit
Instructions
- Juice and zest your lemon if you want to use fresh lemon. You may need to zest 2 lemons to get enough zest to create a strong lemon-y flavor.Crush your freeze dried strawberries into a fine powder if you didn't already.
- In a large bowl, mix together the lemon cake mix, eggs, oil, lemon juice, and (if using) lemon zest*. Stir until a thick dough forms.
- Chill the dough for 20–30 minutes so it’s easier to scoop and the cookies don’t spread as much.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon portions, roll into smooth balls, and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look just barely done.(I like to bake 1 batch at a time, just in case I have to adjust the baking time or temperature for the second batch. You can stick your second baking sheet back in the fridge while your first batch bakes so it stays chilled.)
- Beat the softened butter for 1–2 minutes until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla then beat until combined (it’ll look thick and clumpy at first).
- Add in freeze dried strawberry powder
- Add milk or cream a little at a time and beat until smooth. For piping, keep it thicker; for spreading, add a tiny splash more.
- Make sure the cookies are completely cool before frosting.
- If you’re spreading the frosting, use a butter knife or small offset spatula to add a layer of vanilla buttercream on top of each cookie.
- If you’re piping the frosting, scoop the buttercream into a piping bag. You can either snip the tip off the bag for a simple swirl, or use a plain round tip and pipe a swirl of frosting on top of each cookie.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can store in the fridge for longer, but I recommend letting them sit out a room temperature a bit before serving.
Notes
*A note about lemon flavor: If you're going to use lemon extract (I would recommend only 1/2 teaspoon), you can skip putting the lemon zest in the cookie dough. You could sprinkle some lemon zest on top of your strawberry frosting for a cute decoration.