Valentine’s Day Cake Mix Cookies
These soft and chewy Valentine's Day Cake Mix Cookies are packed with chocolate chips and festive M&Ms - so easy, even the kids can help! Made with a simple cake mix shortcut, they’re the perfect last-minute treat.
Servings: 24 cookies
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (14.25-oz) package vanilla cake mix
- 1 (3.4-oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips
- 1 (10-oz) bag Valentine’s M&Ms divided
Instructions
- Combine wet ingredients: Place 2 large eggs, 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened) and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in bowl of stand mixer OR a regular bowl. Use paddle attachment of stand mixer or electric hand mixer with beater attachment, mix on low speed just until creamy and fully combined - do not overmix.
- Add dry ingredients: Combine 1 (14.25-oz) package vanilla cake mix and 1 (3.4-oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix mix in a separate bowl. Add to mixer, mix on low until thick dough forms. Slowly stir in ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and HALF of 1 (10-oz) bag Valentine’s M&Ms.
- Roll and chill: Roll dough into ~2 tablespoon sized balls (if dough is too sticky, chill 30mins before rolling). Chill dough balls, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours in refrigerator.
- Bake: When ready to bake, heat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place dough balls spaced 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Stick a few reserved M&Ms into top of each dough ball. Bake for 8–10 minutes until bottoms are slightly browned. Don’t overbake.
- Cool: Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Cake mix – Use a 14.25-oz box of vanilla, or swap for chocolate or strawberry for a fun twist.
- Instant pudding mix – Makes the cookies extra soft; use vanilla, cheesecake, or white chocolate. Must be instant, not cook-and-serve.
- Butter – Use softened, not melted butter to prevent spreading. If using salted butter, reduce added salt.
- Chocolate chips & M&Ms – Semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips work best. Press extra M&Ms on top before baking for a festive look.
Recipe tips
- Mix gently – Overmixing can make cookies tough; stir just until combined.
- Chill the dough – Keeps cookies thick and chewy; at least 1 hour is best.
- Bake carefully – Cookies should look slightly underbaked in the center - they’ll set as they cool.
- Use parchment paper – Makes cleanup easier and prevents cookies from sticking.
- Don’t skip spacing – Dough balls should be 2 inches apart so cookies don’t spread into each other.
Storage tips
- Make ahead – Dough can chill for up to 12 hours before baking.
- Store baked cookies – Keep in an airtight container at room temp for up to 4 days. Add a slice of bread to keep them soft.
- Freeze dough – Roll into balls, freeze on a tray, then store in a bag for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to bake time.
- Freeze baked cookies – Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp before serving.