Easy lemon cake mix cookies made with just 5 simple ingredients. These delicious Spring cookies are bursting with fresh lemon flavor!
Other lemon cookie recipes I can’t get enough of include these lemon sugar cookies, glazed lemon cookies and my lemon crinkle cookie recipe!
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Easiest Lemon Cookie
Spring is here, which means I want all things light and lemony! First up on my baking list were these lemon cookies made with cake mix. Next, I will be adding some lemon zest to my favorite meringue cookie recipe!
I also can’t wait to make my lemon brownies and lemon muddy buddies. And for warm spring days when I want something chilled, this recipe for lemon meringue pie or lemon icebox pie recipe are the best!
These cookies are bursting with lemon flavor. The base is a lemon cake mix and then I added in lemon juice and zest in the batter. They are so pretty too. It’s like a chocolate crinkle cookie in lemon form.
Only 5 Ingredients
Honestly, these are my FAVORITE cake mix cookie to date! They are seriously so simple to make and only take 5 ingredients. They’re the perfect cookie for the beginner baker.
- Box of lemon cake mix
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Lemon
- Powdered sugar
How to Make Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
MIX. Mix together the cake mix, oil and eggs. Then add 1 Tablespoon each fresh lemon juice and zest and mix until combined. At this point, I recommend refrigerating the dough for about 15 to 20 minutes so that it’s easier to work with.
ROLL. Scoop the dough into balls, then roll into powdered sugar. I like to use a medium cookie scoop or spoon to ensure my cookies are evenly sized. Then place on a lined baking sheet.
BAKE. Bake at 350°F for about 9 to 11 minutes, or until the cookies are set (but not brown). Let cool on the pan for a few minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Baking Tips
- Refrigerate the dough so that it’s easier to work with.
- Use a cookie scoop and drop the dough directly into the powdered sugar, so it doesn’t stick to your hands.
- Line the baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent brown bottoms.
- Add extra lemon zest if you prefer extra citrus flavor.
- When removing from the oven, the cookies should be set but not brown. They’ll continue baking as they cool.
Freezing
Another great thing about these fcookies is that they freeze really well! Once out of oven, let them cool completely. Then freeze the cookies on a baking sheet for about 30 minutes, or until hard. Add to a freezer container or bag and store in freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, remove cookies from the freezer and let thaw on counter for about 2 hours prior to serving.
Love lemon recipes? You will love love these lemon raspberry cookies, lemon blueberry cupcakes or lemon poke cake, too!
More Cake Mix Cookie Recipes
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Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
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Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce box lemon cake mix
- ½ cup vegetable oil , I like to measure just under the 1/2 cup line
- 2 large eggs
- 1 lemon
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Combine the cake mix, oil and eggs in a large bowl. Add in 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon of lemon zest.
- Stir together just until combined. If you have the time, refrigerate the dough for 15-20 minutes (it will make it a little easier to work with, since it is sticky).
- Then use a medium scoop or spoon to scoop the dough onto the prepared baking mat. Then roll dough balls into the powdered sugar.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the cookies are set. You don’t want them to brown. Allow to cool on the pan for a couple minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Cake Mix Cookies, Cookies, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, Fruit Desserts, Kid-Friendly, Nut-Free, Reader Favorites
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
REALLY good! REALLY easy!
Love this review, thank you!
Easy and my family loved them. Thanks a bunch.
These cookies are wonderful, but even after putting the dough in the fridge for half an hour, the dough still seemed like a batter, so I added lemon pudding. What a difference that made! I don’t have a silpat and I ran out of parchment paper, so I did what I do for my shortbread – I lined my baking sheets with two layers of heavy brown paper. Worked like a charm!
So glad you enjoyed them! Great hack on the brown paper.
They turned out great! I do disagree with a reviewer who said that you can skip rolling the balls in the sugar and just sift the it over the tops. I did this with the first batch and they weren’t nearly as pretty as the balls rolled in sugar. I actually found it easier to just follow the directions.
Thank you for the review. :)
AWESOME, EASY, DELICIOUS!
Unfortunately I read a review that said it was too oily and only used 1/3 c oil, instead of 1/2 c. Would have been moister with the 1/2.
Next time I’ll use that.
Thanks for your review Bonnies, yes 1/2 cup is best in this recipe!
Easy to do & tasted incredible!
I made the lemon cookies per recipe but I flattened them out with a fork (criss cross)and baked them until they got a little brown on top which was about 18 minutes. I like them thin and crispy. I baked them on air bake sheets so the bottoms never burn. They were delicious! Just a bit too sweet for my taste but not bad at all. I’m going to try chocolate.
Sounds yummy Cindy! I’ glad you enjoyed the cookies. Let me know if you try the chocolate way :)
These came out perfect. Tiny changes… first time I made them the lemon’s peel was not as nice as the oranges I had available so I used the zest of oranges instead. I also add a teaspoon of lemon extract. I made this recipe several times already. Also, they’re really good right out of the freezer.
Hi Corina! I’m so glad you enjoyed the lemon cake mix cookies :)
Excellent cookies! Definitely cool the dough half an hour and put the dough back into the fridge between the two batches. Also don’t bother rolling the dough balls in powdered sugar. Lay 12 dough balls onto the parchment lined cookie sheet and generously sift powdered sugar onto each dough ball. It baked perfectly, looks professionally made and the cookies are yummy!
Hi Laurie! Thanks for the suggestions! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies :)
I made these cookies for Christmas and everyone loved them. I’ll definitely be making more! Thanks
I’m so happy you enjoyed the cookies Pam :)
These cookies came out soooo good! I followed the recipe exactly the way it says and had no issues. The mix is definitely very sticky but I buttered my hands and it made handling the dough so much easier. Can’t wait to make these again!
It makes me so happy you enjoyed the lemon cookies, Adrienne!
A new favourite it our family.
They’re a favorite of my family as well :) So glad you enjoyed it Carolyn!
So easy. Put dough in fridge 20 minutes. Very managable to roll in confectionery sugar. Love them and pretty too. Also did vanilla cake mix with peppermint extract and green food coloring. So festive.
Very easy to make, and very good. Everyone loved them.
This is delicious! I love the little crunch on the bottom and the real lemon flavor!
These cookies turned out absolutely delicious though they didn’t crinkle and the powdered sugar disappeared but still delicious I also added small chunks of cranberries in them also, so fluffy and light.
I made a double batch of these lemon cookies. They turned out beautifully. They were light and fluffy with just the right amount of lemon taste and not too sweet. The family just loved them. It was so handy using the cake mix, not a lot of mess, they mixed together easily and while rolling them in the powdered sugar was messy, it made them perfect – lemon crinkle cookies! I have made them before but it’s been a few years. It is a recipe I’d recommend to anyone!!! The double batch made 4 dozen cookies. Yummy!!!
Yes I have made this recipe for a long time now & my husband loves the lemon flavor – I have also made these with a chocolate cake mix and these were enjoyed by my friend who loves chocolate. Thanks for sharing this recipe, will certainly continue to make these for my hubby and our friends who also love them.
So glad that you love it and have had them before. Cake mix cookies are some of our favorite ways to make cookies!