Description
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with these delightful Valentine’s Day Cake Mix Cookies. These soft, chewy cookies are bursting with vanilla flavor, studded with chocolate chips and colorful Valentine’s M&Ms for a festive touch. Easy to make with a mix of cake mix and instant pudding, they’re perfect for a quick sweet treat or sharing with loved ones on a special day.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 (14.25-oz) package vanilla cake mix
- 1 (3.4-oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
Add-ins
- 1/2 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 softened unsalted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer or a regular bowl. Using the paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer with a beater attachment, mix on low speed until creamy and fully combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep the texture light.
- Add dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the vanilla cake mix and instant vanilla pudding mix. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients in the mixer and blend on low speed until a thick dough forms. Gently fold in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and half of the Valentine’s M&Ms to evenly distribute the mix-ins.
- Roll and chill: Shape the dough into approximately 2 tablespoon-sized balls. If the dough feels too sticky to handle, chill it for about 30 minutes before rolling. Once rolled, cover the dough balls with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (and up to 12 hours) to help the cookies hold their shape during baking.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Place the chilled dough balls on the sheet about 2 inches apart. Press a few of the reserved Valentine’s M&Ms onto the top of each dough ball for a festive look. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes until the bottoms just start to turn golden brown. Avoid overbaking to maintain a soft texture.
- Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, allowing them to set. Then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before enjoying or storing.
Notes
- If the dough is too sticky to handle, chilling it before rolling is highly recommended.
- You can use milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet for a sweeter flavor.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For a festive presentation, press extra Valentine’s M&Ms on top just before baking.
- Do not overbake; cookies will appear slightly underdone in the center for the best chewy texture.
