Cake Batter Cookies take your favorite cake flavors and pack them into soft, chewy cookies loaded with sprinkles and melty white chocolate.
author’s note
Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cake Batter Cookies!
A while back, I tried a version of these cookies at a baby shower and was blown away. They were so soft, so moist, and so full of that classic birthday cake flavor that I had to know what was in them. When my friend casually told me she made them with cake mix and pudding mix, I was shocked in the best way. I came home determined to recreate them, and after a few rounds of testing, this version became my favorite.
My sprinkle-obsessed daughter thinks these are the best cookies ever, and honestly, I agree. Every time I bake a batch, they are the first treat to disappear. Kids love them, adults love them, and I never leave a party with leftovers. These cookies are just pure fun and flavor in every bite.
Cake Batter Cookies Ingredients
| Ingredient | Helpful Notes and Swaps |
|---|---|
| Butter & Brown Sugar | Soft butter blends easily and gives the best texture. Fresh, soft brown sugar keeps the dough moist and chewy. |
| Cake Mix | Use Funfetti or classic yellow cake mix. White or French vanilla also work. |
| Pudding Mix | Use instant vanilla pudding mix, dry. Avoid sugar free or prepared pudding. This adds softness and a subtle cake flavor. |
| Sprinkles | Use jimmies for the best color. Avoid nonpareils. |
| White Chocolate Chips | White chocolate adds sweetness and flavor. Swap for milk, dark, or even chopped chocolate bars. |
The Best Sprinkles To Use
Use jimmies (the long sprinkles)—they won’t bleed into the dough and they’ll give a classic cake batter look and flavor.
Cake And Pudding Mix To Use
For these Cake Batter Cookies, stick with a classic yellow or Funfetti cake mix.
For the pudding, use instant vanilla (not sugar-free or prepared). The pudding mix adds moisture and helps keep the cookies extra soft and chewy.
Tips For Making Cake Batter Cookies
- Chill dough for at least an hour. This helps the cookies hold their shape and bake up thicker.
- Roll the right size dough balls—aim for about 3 tablespoons per cookie. If you have a food scale, weigh each to around 60 grams for even baking.
- Bake until just set—edges should be lightly golden while the centers still look slightly underbaked.
- Let them cool on the pan for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack—this helps them firm up without overbaking.
Storage
- Storage: Once cooled, store the cake batter cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days.
- Freeze Dough: Scoop dough balls and freeze on a tray. Bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the bake time.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes:
Cake Batter Cookies
Video
Equipment
- Sheet pan (15" x 10") lined
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup instant vanilla pudding mix not sugar or fat free, dry
- 1 cup Funfetti cake mix or yellow cake mix, dry
- 1-1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sprinkles
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat together room temperature butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat until ingredients are completely smooth and combined, and light and creamy. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking soda, salt, unprepared pudding mix, unprepared cake mix, and flour. Stir until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to wet. Beat till combined, but do not overmix. The cookie dough gets very thick. Gently fold sprinkles and chips into the dough with a spatula.
- Form round cookie dough balls that are 3 tablespoons (60 grams) in size. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place no more than 6 cookie dough balls on a pan to give ample room for the dough to spread while baking. Bake for 9–13 minutes or until lightly browned at the edges and slightly underbaked in the center. I bake mine for about 11 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the sheet pan for another 3–4 minutes. While they are on the sheet pan, you can add a few more chocolate chips and sprinkles to the top, but this is optional. Place cookies on a cooling rack until fully cooled. Cookies are best enjoyed the same day they’re made.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Out of curiosity, why dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar? Is it a taste/texture thing? Most often I see light brown sugar in cookie recipes so I’m curious! Would it make much of a difference if I used light brown sugar instead? Really looking forward to giving these a try! I tried a previous cake batter cookie recipe (Sally’s Baking Addiction) but found that once baked, the cake batter flavor didn’t really come through very much. That recipe didn’t have pudding mix in it though so I’m interested to see the texture and flavor differences. Thanks for the recipe!
Both light and dark brown sugar contain molasses, but dark brown sugar has more. Because of the increased amount of molasses, dark brown sugar has a darker and deeper color with a stronger flavor. Dark brown sugar is slightly more acidic with more moisture. I find dark brown sugar has a more pronounced caramel flavor and a richer sweetness with a slightly chewier texture. Light brown sugar is also great and will work fine in the cookies. Hope you love these cookies!
Can you make these with homemade cake batter that’s wet and has all the ingredients in the batter already. Like can I add the wet cake batter to this cookie mix and make them into cake batter cookies? I am trying to make bulk so making a lot isn’t a issue.
No, I don’t see that working well, sorry!
Our absolute favorite! We’ve made this 4 times this holiday season. So yummy!
Yay! So happy to hear! Thanks Chelsea! 🙂
Just wanted to say that these cookies are the reason new yeaar’s resolutions never stood a chance. Added different things like cranberries and peanut butter pieces, along with nuts, and an hour after baking, the only trace of the cookies is the smell in the kitchen.
Love hearing these are a hit! 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment Magda! xo
Just got done baking these for Christmas. They are delicious!! Thank you for the recipe!! 🙂
You are so welcome! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed these!
I am drawn to rainbow colored foods! Seriously. I dont know what it is about rainbowwwwwww!!
Hah!! They are just so fun! Thanks GiGi!
With my son grown, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed reading about your Elf on the Shelf adventures! Nutella, your husband is adorable! And, so are these cookies. Can’t wait to try them.
Cake batter cookies are the best. These cookies look super soft and chewy, just the way we like them!
We cant stop making cookies over here! These look incredibly delicious and I love your story about elf on the shelf! Our first night introducing ours was a total mommy fail… Chase threw it accross the room crying because it scared him…lol!
Hahaha oh no!! Too funny!
Ah, these look so cute!