These soft and chewy peanut butter cake mix cookies are made with 4 simple ingredients including creamy peanut butter, yellow cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil.
Why this recipe works
Peanut butter cake mix cookies come out soft, chewy, and irresistible with just the right touch of peanut butter flavor. While we absolutely go crazy over homemade peanut butter cookies, sometimes a shortcut makes for a more pleasurable experience in the kitchen, especially when you’re short on time. These peanut butter cake mix cookies are also a great way to put that boxed cake mix sitting in your pantry to good use!
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CAKE MIX – You will need a standard-size (15.25 ounce) box of yellow cake mix, the kind that calls for oil and eggs on the back. Please use the ingredients listed in the recipe card below to make these cookies, not the ingredients on the back of the box.
PEANUT BUTTER – We are partial to Skippy or Jif creamy peanut butter. I have not tried these with any of the natural peanut butters or other nut butters as well as chunky peanut butter. I would assume that natural nut butters may be a little too thin to create a solid cookie dough. Please let us know below if you decide to give it a try!
How to Make Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 large baking trays with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Add the peanut butter, eggs, and oil to a large bowl. Use a handheld electric mixer to beat until well-combined.
- Add the cake mix, and beat until it forms a thick cookie dough.
- To shape the cookies, roll about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie into a ball. Arrange the balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a couple inches between each dough ball.
EXPERT TIP – I used a slightly heaping 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop to easily measure out the dough for about 2 tablespoons for each cookie.
- Use a fork to make a cross-hatch pattern on the top of each cookie, slightly flattening the cookies as you do so.
- Bake until the cookies are golden along the outside and on the bottom, about 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the trays once halfway through.
- Let the cookies cool completely before removing them from the trays.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
This cookie dough is thick and crumbly. It will look like there’s absolutely no way you’ll be able to roll it into balls but trust me – it rolls into balls perfectly! Just make sure to mix the dough with a handheld electric mixer until it’s well combined and crumbly.
Store these peanut butter cake mix cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for 5-6 days.
Yes, you can make the dough up to 3 days ahead of time. Store it tightly wrapped with plastic wrap or in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Yes, to freeze your cookie dough, roll them into balls and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Flash freeze until the cookie dough balls are solid. Place them in a large Ziploc bag and store in the freezer for 1-2 months. Flash freezing the cookie balls will help them not stick together. To bake, remove from freezer and allow to thaw for 5-10 minutes or as the oven heats up. Follow the same baking instructions listed in the recipe card below.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your peanut butter cake mix cookies with a tall glass of cold milk. To avoid the cookies crumbling, be sure to let them cool completely on the trays before removing them.
More Cake Mix Cookie Recipes
- Cake Mix Cookie Bars
- Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
- Carrot Cake Mix Cookies
- Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
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Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 15.25 ounce yellow cake mix
Things You’ll Need
- Silicone baking mat or parchment paper
- Cookie scoop 1.5 – 2 tablespoon scoop
Before You Begin
- You will need a standard-size (15.25 ounce) box of yellow cake mix, the kind that calls for oil and eggs on the back. Please use the ingredients listed to make these cookies, not the ingredients on the back of the box.
- **This cookie dough is thick and crumbly. It will look like there’s absolutely no way you’ll be able to roll it into balls, but trust me – it rolls into balls perfectly! Just make sure to mix the dough with a handheld electric mixer until it’s well-combined and crumbly.
- To freeze your cookie dough, roll them into balls and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Flash freeze until the cookie dough balls are solid. Place them in a large Ziploc bag and store in the freezer for 1-2 months. Flash freezing the cookie balls will help them not stick together. To bake, remove from freezer and allow to thaw for 5-10 minutes or as the oven heats up. Follow the same baking instructions listed in the recipe card below.
- Store these peanut butter cake mix cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for 5-6 days.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 large baking trays with silpat baking mats or parchment paper.
- Add the peanut butter, eggs, and oil to a large bowl. Use a handheld electric mixer to beat until well-combined. Add the cake mix, and beat until it forms a thick cookie dough (see Notes below).
- To shape the cookies, roll about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie into a ball. Arrange the balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a couple inches between each dough ball. TIP – I used a slightly heaping 1.5-tablespoon scoop to easily measure out the dough for about 2 tablespoons for each cookie.
- Use a fork to make a cross-hatch pattern on the top of each cookie, slightly flattening the cookies as you do so.
- Bake until the cookies are golden along the outside and on the bottom, about 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the trays once halfway through.
- Let the cookies cool completely before removing them from the trays.
Nutrition
Lindsay Formaro
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Jess says
I’ve used this recipe several times, doctoring it a bit to taste. It’s a great introduction to cake mix cookies! I find they taste best (to me and my crew) using the butter yellow cake mix and butter instead of oil. I also dust it with brown sugar before doing the cross hatch and it gives the soft cookies a bit of a bite/crunch while still being soft and chewy. Mini chocolate chips are also a nice addition. For a slightly sweeter cookie, try using natural pb with honey and doing the confectioners’ sugar toss n roll before placing on the tray. Enjoy!
Liz says
These cookies are delicious Amanda! I have to say thank you for listing the weight of the cake mix in the recipe. I’m in Canada and I converted from ounces to grams and noticed that my box of Betty Crocker was 2 ounces smaller! I made up the difference by taking some from another box. Since “shrinkflation” is so common these days I keep a box of cake mix in the freezer that i use to “top up” the recipes.
Lisa Myers says
I just tried this recipe, but I honestly don’t care for them. They turned out too dry & crumbly for my taste. Is there any way to make them moist?
Amanda Davis says
It sounds like you may have baked them too long. The instructions state 12-15, I usually suggest checking at the 12 mark. Peanut butter cookies will be soft if they are slightly underbaked.
Matt says
This recipe is great. Can’t go wrong. Makes quite a few cookies so 1/2 batch might be ok unless you have a larger family.
Jamie Deere Coleman says
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Jean says
Can I use crunchy peanut butter? How about mini chocolate chips?
Grace says
I do use crunchy peanut butter but add a little bit more than the recipe calls for since the nuts mean less of the oily butter in the cup. I don’t know about adding choc chips, I would probably just sprinkle a few on top of the cookies immediately on taking them out of the oven. That actually sounds good and I will try it next time I make this great recipe!
Jess says
I’ve used this recipe several times, doctoring it a bit to taste. It’s a great introduction to cake mix cookies! I find they taste best (to me and my crew) using the butter yellow cake mix and butter instead of oil. I also dust it with brown sugar before doing the cross hatch and it gives the soft cookies a bit of a bite/crunch while still being soft and chewy. Mini chocolate chips are also a nice addition. Enjoy!