These Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies bring a little celebration to an ordinary afternoon. They start with a box of cake mix, get extra flavor from butter and vanilla, and finish with a dip in vanilla frosting and colorful sprinkles. Serve them at a tea party, pack a few to share, or enjoy one with your afternoon tea. If you love simple treats like these, you’ll find more inspiration in my cookie recipes.
Quick Answer
Funfetti cake mix cookies are soft, colorful cookies made with dry Funfetti cake mix, eggs, oil, melted butter, and vanilla. This recipe bakes at 325°F for 11–13 minutes, then gets dipped halfway into vanilla frosting and topped with sprinkles. Below, you’ll find baking tips, decorating ideas, storage instructions, and ways to serve them at a tea party.
Jump to:
- Quick Answer
- A Little Candiland Talk
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- What Makes This Recipe Special
- Ingredient Notes
- Funfetti Cake Mix Cookie Directions
- Candi’s Pro Tips
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Store and Freeze
- How to Serve Funfetti Cookies at a Tea Party
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Try These Cookie Recipes:
- Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies
A Little Candiland Talk
Don’t sprinkles just make everything better? They remind me of looking into a box of donuts and immediately choosing the one with sprinkles. It’s like they’re saying, “Pick me, pick me!”
And a plate of these cookies next to me while I’m binge-watching a good TV show? That sounds like an easy way to eat one too many. My plan would be to put a couple on a little plate, make a cup of tea, and leave the rest in the kitchen. Whether I stick to that plan is another story!
These are also just the sort of treat I’d pack up for my kids to take to work. However, I should probably set a few aside for my husband first. Otherwise, I can already hear, “Where did all the cookies go?”
Around here, baking the cookies might be easier than deciding who gets the last one.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- An easy cake mix shortcut: No need to measure flour, sugar, and leavening separately.
- No mixer needed: Stir the dough together with a sturdy spoon.
- A pretty frosting finish: Half-dipped cookies look festive without complicated decorating.
- Perfect for sharing: Bring them to work, birthdays, showers, or afternoon tea.
- Easy to customize: Choose sprinkle colors to match your celebration.
What Makes This Recipe Special
The combination of butter and vanilla adds extra flavor to the cake mix, while the frosting gives the cookies a sweet finishing touch.
Instead of frosting the entire cookie, you dip just half. You get a little frosting with each bite, and you can still see the colorful cookie underneath.
There’s no piping bag required, either. Just dip, sprinkle, and let the frosting set.
Ingredient Notes
- See the recipe card below for exact amounts.
- Funfetti cake mix: This recipe uses 15.25 ounces of dry cake mix. Check your package weight because box sizes vary. Do not prepare the mix according to the cake directions.
- Vegetable oil: A neutral oil lets the vanilla flavor come through.
- Butter: Melt the butter and let it cool slightly before mixing it with the eggs.
- Eggs: Use two large eggs.
- Vanilla extract: Adds another layer of vanilla flavor.
- Vanilla frosting: Store-bought frosting keeps decorating simple. Warm it gently until it is loose enough for dipping.
- Sprinkles: Rainbow jimmies make a cheerful topping. Small round nonpareils also work on the frosting.
Funfetti Cake Mix Cookie Directions
Preheat Oven to 325 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper
In a large bowl, mix by hand the cake mix, oil, melted butter, extract, and eggs. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Don’t overmix.
Using a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, drop cookies onto a cookie sheet. Keep 2 Inches apart.
Bake for 11–13 minutes, until the edges are set and the bottom edges begin to turn lightly golden. The centers should remain soft without looking wet or raw. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before dipping in frosting.
In a small microwavable bowl (that you can dip the cookie in), place the vanilla icing. Microwave at 50% power for 10 seconds and stir. Repeat one or two times. Don’t overheat or the frosting will separate.
Dip the cookie halfway down into the melted icing. Lay on parchment paper or a drying rack and sprinkle with the candy sprinkles while the icing is still warm.
Let the icing harden before serving.
Candi’s Pro Tips
- Follow the cookie recipe instead of the cake box. Adding the water or other ingredients listed on the package will change the dough.
- Watch the edges. Waiting for the entire cookie to turn golden can leave you with a firmer cookie after it cools.
- Keep your portions consistent. Cookies of similar sizes bake more evenly.
- Let baking sheets cool between batches. A hot pan can cause the dough to spread before it reaches the oven.
- Heat frosting slowly. Stir between short microwave bursts and stop as soon as it is ready for dipping.
- Decorate a few cookies at a time. Add the sprinkles before the coating begins to set.
Substitutions and Variations
Vanilla Cake Mix
If you can’t find Funfetti cake mix, use 15.25 ounces of vanilla cake mix and add baking-suitable rainbow sprinkles.
Different brands may produce slightly different texture and spread.
Unfrosted Cookies
Skip the frosting for a simpler cookie to enjoy with tea or pack in a lunch.
Birthday Cookies
Use rainbow sprinkles and arrange the cookies around a birthday cake or on a dessert platter.
Tea Party Cookies
Choose pastel decorations for a spring tea, pink and white for a shower, or colors that coordinate with your teacups and napkins.
Holiday Cookies
Change the topping colors for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, or another celebration. If you want all the colors to coordinate, check the sprinkles already included in your cake mix, too.
How to Store and Freeze
Allow the cookies to cool and the frosting to set before storing. Use an airtight container with parchment paper between layers to help protect the decorations.
Unfrosted cookies: Store at room temperature for up to 3–4 days for best quality.
Frosted cookies: Follow the storage directions on your frosting label, including any refrigeration instructions. A shallow, rigid container will help keep the frosting from getting squished. If refrigerated, let the cookies lose their chill before serving.
Freezing Baked Cookies
For the neatest finish, freeze the cookies without frosting in an airtight freezer container for up to 2 months.
Thaw them in the covered container, then dip and decorate once thawed.
Freezing Cookie Dough
Scoop the dough onto a lined tray and freeze until firm. Transfer the portions to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
Label the bag with the recipe name and baking temperature. Frozen dough may need additional baking time, so watch for set edges and lightly golden bottoms.
How to Serve Funfetti Cookies at a Tea Party
These cookies make a cheerful addition to the sweets course at a tea party. The vanilla frosting and colorful sprinkles are especially fun for birthday teas, baby showers, and a relaxed afternoon with friends.
Arrange them in a single layer on the sweets tier of your serving stand or on a pretty platter beside the teapot. Let the frosting set completely before arranging them so the decorations stay neat.
For a simple tea party menu, serve them with:
- Finger sandwiches or savory bites.
- Scones with jam and cream.
- English breakfast tea or Earl Grey.
- A caffeine-free herbal tea for guests who prefer it.
Choose sprinkle colors that coordinate with your table setting for an easy decorating detail. You can find more celebration ideas in my tea party birthday guide.
These cookies also make sweet take-home favors. Once the frosting has set, tuck one into a food-safe favor bag and tie it with a ribbon.
If you’re planning the whole gathering, my tea party checklist will help you keep the details organized.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Use the dry cake mix and add only the ingredients listed in this cookie recipe. The package directions use different liquid amounts to make cake batter.
This recipe calls for 15.25 ounces of dry mix. A smaller box is not a direct substitution because it changes the balance of dry mix, eggs, and fat.
Use the specified weight. Keep in mind that a reformulated mix may still bake differently even when the weight matches.
Don’t overbake, even if they don’t seem baked completely. Follow the time listed and make sure your oven is calibrated to the right temp. They continue baking for a minute or two after you remove them from the oven.
Yes, you can freeze the cookie dough before you bake it by scooping it into balls and freezing it in a Ziploc bag for up to two months. You can also freeze after baking by placing them in a container or Ziploc bag.
Try These Cookie Recipes:
Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 Funfetti Cake Mix 15.25 oz box mix
- 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
- 4 Tablespoons Butter Melted
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Vanilla Store Bought Frosting
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Sprinkles Optional
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 325 degrees F.
- Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper
- In a large bowl, mix together by hand the cake mix, oil, melted butter, extract, and eggs. Stir with a wooden spoon, until combined. Don't overmix.
- Using a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, drop cookies onto a cookie sheet. Leave about 2 inches between cookies.
- Bake for 11-13 Minutes or until the bottom edges start to turn golden. They may seem a little underbaked, but once the edges look a little crisp, then remove them from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
- In a small microwavable bowl (that you can dip the cookie in) place the vanilla icing. Microwave at 50% power for 10 seconds and stir. Repeat one or two times. Don't overheat or the frosting will separate.
- Dip the cookie halfway into the warmed frosting. Lay on the parchment paper or a drying rack and sprinkle with the candy sprinkles while frosting is still warm.
- Let the frosting harden before serving.
