This easy-to-follow recipe transforms a classic red velvet cake mix into chewy, vibrant red velvet cookies that are loaded with white chocolate chips and perfect for any occasion. Best of all, they’re made with just 4 ingredients!
Table of Contents
Three words: Cake mix cookies.
Yes, you read that correctly. Yes, you can use any type of red velvet cake mix. And yes, these will be the softest, chewiest, most chocolate chip-filled cookies to ever cross your lips. So preheat your oven, make sure the milk is ice-cold, and read on for this quick and easy cookie recipe that marries red velvet cake flavor with chocolate chip cookie perfection.
During my appearance on The Rachael Ray Show, these cookies stole the spotlight. Rachael Ray’s reaction? “They’re insane! They’re so beautiful!”
What’s to Love
- These cookies couldn’t be easier to make, requiring only four ingredients. And just imagine the endless flavor combinations with other cake mixes, including chocolate chip cake mix cookies and festive Grinch cookies!
- They’re perfect for every occasion! Picture these festive cookies on your Christmas cookie platter or tucked inside a Valentine’s Day cookie box. Or, whip a batch for any ol’ day when you’re craving something sweet!
- Each bite is soft, moist and wonderfully chewy.
- Loaded with white chocolate chips. If you love white chocolate chips, try my recipe for white chocolate cheesecake cookies next!
Boxed cake mix is the ultimate time-saving hack for cookies (and even banana bread!). It has all the essential dry ingredients you need – flour, sugar and leavening agents – to create the base for this tasty dessert. Simply mix in your wet ingredients, and you’ll have soft and chewy red velvet cookies in no time! Let’s take a closer look at what you’ll need:
- Red velvet cake mix: Any brand of red velvet boxed cake mix will work as long as it weighs 15.25 ounces. I prefer the cake mixes that include pudding in the mix, as the resulting cookies are even softer and chewier in texture.
- Vegetable oil: The use of oil, as opposed to butter, contributes to a softer and more chewy texture in the cookies.
- Eggs: Act as a binding agent in the cookie dough, helping to hold the ingredients together.
- White chocolate chips: Add a sweet and creamy contrast to the rich flavors of the red velvet cookie dough. Milk or dark chocolate chips work, too!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
The real trick to ensuring cake mix cookies maintain their soft and chewy texture is the same technique I use for my bakery-style M&M cookies: You must chill the dough. A quick burst of cool air allows the ingredients to cozy up to one another and work their magic. So don’t skip that crucial step!
- Combine ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the red velvet cake mix, vegetable oil and eggs. Mix the ingredients together until you achieve a smooth, well-incorporated dough.
- Add white chocolate chips. Gently fold the white chocolate chips into the red velvet cookie dough.
- Chill the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 45 minutes.
- Scoop and bake. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball. Arrange the cookie dough balls on the baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies for 10 to 13 minutes or until they’re slightly crisped around the edges and still soft in the center.
- Cool and enjoy. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a rack to cool completely. This helps the cookies set while maintaining their chewy texture.
Pro Tip: Ever wondered how your local bakery achieves those flawlessly round cookies? It’s simple! Just after taking the cookies out of the oven, grab a large circular ring or glass. Gently place it on top of each cookie and rotate it in a circular motion, allowing the edges of the cookie to meet the sides of the ring. This easy technique ensures that every red velvet cookie is perfectly circular in shape.
- Room Temp Eggs: Bring your eggs to room temperature before incorporating them into the dough.
- Chill the Dough: One of the secrets to achieving the ideal cookie texture is to chill the dough before baking. This step allows the fat in the dough to resolidify, ensuring that your cookies hold their shape as they bake.
- Use Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat: Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent the cookies from sticking and to make cleanup easier.
Once cooled, store your red velvet white chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days. If stacking cookies in a container, place parchment paper between layers to prevent them from sticking together.
The cookie dough is freezer-friendly and can be stored for up to 3 months. For convenient baking later on, I recommend scooping the dough into balls before freezing. When you’re ready to bake, there’s no need to thaw—just place the frozen dough balls on a baking sheet and add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Common Questions
Feel free to get creative with mix-ins! Substitute white chocolate chips with dark or milk chocolate chips or even your favorite chopped nuts.
I recommend using vegetable oil for its ability to keep the cookies moist. However, you can experiment with melted butter for a slightly different texture and flavor.
Yes! The refrigeration period gives the ingredients a chance to bind. A cohesive dough is a better dough, and one that guarantees the cookies won’t spread too much while baking.
Red velvet cookies have a subtly chocolate flavor with a touch of tanginess. The intensity of the chocolate flavor might vary based on the specific cake mix you use.
- Red Velvet Brookies
- Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies
- Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownie Bites
- Red Velvet Cupcakes with Piped Cream Cheese Frosting
- Red Velvet Pancakes with Cream Cheese Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25-oz.) box red velvet cake mix (See Kelly’s Note)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cake mix, oil and eggs until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 45 minutes.
- When ready to bake, scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball. Arrange the cookie dough balls on the baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies for 10 to 13 minutes or until they’re slightly crisped around the edges and still soft in the center. (The cookies will puff up slightly while baking but then settle as they cool. All ovens vary in temperature, so check the cookies at 12 minutes then continue baking if needed.)
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a rack to cool completely. Repeat the baking process with the remaining dough, allowing the baking sheet to cool completely between each batch.
Kelly’s Notes
- Any brand of red velvet boxed cake mix will work as long as it weighs 15.25 ounces. I prefer the cake mixes that include pudding in the mix, as the resulting cookies are even softer and chewier in texture.
- One of the secrets to achieving the ideal cookie texture is to chill the dough before baking. This step allows the fat in the dough to resolidify, ensuring that your cookies hold their shape as they bake.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
These cookies looks amazing! Since you wrote the recipe, the Betty Crocker mix is now only 13.25 oz….. is there any adjustment that I need to make, to the other ingredients, in order to have the same results?
No adjustment needed, Dorit! It won’t change the recipe at all. Enjoy!
I’ve made it today and left in the freezer for a lit bit and it was easier to slice. It’s delicious soft in the center and crunch on sides.
The box of cake here in Australia is much smaller so I used 1 egg and 1/3 cup oil it worked perfectly.
Thanks
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Which cookbook has the fed velvet cookie recipe?
Hi Ellie! You can find the recipe for the cookies above. My cookbook, The Secret Ingredient Cookbook, features 125 brand-new family-friendly recipes. Here’s the Amazon link in case you’re interested in purchasing a copy: https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Ingredient-Cookbook-Family-Friendly-Surprisingly/dp/0358353971/ :)
I ran right out after seeing Rachel Ray this week and made them … lol my husband was like, “I thought we were on a diet??” … they are super fast, easy and delicious (and I agree w the comment below that batter was very thick / hard to mix w mixer but chilling really helped) Agree w Maria that hand mixing may be best. It is an epiphany to not have to soften butter and measure ingredients!
BUT… did I read the guesstimated nutritional info correctly? 229 calories PER cookie? So the 4 cookies I scarfed down immediately after making them was almost 1000 calories?
Rut roh!!!
Thanks so much for tuning in to the Rachael Ray segment, Dee! The calories depends on the brand of cake mix you use and the cookie size, so it’s just an estimate :)
I have purchase her cooking bookbook today by Amazon.
How I can get the recipe for the Cockie candy cone recipe and the Christmas tree
Thank you kindly
Hi Judith! Here’s the link to all of my Christmas Recipes: https://www.justataste.com/christmas-recipes/ :)
Hi Kelly,
I just made the cookies today and they taste great. But the batter was very difficult to mix.
The ingredients did not want to blend, and the batter itself was extremely sticky. It all clogged up in the beaters and I had to constantly raise the beaters up to release the batter. Then little splatters of batter went all over the place. When it was finally mixed it was so sticky and I couldn’t get it off the beaters and spatula. And I don’t know how you rolled it into balls. It stuck to itself and my hands so I just spooned them out. The cookies are good but what did I do wrong?
Hi Mary! There are a couple of factors that may have attributed to this, such as the ingredients being too warm or there wasn’t enough flour (read: the boxed cake mix was less than 15.25-oz.). Chilling the dough thoroughly will help make it easier to scoop it.
I chilled it overnight. I’m almost positive the mix was 15.25 oz, but will check again. I made a double recipe; could that have caused a problem?
Hi Mary – What issue did you have with the recipe?
Hello Kelly, I love making this cookie recipe for my family, as they are so delicious and so easy to make! My one recommendation is to not use an electric mixer at all – just hand mix with a spatula; that way nothing will stick or splatter. It’s not hard to stir by hand. Thanks for the great recipe.
Thanks for your tip, Maria! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
They’re great !! Thanks for the recipe :)
You’re so welcome, Annie! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Red velvet cake mix cookies are awesome thank you for the recipe
You are so welcome, Tommy! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Can this be done with any cake mix?
Hi there! I’ve only made this particular recipe with a red velvet-flavored cake mix.
Cake mix cookies have become a quick go to in our house and this version is the bomb. Great in red color and the white chocolate chips give the right pop of sweetness. We love them!
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Nicholas!
I’ve made it but the cookies were flat I don’t know what could have happened.. they tasted very nice though but they were not as chunky as the photo… can i use butter instead of the oik? If i will no so how much butter will i use in substitution of the 1/2 cup of veg oil?
Hi there! I’ve never tried that substitution so I’m not certain.
What size balls for this cookie? I I have pampered chef small & med scout?
Hi Paula! As noted in the recipe above, you’ll want to scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough to roll into a ball.
May I know how long can this cookie last? Can this cookie be made for selling?
Hi Rosaline! They’ll stay fresh for about 5 days when stored in an airtight container at room temp.
I’ve made these 3 – 4 times in the past and they’ve been SUCH a huge hit! These are a great go-to when you’re looking for a red-colored dessert.
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you’re enjoying the recipe, Amanda!
I have a mixer but not one with a paddle, can I use a regular mixer attachment or should I mix by hand?
Hi Carla! You can use a regular mixer. Just make sure you mix the batter until it’s well-combined and then you can stir in the chocolate chips by hand before refrigerating the dough. Enjoy! :)
Could I add a small pack of vanilla pudding to the mix??
Hi Debra – I’ve never tried that so I can’t say for certain what the results will be. Let me know if you give it a shot!
I made the red velvet cake cookies, and they were delicious! My family said they were the bomb! Thank you for the recipe.
You are so welcome, Ernestine! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed them!
Hi…the only size of red velvet cake mix is 515 grams which equals to 18.166
ounces. Can I just use that or do you recommend any adjustments to the other ingredients. They look so yummy. ..making them for Christmas.
Hi Marlene – That should still work!
Can I use foil if I don’t have the other paper ?
Hi Chase – Aluminum foil should work, just be sure to grease the top of it to prevent any sticking. Also, expect the bottoms of your cookies to be a bit crispier and you may need to adjust the bake time as foods cooked on foil tend to cook a bit faster.
Crazy question- how can you tell if the cake mix has pudding in it? Can you share which brand you use?
Hi Lauren! Usually it will state on the front of the box that pudding is in the mix, but my favorite is Betty Crocker.
Can the recipe be doubled?
Absolutely!
High altitude here — just follow the high altitude directions on the box?
Hi Judy – I’ve never tried baking these at altitude so I’m not sure!
Super sad, I burnt the bottom of all the cookies…. they look super tasty, but the whole bottom is burnt. Like black. Any suggestions?
Hi Tori! Did you line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat? And did you bake the cookies in the top half of the oven so the bottom of the pan is away from the lower heating element? Lastly, is your baking sheet a dark color? Dark pans absorb heat and can cause the cookie bottoms to burn. Lighter gray or heavy dull-aluminum baking sheets are best. Hopefully this helps!
Can you freeze the dough?
Absolutely, Rachel! I recommend freezing the cookie dough in balls/scoops so all you have to do is bake them off as needed.
Can you add a tsp of baking powder and 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract to this?
Can I use the one with pudding?
Hi there! I’ve never tried that so I can’t say with certainty what the results would be. Let me know if you give it a shot!
Made these cookies as a birthday gift for an excellent baker She loved them and was touched that a person with very little baking experience took on such a task! Thanks for the recipe that made her day!
You are so welcome, Debbie! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I don’t have a mixer. Can I just mix the batter by hand?
Definitely!
Do you have to flatten the cookies before baking? I have made a few box cookies recipes and they balls never flatten out. I have to always go back in and push them down. Am I doing something wrong?
No need! The results will vary greatly depending on the type of oven you have and how the heat circulates, so there’s always a million factors in play!
Hello Kelly,
I’m about to make these cookies and I wanted to know if I should follow your recipe or the actual box? Because you said two eggs and the box calls for three eggs?
Follow the recipe :)
Very delicious and moist
Can I refrigerate the dough overnight?
Absolutely!
Can you freeze them?
Definitely! I recommend freezing the cookie dough in balls/scoops so all you have to do is bake them off as needed.
Can you substitute the oil for something less heavy?
Hi there! I’ve never made these cookies with an oil substitute so I’m sorry but I can’t weigh in on this!
I’m currently cooking these for a cookie exchange tomorrow! They look beautiful but the cake mix was thick and I am a little worried.
Hi Taylor! The mixture should be thick enough to scoop. How’d they turn out?
??? Can u bake boxed cake mix cookies in a mini electric muffin maker it would be the perfect way to cook them on s hot summer days
Hi Sue! I’ve never tried that so I’m not sure!
The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of dough but it made the cookies HUGE. I found 2 teaspoons to be a better portion size.
Would these work making brookies?
Hi there! I’ve never tried making brookies with this recipe so I’m not certain.
Kelly- I was wondering if I can make the dough the night before and leave it over night to chill? If so, when do I pull it out before I bake them in the oven?
Absolutely! Refrigerating it will actually make the cookies even better. Just remove it from the fridge, scoop out the cookies and bake as the recipe states.
Cant wait to make these!!! Its my newborns first Christmas and his paternal grandmother is throwing a Christmas eve party. These will be a hit to bring and to show off my baking skills. Thank you!
I hope you enjoy the recipe, Jamara! Happy holidays!
I have not tried red velvet cake mix, but I do make this same cookie with German chocolate cake mix and butterscotch chips. I’m going to a cookie exchange tomorrow. These red velvet cookies will be perfect! Thanks for a new twist!
Your version sounds delicious! I hope you enjoy this recipe, too!
Kelly, I’m always looking for cookie recipes that can be frozen before they bake. (Our church has a cookie boutique every year and I want them fresh-baked and not already frozen so that if someone buys them and wants to freeze them for a week or two, they aren’t freezing the cookies a second time.) So if I were to scoop and roll these cookies, and then freeze them, waiting to bake them until I took them from the freezer and let them thaw, would that time suffice for the chill you ask for? They look lovely, and will work nicely for our cookie boutique!
That should work, Carol!
I got so many compliments on how great these cookies were! Thanks
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Well written and beautifully illustrated recipe. The cookies came out perfectly; slightly crisp on the outside and moist on the inside. I tried cooking them both on a single layer pan with parchment paper, and a double layer pan — I prefer the cookies that were baked on parchment paper as it yielded a more evenly cooked cookie bottom. Sent them to work with my husband for a 4th of July party, they were gone instantly. Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Serra!
These were a HUGE hit, thank you! If I wanted to freeze these after I scooped them, do I need to thaw them completely before baking? Some store bought frozen doughs can go directly in the oven, so I wasn’t sure. Thanks for this and all your other great recipes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jen! No need to thaw before baking. Just add a few minutes to the bake time.
I was wondering if i could make the red velvet form scratch. Do you have a recipe on the red velvet part of the cookie? The cookies look delicious!!
Just baked these, can’t wait for them to cool (I snuck a piece & omg) I’ll be baking these again & again for sure, Awesome recipe!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Marlene!
Hi chef kelly,
I really like to see this cookies,its look delicious and presentable,i want to ask is that only ingredients you have to used?then how did you put or make color red,its awesome.thank you.
The cake mix contains the coloring!
These cookies were awesome!!! Most of the time my cookies come out hard but these were amazingly soft & wonderful!!!
FYI… Putting cake mix into an ice-cream cone is a great way to serve. You fill the cone only 2/3 full & bake them like they were cupcakes. NO BIG MESS & NO cupcake wraps or plates needed!!!
Can it be any kind of cake mix or only velvet cake?
Hi there! I’ve only made this particular recipe with red velvet-flavored cake mix.
I just made them today and they came out amazing and delicious, never thought of making cookies out of cake box before, I only added less chocolate chips, probably will experiment with other flavors as well. Thank you for all of the incredible recipes Kelly. You are my favorite food blogger, also love your snapchats as well!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Brenda :)
can I substitute vegetable oil for butter? Making these for Valentine’s Dat ^_^
Thanks!
Hi Maia! I’ve never tried that substitution so I’m not certain.
Hi Kelly,
I really want to make these with my kids but unfortunately I don’t have a mixer with a paddle. I just have one if those hand held mixers and no attachments near the shape of the paddle. How would you suggest I improvise?
Thank you so much!
Hi Brenda! That should work. Just make sure you mix the batter until it’s well-combined and then you can stir in the chocolate chips by hand before refrigerating the dough. Enjoy! :)
I think I’m making these as pan bar cookies bc youth group will eat them, no matter what shape.
Hi Mel! Awesome! I’ve never tried making these as bar cookies so I’m not sure how long to bake them or if they’ll turn out in that shape. Keep me posted!
Chilling the dough is ALWAYS worth it, especially for cookies this fluffy puffy!
So true, Erin!
Oh my, it’s my daughters birthday coming up and I supposed to bring a treat to school. I’m sick of cupcakes! I’m sick of Frozen cupcakes and Elsa. And Anna. I’m making these instead and I bet her teacher will actually have one. (although my husband and I are teachers and we never eat anything we get from students in the high school, cause um, you know how kids are, those double dippers!
Haha! Amazing! I hope you enjoy the recipe, Laura :)