In the winter I make Peppermint Homemade Oreos so I thought it would be fun to make a heart shaped version – enter Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Cake Mix Cookies
My kids loved making these cake mix cookies with me. They were fun to make and so easy to do! Having them join me in the kitchen is super important. I want them to learn how to cook and bake. When I ask Drew his favorite recipe he still talks about these cookies (which we first made 6 years ago!)…
To make these Cake Mix Cookies you will need:
These Valentine Cookies are ridiculously easy to make. Using the cake mix as a base, you can whip them up so fast and make the holidays so much more fun. Here’s what you need to make them:
- strawberry cake mix
- eggs
- shortening
- cream cheese
- butter
- vanilla extract
- powdered sugar
How to make cookies from cake mix:
This recipe is perfect if you are feeling like something sweet but don’t want a lot to clean up or to spend hours baking. Some notes on how to make them:
- You can use any flavor of cake mix. For Valentine’s day I used strawberry because they come out pink and remind me of the holiday. But if you like other flavors, they would work with this recipe too.
- Vegetable oil is used in this recipe because it helps make them moist. (I know, I hate that word too) Butter can be used as well but it’s not straight fat like vegetable oil is so the consistency will change.
- If the dough is too tough to work with because it’s sticky, you can refrigerate for a bit before baking. This will make it easier to work with.
Other Cake Mix ideas:
You’re going to love these other cake mix ideas if you like my cake mix cookies recipe. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
- Strawberry Dump Cake
- Slow Cooker Peach Dump Cake
- Chocolate Cake – Million Dollar Cake
- Peppermint Homemade Oreos
Cake Mix Cookie Recipe
If you love these Cake Mix Cookies as much as I do, please write a five star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
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Strawberry Heart Oreo Valentine Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie:
- 15.25 oz strawberry cake mix
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 c shortening
Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 c butter (1/2 stick) softened
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 4 c powdered sugar
Instructions
For the cookie:
- Mix the cookie ingredients together.
- The dough will be pretty stiff-it’s supposed to be that way. ;)
- Roll into balls.
- Place two next to each other.
- Pinch the bottom to create a heart.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.
- Immediately transfer to a cooling rack.
- When cookies are cool, frost them and then sandwich them like an Oreo.
For the frosting:
- Mix cream cheese and 1/2 stick of softened butter.
- Add vanilla.
- Then slowly add in one cup of powdered sugar at a time until creamy.
- Spread onto cool cookies.
- Sandwich together.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated to add: I’ve gotten some comments about using margarine in this recipe- if you use margarine instead of shortening, the batter won’t be the right consistency. Also some people have used extra moist or pudding added cake mixes- that seems to make the batter runny. Stick to regular strawberry cake mix for best results.
I made these cookies and they came out perfect! I actually had more than the estimated amount and i decreased the amount of shortening to less than a half. Other than that, they were delicious and extremely creative. I loved this recipe! So simple, but the heart making required some dedication.
These look amazing. Thanks for sharing the recipe and the bag topper.
Absolutely love these! I have been making my 4 year olds 2 preschool teachers deserts of the months, thanks to you :), and these will be perfect for their February ones. Thanks so much for all the great ideas and all the time you put in to this site!
favorite Valentines Day gift? A dozen roses that my boyfriend of the time spray painted black for me because I said that I would like them IF they came in that color… Later he found a hybrid rose called Black Magic which is such a deep wine it almost appears black in dim lighting =)
I love this…I used to have a tradition of making cookies for valentines (because by then everyone is missing Christmas cookies.) maybe I should start back.
These look adorable; almost too good to eat.
These heart cookie are adorable! I would love to make them for my grandchildren for Valentines Day. Usually I bake them a heart shaped cake but this would be nice and different. All your desserts looks yummy.
Love the idea! Would using a heart cookie cutter work instead of the two balls of dough being put together?
I’d love to make these and use the bag topper. <3
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Is it okay to double the recipe to make double the amount or should I only mix and make the 12-15 recipe at a time. I’m doing this for a classroom of 24 children. Thanks!
So.. I followed the recipe to a t and it turned out like this: http://www.pinterestfail.com/2013/01/14/fail-homemade-oreo-cookies/homemade-oreos/
I’m not sure what went wrong. The cake mix wasn’t a super moist one. It did say moist but nowadays it’s really hard to find a cake mix that’s not. The Crisco was butter flavored but other than that I’m not sure why it would have spread out so drastically.
I was liberal with the filling and still had a TON left over. Next time I’d make half or even 1/4 of the filling.
These look so yummy! Can’t wait to try them! If I successfully complete it and have pretty cookies..lol… I will happily post the pictures on my blog http://www.willwork4cupcakes.blogspot.com and of course give you all the credit you deserve.
Great idea thanks so much for sharing!
Hi. I am linking to you in a round up I’m doing about great Valentine’s projects. I am linking to both this post and your site. If this is not acceptable, please just let me know. Love your project!
Marty@Marty’s Musings
I never thought to add a cream filling – brilliant. I can’t eat crisco, so I have made the cake mix cookies several times using cold butter. They spread a little more than the crisco, but still work out. :-)
I made your cookies this week – Amazing!! Thanks for sharing your recipe. I posted your recipe idea on my blog – i hope you don’t mind! Have a Happy Valentines Day!! ;)
Amy- Yay!!! So glad that they were a success. Enjoy!
What’s the secret here? I just made these with my kids, and they looked great going into the oven, but then they spread and flattened out like pancakes during the baking. They taste yummy, but they’re so thin and break when we pick them up, that we won’t be able to frost them. :(
Hmmmm Erin- did you do something different from the recipe? Did you use a regular ol’ strawberry cake mix (not moist or pudding added?)? Or something besides shortening? What about the temperature and time? I’m sorry they didn’t turn out. :(
I followed your recipe and temp exactly, but looking at your pictures, I do wonder if I molded them too much before baking. Mine were flatter going into the oven than yours appear here. Like I said, they were still very tasty! I will definitely try again! Thanks!
these were a huge hit at work today! although because they’re sandwich cookies, even though I made them super small, there were still only 20 of them. next time I will bring the frosting in a separate bowl, and let people spread it on the individual cookies, so as to increase the overall quantity. oh, I also added Valentine sprinkles :) thanks for a wonderful recipe!!!
Krista- thanks for the comment. It’s true- because they are sandwich cookies they don’t go as far. I like your idea of bringing the bowl and letting people have at them. ;) Glad that you all enjoyed them. Happy happy Valentine’s day!
Hey Mique…thanks for sharing this! The strawberry tastes great and is the perfect color for Valentines Day:) I was SUPER excited to find “pink lemonade” cake mix today at Walmart…they are also amazing…and are just a lighter shade of pink than the strawberry! So fun!!! Happy Valentines Day!!!
Holly that is AWESOME! I want to find pink lemonade cake mix!! I’ll be on the look out. So fun. Thanks for the comment. Happy Valentine’s Day to you! xo
Making them now and they turned out heart-shaped…thank you so much!!
Awesome Niki- glad they turned out heart shaped! xo
I assume these are soft cookies. Am I right? Wanna make for hubby and he does not like crunchy cookies. These look so delicious :)
Hi Mary- yes they are soft cookies. Hope your husband approves. ;)
I’m about to make these with the extra moist cake mix and am using premade vanilla frosting. Sometimes it’s hard being a college student who loves cooking! I’ll let you know how they turn out!
Hope they turn out ok Kate! Thanks for the comment. ;)
They turned out perfect!
Thanks for the recipe!
I just tried these using applesauce in place of shortening because I didn’t have any on hand. It didn’t work…they were too runny/sticky to make into balls, then hearts.
Do you have any suggestions to replace the shortening? Or do I need to go to the store?
Hi Tracey- other people have tried margarine and it didn’t work. Butter *might* work because it’s stiffer than margarine. But the best bet would be to use shortening. I’ve never tried it with anything else and mine have always turned out. They are supposed to be sticky but kind of thick sticky…… sorry about that.
I went to the store and bought some Crisco. I re-made them and they turned out much better. Thanks! My hubby loved them. :)
Oh good!!! Glad they turned out the second time and that your hubby loved them. Enjoy!
love this recipe! the directions were easy to follow, and my heart shaped cookies were a BIG hit with my family! thanks for a great tutorial and a yummy new Valentine treat!
Kristi you are the best. The end! xo
These cookies are so easy & taste great! My kids loved them! Thanks.
Thank you for sharing!! A friend of mine had these pinned and made them at a birthday party. They were so yummy!!!!! My boys loved them. I will be printing these out so I can make them for me and my hubbys anniversary on valentines. Thank you Again!!!
Yay Ashley! So glad that your boys liked them and that you plan on making them for your anniversary. Have fun! Thanks or the comment.
Oh, nevermind! I found it!
Glad you found it Britt- enjoy!
What’s the icing recipe for these adorable cookies?! Am I missing it somewhere? Hahaha.
Thanks :)
Just tried these tonight with my best friend–they are heavenly! The frosting is to die for. Our cookies came out a little bit thick so we ended up just putting the frosting on top of each one, but this recipe is a MUST-have =]
YAY Elizabeth!!! So glad to hear it! My family devoured them. They are definitely sweet though- one side is probably plenty. That frosting is my fave! ;) Thank you thank you for the sweet comment. xo
These look delish! I just found you through Eighteen25. I’m gonna go tour your blog now :) Thanks for the recipe!
These look FABULOUS! I cannot wait to try them out!! I shared the link to this post on my blog. http://365daysofholidaydeals.com/all-things-valentine-day-5/
Sarah- thanks for commenting. And for linking on your post! xo
Trying these are soon as my daughter gets up from her nap. I’m going to experiment with a cookie cutter. Wish me luck! :)
How did they turn out using a cutter?
Great! I rolled them into balls then flattened them to fit the cookie cutter. They took 5 1/2- 6 minutes to cook depending on how many I had on the baking sheet. I added sprinkles too. They look nice and taste delish! Very sweet cookie sandwiches:)
Jennifer- I just saw this reply to my comment- oops! Glad they turned out with cutters!! I have more plans to make other variations. ;) Thanks for letting me know. xo
I found these on Pinterest and actually had strawberry cake mix in the pantry! Made them this morning and they turned out great – even held their heart shape. Next time I will make them much smaller – mine were way too big! Thanks for posting this!
Made as directed but my cookies turned to circles nOt hearts?! Grrr what did I do wrong?? Used crisco two eggs and cake mix why did they run and too soft but burned edges? Help!
Is there a way to make these into cutout cookies? My girls want to decorate cookies for Valentine’s Day and they are SO into pink…plus I happen to have strawberry cake mix. :)
Not sure if it is because I substituted butter for shortening, but mine were incredibly sticky (thus hard to form) and didn’t hold their shape well in the oven. They do taste good, though! Next time I think I’ll just make circles :)
Hi Lindsay,
I’ve never used butter- just shortening and they’ve always turned out. Sorry about that.
Same thing happened to mine (I used margarine.) I’m thinking it was either that, or I used the Pillsbury Super Moist cake mix (which maybe won’t get as think?) So, I just dropped them onto the cookie sheet and they turned out just fine–just not heart shaped. :) They were very good though!
*thick, not think
Lindsay, I used shortening and mine turned out sticky, too. The recipe isn’t very well written and I passed on the idea of placing two balls of dough next to each other then squeezing them together at the bottom to make the heart shape because I didn’t think the would come out heart shaped. I sprayed a cookie sheet with Pam then rolled the dough out into a single layer covering the cookie sheet. I then baked for approximately 9-10 minutes, let it cook then removed the baked cake/cookie from the pan. I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut the cookies. Yes, there was wasted cake but at least the cookies were heart-shaped. Regarding the frosting, the instructions state to just mix everything together. Given the 4cps. of confectioner’s sugar, this would be incredibly difficult to do. I recommend combining the cream cheese and butter first, adding the vanilla, then SIFTING the confectioner’s sugar into the mixture a little bit at a time. I think these modifications made for a more pleasant baking experience, at least for me. :)
Laura Ray,
I just finished a batch of these cookies yesterday. I used the shortening and didn’t experience stickiness…Perhaps you used a moist cake mix?
Next time you really out to try putting the cake/dough balls together and just pinching them. It worked perfectly without all the waste and mess that would come from cutting with a cookie cutter.
I know you didn’t like the recipe. To be honest, I followed the directions pretty much word for word and my cookies turned out perfectly…I will be rating this recipe highly AND even more importantly, taking a batch of the cookies to my in-laws :)
Laura Ray- I’m sorry yours didn’t turn out the way you had hoped.
Thank you so much for the comment Tauni- hope your inlaws approved. ;) xoxo
Mique, Oh my gosh. Everyone loved the cookies and I shared a link to your recipe with several. Thank you for this great idea!
These look extremely wonderful!!! How perfect for Valentines Day! I featured them as a latest find for cookie recipes at The Latest Find!
http://thelatestfind.blogspot.com/2012/01/latest-finds-for-cookie-recipes.html
Wonderful! Saw you on pint rest and now I’m hooked at looking at your goodies. Gonna try to make these soon. They look great!
Hey, I love this & had to feature it in my “things I like thursday” post!
http://craftingandcreativity.blogspot.com/2012/01/things-i-like-thursday-21.html
:) Sarah
I love this idea and I know my granddaughter will absolutely love them, she loves hearts and the color pink, in fact I think I will make them for her b-day party this weekend!!
I found these cookies through tatertots & jello’s party. I love cake batter cookies and though these were just great. I’m featuring your cookies on my blog post today @ whitelightsonwednesday.blogspot.com
Julie :)
Hope you were able to make them Tammy- thanks for the comment!
These look so yummy! Can’t wait to try them. Thanks for the printable too.
You’re so welcome Jeni- thanks for the comment. Enjoy!
I used this pinching idea with my regular sugar cookie dough and it worked great to make hearts. After I pinched the bottom, I closed the line between the two balls by pressing down the line with my finger. I used the palm of my hand to flatten them just a bit. Once I got the hang of what I was doing, they all turned out perfect – just like a cut cookie. Thanks for the idea, Mique
Awesome Georgia- I was worried if I flattened them they might turn out funny. I guess I’ll have to try it your way. :)
Glad that you made them and they turned out! xo
I love these Mique!!
Thanks for linking up! I featured you post in my wrap up http://tidymom.net/2012/valentines-day-ideas/ Have a great weekend!
Thanks so much Cheryl- you’re the best! xo
Those are too stinking cute!
Thank you Miss Heather. And THANK YOU for always taking the time to comment. You are inspiring me to be better about commenting. It really means a lot to me. I need to go comment on AFD now. ;) xoxo
Awh, I wish I could comment on all of your awesome posts! (And I certainly do read them all….) xo!!
yum! pinning!
would love it if you could share this on my link party
http://serenityyou.blogspot.com/search/label/Serenity%20Saturday
Natasha
Thanks Natasha!!
So cute what a fun idea. Great blog check out my food blog.
http://www.thedailysmash101.blogspot.com
Have a great Day :)
These are adorable and look so yummy!
Thanks so much for sharing, gonna try them for sure!!
p.s. Those cookies look sooooo yummy! ;)
I have always adored your blog but your new look is even MORE amazing! Luv it!
Ohhh my goodness, these are SO cute!!! You have such great ideas!!
Thanks for sharing both the recipe and the bag topper!
I just came across your website and I am in love! Why my girls napped I just read and saved and read and saved so many of your darling ideas! Thanks so much for sharing your talents!! Just curious, I haven’t scrolled through ALL your archives yet…do you have any fun printables about washing hand or taking baths (kid bathroom friendly stuff)? THanks again Mique! I’ll keep reading and following along :)
These are adorable Mique! {And I LOVE your new look as well!}
Love them!!!! I can’t wait to make these!!! Thanks for them both! I always love your printables!
Thanks for the printable and the yummy recipe!