Bright and Cheery Cake Cookies

These cookies hold a special place in my heart.  I made around 200 of these for our wedding.  Proof below:

 

I made them a couple of weeks in advance of the wedding (with the Hubby's help - he stirred!).  I froze them and it worked out great!

This time around I made them for a friend.  My BFF.  (Hopefully she won't read this until she gets them because I'm shipping them in the morning!)  She is one of the awesomest people on the planet.  She is the most amazing and wonderful friend I could ever ask for and I would do anything for her.  From what I remembered, she really really liked these at our wedding and I was hoping to cheer her up a bit with some of these because the weather where she lives has sucked a big fat toe lately.  She lives in Boston, but since I knew these cookies lasted a while even after they thawed, I decided they were the winner for being shipped up north.  I am not going to put her picture on here this time around because I'm sure she will be like, "Jenny, why did you do that!?"  hahaha.  But I'm sure you will get to meet her soon.

These cookies are ridiculously easy.  They aren't even from scratch... GASP!  You will need the box mix for either strawberry cake or lemon cake, I made both this time around. I used Betty Crocker this time, but I also like Duncan Hines.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Pour the cake mix into a medium to large sized mixing bowl.  The only things you need to add to make the cookie dough is one large egg and 2/3 cup of oil. 

Stir well with a spatula or large spoon until all the mix is moistened.

I use a cookie scoop to get the appropriate sized cookies.  But I think a heaping tablespoon full of batter would also work. 

If you end up using the heaping tablespoon of batter, I would also roll the cookie dough into a ball with your hands (it doesn't have to be perfect).  That way the cookies will be a prettier shape... which is important, because these are pretty cookies!  Especially the strawberry ones... gosh they would be perfect for a girl baby shower! 

Place on a large cookie sheet (you can line with non-stick side up aluminum foil if you please, but do not grease either way) about 1 inch apart.  Bake for 11-13 minutes.  Keep a close eye on them.  The tops shouldn't ever get brown, because if they do you've baked them too long.  Look for browning around the edges of the cookies.  Once you see a nice golden color there, they are ready to be taken out of the oven. 

Allow to cool for 2-4 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack with a "turner" (I call everything a spatula, ha!) and allow to cool completely. 

Or just eat a really hot one like me... mushy deliciousness.  It's really hard to resist them, believe me!

Aren't they pretty?!?!

Our wedding colors were green and yellow, but I just couldn't help making the pink strawberry ones.  Plus they are one of the Hubby's favorite cookies that I make.  Right next to the Chocolate Crack Cookies and some other ones I make called oatmeal scotchies... don't worry, I'm gonna do a post on those too.  And lucky for you they are super easy also.

I can't give "credit" to these cookies because they were kindof made up.  A coworker of mine suggested I try them and then she told me the recipe and I forgot it and then I made up my own.  This may have been exactly what she told me but I can't remember for the life of me!  I don't know where she got them from either.  So they are the "Jenny's Cake Cookies" ;-) 

Strawberry or Lemon Cake Cake Cookies

One box of cake mix (lemon or strawberry)

2/3 cup oil

1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together in a medium or large mixing bowl until all mix is moistened (i.e. you don't want any powder left).  Use a medium sized cookie scoop to scoop onto a large un-greased baking sheet about 1 inch apart.  If you don't have a cookie scoop use a heaping tablespoonful and use your hands to roll into a ball before placing on cookie sheet.  Bake for 11-13 minutes until only edges of cookies start to brown.  Remove, cool, and EAT 'em up!

Enjoy!!