4-Ingredient Cookies and Cream Cookies
Use a white boxed cake to make these easy 4-Ingredient Cookies and Cream Cookies! They are truly just four ingredients (crazy right?) and take only minutes to stir up. They are big on the cookies and cream flavor!
Cake mix cookies are a popular internet trend. The first time I made cake mix cookies was waaaaay back in high school. Chocolate cake mix, a few other ingredients, and a coating of powdered sugar before baking. I still make them today and they are always a hit.
Cake mix cookies are extra fluffy, extra-easy, and a fun party trick for the uninitiated. “A cake mix? Really?!”
This recipe is a cookies-and-cream themed cookie and it’s a little different than the cake mix cookies recipe I made years ago. This recipe uses an egg and an unusual ingredient to pull together the dough. It’s Cool Whip! Who would’ve guessed?
You can use brand-name Cool Whip or another generic frozen whipped topping. I did not test this recipe with any of the dairy-free or vegan options that exist these days, but feel free to give it a go if you are up for experimenting.
These Cookies and Cream Cookies are soft and quite chewy, with almost a marshmallow-y texture. They store well and freeze well if you want to make them in advance. Add them to a Christmas cookie platter for something a little different!
Why You Will Want to Make This Recipe
- One bowl recipe! Less dishes is always a win in my book.
- Chilling is optional. The dough is a little sticky to scoop if you skip it, but if you are short on time, it’ll work!
- Homemade cookies with Oreos mixed in? Double the deliciousness!
Note: I do recommend chilling the crushed Oreo pieces for a few hours in the freezer if you have the time. It keeps the cream stable in the final cookie. However, if you don’t have time for this, the cookies will still be tasty!
Where to Find the Right Size Cake Mix
One of the important factors in this recipe is the cake mix. You want a cake mix that is 15.25 ounces.
I used a white cake mix from Aldi which was 15.25 ounces. I generally prefer a Duncan Hines or Pillsbury mix if possible. Both of these brands (at the time of writing) are 15.25 ounces as well. Betty Crocker’s mix is only 13.25 ounces, so avoid that one since the dough will be too sticky.
Note: If you own a food scale you can weigh a cake mix that is slightly more than it should be and just remove the excess mix before stirring it in.
Ingredients in 4-Ingredient Cookies
White Cake Mix – Use Aldi’s, Duncan Hines, or a Pillsbury mix if possible. These brands (at the time of writing) are 15.25 ounces which is the weight you need for this recipe.
Cool Whip – Any brand of name brand or generic frozen whipped topping should work, but I did not test dairy-free or vegan options. Note that the recipe requires the whip to be thawed in advance.
Egg – You’ll need one large egg.
Chocolate Sandwich Cookies – Oreos or a generic version. You will break them up into chunks and crush about a handful more finely. You need 20 cookies for this recipe.
How to Thaw Cool Whip
This recipe calls for thawed Cool Whip. Place in the fridge at least 4 hours in advance of baking your cookies to thaw it. The Cool Whip package notes that you can put it back in the freezer after thawing if desired.
Never thaw Cool Whip on the countertop! The room temperature environment will ruin the texture of the whip and it will become soup. Not what we want.
How to Make 4-Ingredient Cookies
Here’s a summary of how this recipe is made. Find the complete ingredients list and full instructions within the printable recipe card below!
Before beginning, crush the Oreos and freeze for 2 hours. This helps the creamy centers stay intact in the final cookies. You can skip this step if you are really short on time–but I do recommend it if you can spare the time.
Here’s how to mix up the cookies:
- Place all ingredients (except the Oreos) into a large mixing bowl.
- Grab a sturdy spoon (the dough will be thick) and stir everything up. Add in Oreos.
- If the dough feels too sticky to scoop, pop it in the fridge for about 30-60 minutes.
- Then, scoop dough, bake, cool, and eat.
Here’s the cookies after baking:
I originally planned to frost the cookies and then decided against it, so I had flattened them with a glass in preparation for the frosting. If you don’t flatten the tops, they will stay rounded.
How to Add Frosting
If you do want to frost the cookies, I suggest a quick two-step process. I actually did this to the cookies in the photos because I originally planned to frost them and then I decided to leave them plain.
- Before baking, gently press down each scoop of dough with a flat-bottom glass.
- After baking, grab a clean glass and gently press down each cookie again while they are still hot.
These cookies are quite sweet on their own, so I would opt for a frosting like a cream cheese frosting that is a little less sweet and a little more tangy. A buttercream will be a little too sweet on these.
How to Store & Freeze the Cookies
4-Ingredient Cookies and Cream Cookies keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days. Or freeze them in a freezer-safe container for 1-2 months.
More Cookie Recipes to Try
- 15+ Mix-In Ideas for Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Crumbl Strawberry Pretzel Pie Cookies
- Mini Peanut Butter Cookies
- Mason Jar Milkshake Recipe
- Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Soft and Chewy!)
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Thanks so much for trying one of my recipes!
4-Ingredient Cookies and Cream Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix (15.25 ounces size)
- 1 cup Cool Whip, thawed
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cup chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos) this is about 8 ounces or 20 cookies
Instructions
- Crush about 1/3 of the Oreos into small crumbs and break the rest up into chunks. You can use a food processor or a zip top bag (closed) with a rolling pin to make crumbs. Pour Oreos into a ziptop bag and place in freezer for two hours to solidify the cream center. You can skip this step, but I really do recommend it as it helps the creamy center stay intact in the final cookies!
- Grab a large mixing bowl and combine the cake mix, Cool Whip, and the egg. Use a large sturdy spoon to mix everything together until a thick sticky dough forms.
- Fold in Oreo crumbs and chunks with a sturdy spatula until combined.
- Chill dough for 30-60 minutes. You can bake it right away, but it is easier to scoop after chilling.
- Once dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350℉.
- Use a #40 cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons or a .75 ounce scoop) to scoop cookies on to a baking sheet 2" apart.
- Bake cookies one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, or until set and just lightly golden around the edges. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
