Lemon Whippersnaps, or Cool Whip cookies, are delicious, easy-to-make cake mix cookies! With just a box of lemon cake mix, a tub of whipped topping, and an egg, you can have a batch of cookies ready in no time at all!
There is no need for a mixer or complicated directions to make these tasty cookies. This is a simple one-bowl recipe where you just dump a few ingredients in, stir and bake. These classic lemon crinkle cookies provide a fantastic burst of lemon flavor from a soft and tender cookie. They are perfect for a party or just as a family dessert.
Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
These cookies are top rated! They have a wonderful flavor, so soft and light. I have to fix them once a week. My family and friends love them.
— Lynda
Simple Ingredients
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
Lemon Cake Mix – You can use another flavor of cake mix if you prefer, although lemon is the classic choice.
Cool Whip – The whipped topping serves as the fat in this recipe and gives it a light and airy texture.
Egg – The egg helps bind all the ingredients together.
Powdered Sugar – These are rolled in powdered sugar before baking, giving them a nice crinkled texture. The white sugar contrasts with the yellow dough.
Find more cookie recipes you will love! Try Speculoos or Church Window Cookies for old-fashioned flavor.
How to Make Cool Whip Cookies
1. Make the Dough
This simple recipe doesn’t use a mixer! Combine the cake mix, whipped topping, and egg in a medium bowl. Stir it with a wooden spoon or spatula until it is well mixed.
To Chill or Not to Chill? I recommend chilling the dough before baking. In general, cookie dough is chilled to help solidify the fat, so the cookies don’t spread too much. Since Cool Whip has very little fat, chilling isn’t strictly necessary.
But this recipe results in very, very sticky dough. So I prefer to chill it in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours so the dough is easier to handle and my hands are less messy.
2. Bake the Cookies
These will bake best on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats. If you don’t have either, you can spray the sheets with non-stick cooking spray.
Place the powdered sugar on a plate or shallow bowl. Use a cookie scoop to make dough balls, and then roll the dough between your hands until it is nice and round. Roll the dough balls in the powdered sugar until they are completely coated.
Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a few inches between them. These will spread as they bake.
Bake them in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for about 12 minutes. They are done when they have spread and look cooked in the middle. Take the tray out of the oven and let them cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Then place them on a wire rack.
Serving Ideas
These lemon whippersnaps are the perfect summer treat! Pair them with a big glass of lemonade or a strawberry smoothie for easy summer flavor.
They are also fabulous for the holidays or anytime you want delicious cookies without much effort. These will be bright, cheerful and lemony on a Christmas cookie tray.
How to Store
Store these soft and chewy cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for about 5 days.
These cookies freeze very well. Place leftover cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper or wax paper between the layers and freeze. They will last 3 months in the freezer. Let them thaw overnight at room temperature.
Variations
- While lemon is my favorite flavor, there are many other possibilities! Use chocolate cake mix, spice cake, or carrot cake! The same basic recipe will work with any flavor of cake mix. You’d just need to change the name to chocolate whippersnaps or spice whippersnaps!
- You can roll these in festive sprinkles or colored sugar instead of powdered sugar. I’ve used sparkling sanding sugar on these, and it makes them very pretty and delicate looking.
FAQ
These are a variety of classic cake mix cookies. Cake mix cookies use cake mix as a base with added fat such as Cool Whip, butter, or cream cheese. All of these taste amazing, but using Cool Whip gives these a lighter flavor and makes a softer cookie than using butter.
Nope, these store best at room temperature. They will keep for about 5 days in an airtight container.
Yes, you can make the dough into balls and freeze it. Place the cookie dough balls flat on a baking sheet in the freezer until frozen. Then place the balls in an airtight container until you are ready to bake them. Let them thaw in the refrigerator before baking.
Any brand of whipped topping will work fine in this recipe. You can use a low-fat or non-fat version to make these “healthier,” although it will change the texture slightly.
The dough is easier to handle if you chill it. But it will bake fine without chilling. So if you don’t mind sticky hands, feel free to skip the chilling time!
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Cool Whip Cookies Recipe – Lemon Whippersnaps
Ingredients
- 1 box lemon cake mix
- 1 tub (14.5 ounces) Cool Whip or another whipped topping
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Combine the cake mix, egg, and whipped topping in a mixing bowl. Mix it by hand with a wooden spoon until it is well mixed.1 box lemon cake mix, 1 egg, 1 tub (14.5 ounces) Cool Whip
- Chill the dough for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Put the powdered sugar on a plate. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to make the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll the cookie balls in the powdered sugar until they are completely covered.1/2 cup powdered sugar
- Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, until they look cooked in the middle.
- Let the baked cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
THESE COOKIES ARE TOP RATED.! THEY HAVE WONDERFUL FLAVOR, SO SOFT AND LIGHT. I HAVE TO FIX THEM ONCE A WEEK. MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS LOVE THEM. LYNDA
Hi there,
I can’t wait to try this recipe! I wonder if we could use the cool whip trick in other flavor cake mixes, have you tried other flavors?
Thanks, MJ