I can never resist these googly-eyed Monster Cookies, with their bright colors, soft cake mix centers, and spooky-cute Halloween charm. They look like they came straight from the bakery case, but with way more personality.
I’m obsessed with these Cake Mix Monster Cookies because they’re ridiculous in the best Halloween way: bright, goofy, spooky, and packed with candy chaos. I love that they start with white cake mix and turn into soft, chewy cookies that look like they came straight from a monster party.
The candy eyeballs make me laugh every single time, especially when they bake up a little crooked and dramatic. And honestly, that’s the whole charm.
No polished bakery vibes here. Just colorful cookies with big personality, sweet vanilla flavor, and enough silly monster energy to make me grab another before the tray cools.
Ingredients
- Cake mix keeps things easy, sweet, and soft, like a shortcut that actually works.
- Eggs help the cookies hold together and give them a little richness.
- Vegetable oil makes them chewy and moist, not dry or crumbly.
- Vanilla adds that cozy bakery smell you’ll notice right away.
- Gel food coloring brings the monster vibe, bright, messy, and super fun.
- Candy-coated chocolates add crunch, color, and little bursts of chocolate.
- Candy eyeballs make them goofy in the best Halloween-party way.
- Sprinkles bring extra color and crunch, because plain cookies feel boring here.
- Mini chocolate chips add more chocolate without taking over the whole cookie.
- Plus, none of this is health food, but it’s totally worth it.
- Basically, these cookies are cute, chaotic, and dangerously snackable.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box white or vanilla cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring, assorted colors, about 1/2 teaspoon per color or as needed
- 1 cup candy coated chocolate pieces (M&Ms or similar)
- 3/4 cup candy eyeballs
- 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles (optional)
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or grease them lightly.
2. In a large bowl combine 1 box (1
5.25 ounce) white or vanilla cake mix, 2 large eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; stir until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
3. Divide the dough into separate bowls for each color you want to make. Add gel food coloring to each portion, about 1/2 teaspoon per color or to your desired intensity, and mix until evenly colored.
4. If using mini chocolate chips or sprinkles in the dough, fold up to 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips and up to 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles into the dough now, reserving some sprinkles for topping if desired.
5. Scoop dough into rounded tablespoon-sized or
1.5 tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
6. Press a few candy coated chocolate pieces into the tops of each dough ball, leaving room to add candy eyeballs.
7. Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are set and centers look just set but not overbaked.
8. Remove sheets from the oven and immediately press candy eyeballs into the warm cookies so they adhere; add any reserved sprinkles while cookies are still warm.
9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Equipment Needed
1. Ovenproof baking sheets (2)
2. Parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Small bowls for dividing and coloring dough
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Whisk or wooden spoon
7. Rubber spatula
8. Cookie scoop or tablespoon for rounding dough
9. Wire cooling rack
FAQ
Cake Mix Monster Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Eggs: Substitute 2 large eggs with 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce for a moist, cake-like texture or 1/2 cup mashed banana for a slightly sweeter, fruitier cookie.
- Vegetable oil: Use an equal amount 1/3 cup of melted coconut oil for a hint of coconut or 1/3 cup light olive oil for a neutral, moist result.
- Vanilla extract: Swap 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for 1 teaspoon almond extract for a nutty note or 1 teaspoon maple syrup for warm, caramelized flavor.
- Candy coated chocolate pieces (M&Ms): Use 1 cup chopped chocolate bars for pockets of chocolate, 1 cup chocolate candies without coating for less color, or 1 cup chopped dried fruit and nuts for chewy texture and less sweetness.
Pro Tips
1. Use gel food coloring only, a little at a time. Gel gives vivid color without thinning the dough, so you can get bright shades with about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per portion. If a color looks uneven, let the colored dough rest for 5 minutes and remix; the pigment will distribute and you will see the true shade.
2. Keep the dough slightly warm and soft when shaping. If it feels too firm, press it between your palms to loosen it up a bit rather than adding liquid. If it is too soft to shape, chill the whole bowl for 10 to 15 minutes so the dough holds round cookie shapes in the oven.
3. Watch bake time closely and pull them early. These cookies are best when centers are just set, not fully firm. Remove at the lower end of the time range, let them rest 4 to 6 minutes on the sheet so they finish baking gently, then transfer to a rack. That keeps them tender instead of dry.
4. Add toppings at the right moment for best appearance. Press candy pieces in right before baking for partial melt-in and stability. Press candy eyeballs and any extra sprinkles into cookies immediately after they come out of the oven so they stick without melting. Store in a single layer or separate layers with parchment to protect decorations.
Cake Mix Monster Cookies Recipe
I can never resist these googly-eyed Monster Cookies, with their bright colors, soft cake mix centers, and spooky-cute Halloween charm. They look like they came straight from the bakery case, but with way more personality.
24
servings
181
kcal
Equipment: 1. Ovenproof baking sheets (2)
2. Parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Small bowls for dividing and coloring dough
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Whisk or wooden spoon
7. Rubber spatula
8. Cookie scoop or tablespoon for rounding dough
9. Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
-
1 (15.25 ounce) box white or vanilla cake mix
-
2 large eggs
-
1/3 cup vegetable oil
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
Gel food coloring, assorted colors, about 1/2 teaspoon per color or as needed
-
1 cup candy coated chocolate pieces (M&Ms or similar)
-
3/4 cup candy eyeballs
-
1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles (optional)
-
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or grease them lightly.
- In a large bowl combine 1 box (1
- 25 ounce) white or vanilla cake mix, 2 large eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; stir until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
- Divide the dough into separate bowls for each color you want to make. Add gel food coloring to each portion, about 1/2 teaspoon per color or to your desired intensity, and mix until evenly colored.
- If using mini chocolate chips or sprinkles in the dough, fold up to 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips and up to 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles into the dough now, reserving some sprinkles for topping if desired.
- Scoop dough into rounded tablespoon-sized or
- 5 tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Press a few candy coated chocolate pieces into the tops of each dough ball, leaving room to add candy eyeballs.
- Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are set and centers look just set but not overbaked.
- Remove sheets from the oven and immediately press candy eyeballs into the warm cookies so they adhere; add any reserved sprinkles while cookies are still warm.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 42g
- Total number of serves: 24
- Calories: 181kcal
- Fat: 6.9g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6g
- Trans Fat: 0.02g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.5g
- Monounsaturated: 2.5g
- Cholesterol: 16mg
- Sodium: 63mg
- Potassium: 27mg
- Carbohydrates: 27.5g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Sugar: 20.7g
- Protein: 1.9g
- Vitamin A: 22IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 14mg
- Iron: 0.44mg
