These Strawberries and Cream Cake Mix Cookies are soft, rich, and full of bright strawberry flavor in every bite. Built on a vanilla cake mix base with cream cheese, instant vanilla pudding mix, white chocolate chips, and streaks of strawberry jam, they bake up thick and tender with a bakery-style appearance. They’re quick to prepare using a convenient cake mix shortcut and require only a short chill before baking, making them ideal for spring gatherings, Valentine’s Day, baby showers, or any time you want a strawberries-and-cream treat.
These cookies look impressive but come together with minimal effort. A brief refrigerate step helps preserve the jam swirls and gives the cookies a taller, chewier texture. The combination of freeze-dried strawberries and thick jam concentrates the fruity flavor without making the dough soggy.
Recipe Highlights
- Soft, tender texture: Cream cheese plus dry instant pudding help the cookies stay soft for days.
- Vibrant strawberry flavor: Freeze-dried strawberries and a little jam deliver concentrated strawberry taste without extra moisture.
- Simple cake mix base: Using a box vanilla cake mix keeps prep fast and consistent for bakers of any skill level.
- Pretty jam swirls: Dollops of jam folded in lightly create striking streaks and pockets of sweetness.
- Great for seasonal celebrations: Perfect for Valentine’s Day, Easter, spring showers, or cookie trays.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 15.25 oz box vanilla cake mix
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3.5 oz box instant vanilla pudding mix, dry (do not prepare)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 stick butter (melted and cooled; about 1/2 cup)
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries, lightly crushed
- 1/4 cup strawberry jam, preferably thick
- Powdered sugar for rolling (optional)
Tips for the Best Cookies
Full instructions are in the recipe card below, but these tips help ensure consistent results:
- Chill the dough: Refrigerating for at least 30 minutes helps the cookies hold their shape and keeps the jam from spreading too much.
- Use freeze-dried strawberries: They add intense flavor without adding water. Fresh or frozen berries will make the dough too wet.
- Gently swirl the jam: Drop small spoonfuls of jam into the dough and fold only a few times to preserve pretty streaks instead of fully pink dough.
- Watch bake time: Remove cookies when centers still look slightly soft; they will finish setting as they cool.
- Let them rest: Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a rack to avoid breaking.
- Use parchment: Line baking sheets with parchment to prevent sticking and to keep bottoms from browning too quickly.
How to Store Strawberries and Cream Cookies
- Room temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for several days.
- Layer carefully: Place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking and preserve the jam swirls.
- Freezer-friendly: Baked cookies freeze well for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Dough ahead: Unbaked, chilled dough can be stored in the refrigerator overnight for convenience and improved flavor.
Strawberries and Cream Cake Mix Cookies Recipe
Soft, bakery-style cookies made with cream cheese, white chocolate chips, freeze-dried strawberries, and swirls of strawberry jam.
Course: Cookies | Cuisine: American | Keyword: Strawberries and Cream Cake Mix Cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Chill Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 20 cookies | Calories: 249 kcal (per cookie)
Author: Jessica & Nellie
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz box vanilla cake mix
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3.5 oz box instant vanilla pudding mix, dry
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 stick butter, melted and cooled (1/2 cup)
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries, lightly crushed
- 1/4 cup strawberry jam (thick jam works best)
- Powdered sugar for rolling (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the melted, cooled butter and mix until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix again.
- Add the dry cake mix and dry instant pudding mix to the bowl and stir until a soft dough forms. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
- Fold in the white chocolate chips and the crushed freeze-dried strawberries.
- Drop small spoonfuls of strawberry jam throughout the dough. Fold gently a few times so you get streaks of jam rather than fully mixing it in.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes to help the cookies keep their shape while baking.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop the dough with a cookie scoop to form balls. Lightly roll in powdered sugar if desired. Place the balls about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft. Do not overbake.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Please don’t skip the chill time; the jam swirls bake more attractively and the cookies hold their shape better when the dough is chilled. Cookies will look slightly underdone when removed from the oven but will firm up as they cool. Use freeze-dried strawberries for concentrated flavor without extra moisture—fresh berries will make the dough too wet.
Nutrition (per cookie)
Calories: 249 kcal | Carbohydrates: 42 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 8 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Sugar: 29 g | Sodium: 230 mg
FAQs
Can I skip the pudding mix?
No. The dry instant pudding helps keep the cookies soft and tender. Omitting it will change the texture and likely result in drier cookies.
Can I use fresh strawberries instead of freeze-dried?
Fresh or frozen strawberries add too much moisture and will make the dough spread and bake unevenly. Freeze-dried strawberries deliver strong flavor without altering texture.
Why do the cookies look slightly underdone when baked?
These cookies finish setting as they cool. Taking them out while the centers are still soft ensures a tender, chewy result rather than a dry cookie.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. Cover and refrigerate the dough overnight; chilling can improve both flavor and texture.
Is the powdered sugar necessary?
No. Rolling the dough in powdered sugar is optional and mainly gives a decorative, crackled finish. The cookies will taste great without it.
More Strawberry Cookie Ideas
- Strawberry Cool Whip Cookies — a light, easy cookie using strawberry cake mix and Cool Whip for a soft texture.
- Copycat Crumbl Strawberry Shortcake Cookies — bakery-style cookies topped with frosting and a crunchy strawberry streusel.
- Strawberry Lemon Thumbprint Cookies — buttery cookies filled with jam and finished with a lemon glaze.
- Frosted Strawberry Cookies — pillowy sugar cookies topped with smooth strawberry buttercream.
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies — soft, chewy sugar cookies made with cream cheese and bright strawberry flavor.
Strawberries and Cream Cake Mix Cookies combine white chocolate, strawberry jam, and a soft cake mix base for an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert that’s perfect for seasonal celebrations or anytime you want a sweet, strawberry-forward cookie.