Introduction & Inspiration

These cookies, which I’ll call “Easy St. Patrick’s Day Cookies,” are a simple yet festive treat perfect for celebrating the holiday.

Nostalgic Appeal

These cookies tap into the nostalgic appeal of cake mix cookies, a classic treat that many people grew up with.

Cake mix cookies are often associated with childhood baking experiences, family gatherings, and holidays.

The bright green color adds a playful and festive touch, evoking memories of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

The combination of granulated and powdered sugar creates a unique texture and sweetness that’s reminiscent of crinkle cookies.

Cake Mix Magic

This recipe highlights the versatility and convenience of using a cake mix as a base for cookies.

Cake mixes provide a pre-measured blend of dry ingredients, saving time and effort in the kitchen.

They also offer consistent results, ensuring that the cookies will turn out well even for novice bakers.

Using a cake mix allows for endless flavor variations, simply by swapping out the cake mix flavor and adding different mix-ins.

It’s a testament to the fact that you don’t need to be a professional baker to create delicious and impressive treats.

Flavor Goal

The flavor goal is a soft, chewy cookie with a sweet vanilla flavor and a slightly crisp, sugary coating.

The white cake mix provides the base flavor, which is subtly sweet and vanilla-like. It is a classic taste.

The granulated sugar adds a bit of crunch and extra sweetness to the exterior of the cookie.

The powdered sugar creates a soft, powdery coating that melts in your mouth. It is a delicate sweetness.

The green food coloring, while primarily for visual appeal, doesn’t alter the flavor significantly.

It’s a simple yet satisfying flavor profile that’s sure to please both kids and adults. It’s a crowd-pleaser.

Ingredient Insights

Let’s break down each ingredient:

White Cake Mix: This provides the base of the cookie dough, offering a blend of flour, sugar, leavening agents, and flavorings.

Eggs: These add richness, moisture, and structure to the cookies, helping to bind the ingredients together.

Vegetable Oil: This contributes to the cookies’ soft and chewy texture.

Kelly Green Gel Food Coloring: This provides the vibrant green color that makes these cookies perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. Gel food coloring is preferred for its concentrated color.

Granulated Sugar: This is used to coat the cookie dough balls, adding a bit of crunch and extra sweetness.

Powdered Sugar: This creates the soft, powdery coating that’s characteristic of crinkle cookies.

The simplicity of these ingredients makes this recipe incredibly accessible and convenient.

Essential Equipment

Here’s the equipment you’ll need:

Large mixing bowl: For combining the cake mix, eggs, oil, and food coloring.
Small bowls (2): For holding the granulated sugar and powdered sugar for coating the cookie dough balls.
Baking sheet: For baking the cookies.
Parchment paper: To line the baking sheet and prevent sticking.
Cookie Scoop: This helps to make the cookie dough balls equal sizes.
Wire rack: For cooling the cookies completely after baking.

That’s a pretty basic list of baking equipment!

List of Ingredients with Measurements

Here’s the ingredient list with precise measurements:

1 box (15.25 oz) white cake mix (about 3 cups)
2 large eggs
⅓ cup vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon Kelly green gel food coloring
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons powdered sugar

Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s walk through the process:

Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the white cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil.
Mix Dough: Stir together until a sticky dough forms.
Add Food Coloring: Add the Kelly green gel food coloring and mix until evenly combined, creating a vibrant green dough.
Chill Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This makes the dough easier to handle.
Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prepare Sugars: Place the granulated sugar in one small bowl and the powdered sugar in another small bowl.
Portion Dough: Use a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to portion out the dough.
Roll into Balls: Roll each scoop of dough into a ball between your hands.
Coat in Sugars: Roll each dough ball in the granulated sugar until fully coated, then roll it in the powdered sugar until completely covered.
Place on Baking Sheet: Place the coated cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake: Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the cookies have spread slightly and the tops are crackled.
Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer storage.

Troubleshooting

Here are a few potential issues and solutions:

Dough Too Sticky: If the dough is too sticky to handle, even after chilling, you can add a tablespoon or two of extra flour (from the cake mix, if you have some left, or all-purpose flour).
Cookies Spreading Too Much: Make sure to chill the dough for the full 30 minutes. You can also try reducing the amount of oil slightly.
Cookies Not Crackling: The double coating of sugar helps to create the crackled effect. Make sure to coat the dough balls generously in both sugars.
Cookies Burning: Keep a close eye on the cookies while they’re baking, as oven temperatures can vary.

Tips and Variations

Here are some ways to customize this recipe:

Different Cake Mix Flavors: Use different flavors of cake mix, such as chocolate, lemon, or strawberry.
Different Food Coloring: Use different colors of food coloring to match different holidays or themes.
Add Extracts: Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, almond extract, or mint extract to the dough for extra flavor.
Add Sprinkles: Mix sprinkles into the dough or roll the dough balls in sprinkles before baking.
Add Chocolate Chips: Mix chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or other candy chips into the dough.
Dip in Chocolate: Once cooled, dip in melted chocolate.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

These Easy St. Patrick’s Day Cookies are perfect for:

St. Patrick’s Day Parties: Their festive green color makes them a thematic treat.
School Events: They’re a great option for classroom parties or bake sales.
After-School Snacks: They’re a quick and easy treat for kids.
Dessert Platters: They add a colorful and delicious element to any dessert spread.
Gifts They are perfect for gifting.

They pair well with milk, coffee, tea, or a glass of Irish cream liqueur (for the adults!).

Nutritional Information

These cookies are a treat, so they contain sugar and fat from the cake mix, oil, and eggs.

The exact nutritional information will vary depending on the specific brand of cake mix you use.

It’s best to enjoy them in moderation as part of a balanced diet. Everything in moderation!

Easy St. Patrick’s Day Cookies

Author: Jessica

Print Recipe

Description

These cookies, which I’ll call “Easy St. Patrick’s Day Cookies,” are a simple yet festive treat perfect for celebrating the holiday

Ingredients

Scale

1 box (15.25 oz) white cake mix (about 3 cups)
2 large eggs
⅓ cup vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon Kelly green gel food coloring
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the white cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil.
Mix Dough: Stir together until a sticky dough forms.
Add Food Coloring: Add the Kelly green gel food coloring and mix until evenly combined, creating a vibrant green dough.
Chill Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This makes the dough easier to handle.
Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prepare Sugars: Place the granulated sugar in one small bowl and the powdered sugar in another small bowl.
Portion Dough: Use a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to portion out the dough.
Roll into Balls: Roll each scoop of dough into a ball between your hands.
Coat in Sugars: Roll each dough ball in the granulated sugar until fully coated, then roll it in the powdered sugar until completely covered.
Place on Baking Sheet: Place the coated cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake: Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the cookies have spread slightly and the tops are crackled.
Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer storage.

Recipe Summary and Q&A

Recipe Summary: These Easy St. Patrick’s Day Cookies are made with a white cake mix, eggs, oil, green food coloring, and a double coating of sugar. They’re soft, chewy, and festively green!

Q: Can I make these ahead of time? A: Yes, you can make them several days in advance and store them in an airtight container.

Q: How long do they last? A: Stored properly, they should stay fresh for up to 5 days.

Q: Can I freeze them? A: Yes, you can freeze them for up to 2-3 months.

Q: Can I use a different type of oil? A: Yes, you can use any neutral-flavored oil, such as canola oil or melted coconut oil.

Q: Can I omit the food coloring? A: Yes, you can omit the food coloring, but the cookies will not be green.