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Cake mix peanut butter cookies are soft, chewy, and so easy to make with just four simple ingredients. This quick cookie recipe gives you all of the classic peanut butter cookie flavor with the shortcut of a cake mix cookie (they even have the classic crisscross tops!). Perfect for busy days or last-minute cravings.
I know you will love this peanut butter cookies recipe as much as I do! They’re the perfect mix of effortless and delicious—just four ingredients and no fuss. I’ve made them more times than I can count, especially when I need a quick treat for the kids or something easy to bring to a get-together.
They come out soft, chewy, and packed with peanut butter flavor every time, and no one ever guesses they start with a box of cake mix!
Ingredients Notes
- Yellow cake mix – or use vanilla or white cake mix for a lighter flavor
- Creamy peanut butter – use crunchy for extra texture; avoid natural peanut butter that needs stirring
- Oil – canola or vegetable oil both work
- Eggs – for an egg-free version, replace each egg with a flax egg or ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (cookies will be slightly denser)
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Cake Mix Peanut Butter Cookies
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix: In a large bowl, combine cake mix, peanut butter, oil, and eggs until the dough is crumbly but moist.
- Scoop: Scoop out and roll balls of dough, place on parchment, and press the tines of a fork on top into a crisscross pattern.
- Bake: Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, until edges are lightly golden but centers remain soft.
- Cool: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy with a tall glass of milk or hot cup of coffee!
Storage and Freezing Instructions
- Store: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days
- Refrigerate: Store in the fridge for up to 7 days; bring to room temperature before serving
- Freeze: Freeze baked cookies in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature
- Make ahead: Prepare dough balls and freeze. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time
More Easy Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
If you love this easy peanut butter cookie recipe, here are a few more favorites to try:
- Peanut Butter Blossoms – delicious peanut butter cookies topped with a classic chocolate kiss, perfect for peanut butter lovers
- Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies – chewy chocolate chip cookies with instant pudding mix for extra softness
- No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies – rich and fudgy stovetop cookies, a quick favorite for fellow peanut butter-loving friends
- Sugar Cookie Bars – thick, chewy sugar cookies baked in a pan and topped with sweet frosting
If you’ve tried this Cake Mix Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
Cake Mix Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 13.25 ounce box yellow cake mix
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup oil
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper, and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, peanut butter, oil, and eggs. Mix with an electric mixer until the dough is crumbly but moist.13.25 ounce box yellow cake mix, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, ½ cup oil, 2 large eggs
- Use a medium cookie scoop (1 ½ tablespoons) to scoop out balls of cookie dough and roll them between your palms until smooth. Place the cookie dough balls on the parchment-lined cookie sheets about 2 inches apart, and gently press a fork on top of the balls to form a crisscross pattern.
- Bake the cookies, one cookie sheet at a time, for 10-12 minutes or until they start to brown around the edges, but they are still soft in the center.
- Let the cookies rest on the cookie sheets for about 15 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days.
Jenn’s Notes
- Store: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Refrigerator: Store in the fridge for up to 7 days; bring to room temp before serving.
- Freeze: Freeze in a gallon bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temp.
- Make ahead: Prepare dough balls and freeze them. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
- Use yellow cake mix for a sweeter cookie, or white cake mix for a lighter taste.
- Stick with creamy peanut butter for the best texture.
- Chill dough for 20 minutes if it feels sticky.
- Use a 1 ½ tablespoon scoop for evenly sized cookies.
- For very soft cookies, pull them out at 10 minutes – they will firm up as they cool.
Can zero sugar cake mix be used?
Great question! I haven’t tested this recipe with a zero sugar cake mix, and those mixes usually bake differently because the sweeteners and texture aren’t the same. Since the cookies rely on the sugar and structure in a regular cake mix, I don’t recommend swapping it here. You’ll get the best results with a standard yellow cake mix.
can’t wait to try this recipe.
Please come back and let me know what you think! Enjoy!
sounds good. I haven’t tried the recipe yet though. I’m just asking for it so I can try the peanut butter cookies and etc..
I hope you love them! Come back and let me know!
so many easy quick yummy recipes for a sweet tooth 🤤
Thank you so much! Dessert is our love language.
I would like the recipe thanks
These are very delicious ❤️Thank you for sharing your recipe and tips and Very easy cookie to make!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you so much for your feedback. Love that you enjoyed them!