This easy Creamsicle Cookies recipe is a fun twist on the traditional ice cream treat, made super simple with a shortcut method. In 5 minutes, you can combine a box of cake mix with a few kitchen staples to create your favorite throwback frozen dessert in the form of an orange-flavored cookie.
Easy Creamsicle Cookies
These soft and chewy Creamsicle Cookies taste like the best bite of childhood nostalgia, but made without the cold layer of frozen fruit juice wrapped around vanilla ice cream, and minus the popsicle stick!
This recipe is so quick and easy to make simply by folding creamy white chocolate chips and orange color and flavor into a buttery cake mix base, then rolling the batter into balls, and coating the baked batch in powdered sugar.
If you have a need for more nostalgia, my Orange Creamsicle Salad, Orange Creamsicle Lush, Orange Creamsicle Milkshake, and Orange Creamsicle Jello Shots are the perfect way to recreate the taste of the traditional sweet treat.
Why We Love This Creamsicle Cookies Recipe
- Quick and easy to make with a cake mix shortcut.
- Uses simple ingredients to recreate a favorite childhood flavor.
- Soft and chewy cookies with bright orange taste and creamy texture.
- Light and refreshing dessert to celebrate National Creamsicle Day on August 14th.
- Satisfying treat that make a hot summer day a little bit better and more bearable.
- Fruit-flavored cookies crossed with white chocolate chip cookies to create the creamy, dreamy taste of a creamsicle.
- Perfect for pool parties, potlucks, cookie exchanges, or backyard barbecues.
Ingredients
- Box vanilla cake mix: I used Betty Crocker Super Moist brand but you can use any brand you prefer.
- Cream cheese
- Unsalted butter
- Egg
- Orange extract
- Orange gel food coloring
- White chocolate chips: I used Ghirardelli brand.
- Powdered sugar
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Substitutions and Additions
- Cake Mix Color: If you can find an orange-flavored box cake mix, you can substitute that for the vanilla flavor. Simply omit the orange food coloring and only add ½ teaspoon orange-flavored extract to the cake.
- Flavor Factor: Feel free to substitute the orange extract with essential oil. I recommend only using a couple of drops of oil since the flavor is much more concentrated. You can also add some orange zest for extra big orange flavor.
- Change The Chip: Instead of using white chocolate chips, try semi sweet or dark chocolate chips. The dark chocolate pairs really well with the orange flavor, and the cookies will be less sweet and more rich.
Recommended Tools
- Large baking sheets
- Parchment paper or a silicone mat
- Handheld mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring tools
- 1½ tablespoon (1½ inch) cookie scoop
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Small bowl
- Cooling rack
How to Make Creamsicle Cookies
These easy drop Creamsicle Cookies can be prepared in 5 minutes and taste just like your favorite childhood popsicle treat but are baked instead of frozen. The creamy orange-vanilla flavor is the perfect combination for celebrating summer.
- Prepare The Batter: Beat the cream cheese, butter, egg. orange extract, orange gel food coloring and cake mix with a handheld mixer or stand mixer until smooth. Add the white chocolate chips and stir into the batter.
Pro Tip: You will have a very thick batter, therefore it may be easier mix in the chocolate chips with a wooden spoon or spatula. - Scoop: Using a 1½ tablespoon (1½ inch) cookie scoop, scoop out all 36 cookies and place them onto one of the parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Chill: Place the dough balls into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.
- Roll: Roll the chilled cookie dough balls in powdered sugar to lightly coat them.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.
Pro Tip: The cookies should be set in the center and have a beautiful crackle look from the powdered sugar coating. - Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet.
Tips
- For the orange coloring, make sure you are using gel rather than regular food coloring.
- Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so that you don’t end up with any lumps in your butter mixture.
- You can omit the powdered sugar step if you prefer, but I love the beautiful crackle finish it gives to these cookies.
Storage Tips
- To Store: These cookies can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days on the counter or 5-6 days in the refrigerator.
- To Freeze: This orange creamsicle cookie recipe can be stored in the freezer for up to three months in an airtight container.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to use full-fat cream cheese when I am baking these cookies. The low-fat cream cheese will work, but I do not recommend non-fat cream cheese because it does not produce the perfect Creamsicle Cookie.
There is no need to flatten these cookies before you put them in the oven. They will spread a bit on their own as they bake, but more importantly, flattening them will dry the cookies out.
Yes, you can freeze both the baked cookies and the cookie dough. To freeze the baked cookies, allow the cookies to cool completely before putting them in a freezer-safe container. Baked cookies are usually good for about 3 months in the freezer.
To freeze the dough, place dough balls on a cookie sheet or plate and put it in the freezer for about 2 hours. Transfer the frozen dough balls into a freezer bag. The frozen dough will keep for about 2 months.
Other Easy Cake Mix Cookie Recipes
- Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
- 3-Ingredient Cake Mix Cookies
- Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
- Pumpkin Cake Mix Cookies
- 8 Great Cake Mix Cookies
- Rainbow Cake Mix Cookies
- Cake Mix Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Creamsicle Cookies
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce box vanilla cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Super Moist brand)
- 8 ounce block cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp orange extract
- ½ tsp orange gel food coloring
- 11 ounce bag white chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli brand)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat on medium-low speed with a handheld mixer the cream cheese and unsalted butter for 1 minute or until smooth with no lumps.
- Add the egg, orange extract, and orange gel food coloring and continue to mix for an additional 1-2 minutes or until completely incorporated.
- Add the vanilla cake mix and mix at low speed for a final 1-2 minutes. You will have a very thick batter.
- Mix the white chocolate chips into the batter until evenly distributed. This may be easier to do with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Using a 1½ tablespoon (1½ inch) cookie scoop, scoop out all 36 cookies and place them onto one of the parchment-lined baking sheets. Place the dough balls into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.
- While your cookie dough balls are chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the powdered sugar into a small bowl. Once your cookies have chilled, roll them in the powdered sugar to lightly coat them.
- Place 9-12 powdered sugar-coated cookie balls onto the second parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies should be set in the center and have a beautiful crackle look from the powdered sugar coating.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to cool completely on a cooling rack.
- Repeat steps 8-10 until all the cookies have baked and cooled.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: These cookies can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days on the counter or 5-6 days in the refrigerator.
- To Freeze: This orange creamsicle cookie recipe can be stored in the freezer for up to three months in an airtight container.
- For the orange coloring, make sure you are using gel rather than regular food coloring.
- Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so that you don’t end up with any lumps in your butter mixture.
- You can omit the powdered sugar step if you prefer, but I love the beautiful crackle finish it gives to these cookies.
Use DH orange cake mix, much better!
These are great cookies! I boiled some craisins to plump them up and added to the recipe, they are now my husbands favorite cookie!
Nicky, that sounds great. About how many Craisins? Iโm thinking 1/2 cup?
Definitely gonna be one of my Christmas cookies!!!