With just four ingredients, lemon snowflake cookies are a fun and easy treat for bake sales, holiday cookie exchanges or any time you want to make someone smile.
I love having four-ingredient recipes like this one in my baking repertoire. Lemon snowflake cookies are easy to throw together and bake up quickly, making them perfect for everything from weekend snacks to holiday cookie exchanges. They’re citrusy, soft and delicious, simply made with boxed lemon cake mix, whipped topping, an egg and confectioners’ sugar (cookie recipes that use cake mix are a pro move when you need something sweet fast). The crackle tops are pretty, and the lemon flavor makes me think of sunny days even in the heart of winter. Lemon snowflake cookies will bring a smile to anyone’s face, making them one of our favorite bakes to share.
Ingredients for Lemon Snowflake Cookies
- Lemon cake mix: Boxed lemon cake mix makes this one of the easiest dump-and-go recipes.
- Whipped topping: Frozen whipped topping, like Cool Whip, adds sweetness and lift to the cookies. Give the topping time to thaw in the fridge before using it to make the lemon cookies.
- Egg: A good habit is to bake with room-temperature eggs. Letting eggs reach room temperature is an easy step that ensures more consistent baking results.
- Confectioners’ sugar: Have a good amount ready in a bowl, where you’ll roll the cookie dough before baking. Plus, make sure to have some more for dusting the cookies after they come out of the oven.
Directions
Step 1: Make the batter
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, whipped topping and egg until well blended.
Editor’s Tip: This cookie batter is very sticky. Have confectioners’ sugar ready in a shallow bowl.
Step 2: Coat in confectioners’ sugar
Drop the cookie dough by tablespoonfuls into confectioners’ sugar and roll to lightly coat.
Place on ungreased baking sheets.
Step 3: Bake the cookies
Bake the cookies until lightly browned and the sugary tops crack, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove them to wire racks to cool.
Editor’s Tip: Once the cookies are cool, arrange them on a serving platter and dust them lightly with more confectioners’ sugar.
Lemon Snowflake Cookie Variations
- Add extra lemon flavor: Stir grated lemon zest into the dough for even more zing. Or, add a tablespoon of lemon extract.
- Stir in chopped nuts: Chopped pistachios, walnuts or almonds are delicious in these cookies.
How to Store Lemon Snowflake Cookies
As when storing other cookies, lemon snowflake cookies will last three to four days at room temperature. Once cooled, transfer them to an airtight cookie storage container to keep them fresh. The texture will start to change around day four.
Can you freeze lemon snowflake cookies?
Yes, you can freeze lemon snowflakes. Layer the cookies between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in a freezer-proof container. Store the cookies in the freezer for up to six months. Let them thaw at room temperature.
Lemon Snowflake Cookie Tips
Can you use another kind of cake mix to make lemon snowflake cookies?
Yes, you can use other cake mixes for these cookies. Other cake mixes to try include chocolate, Funfetti, strawberry or spice-flavored. If using a vanilla cake mix, consider using different extracts, such as almond or orange, for flavor.
Can you use homemade whipped cream for lemon snowflake cookies?
You can use homemade whipped cream in place of the frozen whipped topping in these cookies. However, because it doesn’t have the stabilizers of frozen topping, the texture of the baked cookies will be a little different, and they’ll likely be a little thinner.
Ingredients
- 1 package lemon cake mix (regular size)
- 2-1/4 cups whipped topping
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- Confectioners' sugar
Directions
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1Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, whipped topping and egg until well blended. Batter will be very sticky.
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2Drop by tablespoonfulls into confectioners' sugar; roll lightly to coat. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned and tops are cracked, 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.
