CAKE MIX COOKIES

Cake mix cookies are just what they sound like....cookies that you make using a cake mix as the base.  Then you can make them different by adding your favorite "add-ins".  I originally saw a variety that used a strawberry cake mix and added coconut to make a strawberry coconut cookie.  The cookie looked really delicious.  

Thoughts started going through my head as I read the recipe. Probably the first one was that I can't buy a sugar-free strawberry cake mix.  (I do try to reduce the sugar amounts in recipes when I can.  Anytime in my recipes feel free to use "regular" ingredients instead of the sugar free or substitutes that I use.) BUT I can buy a yellow cake mix that is sugar free.  The second thing I thought of was the LEMON JELLO CAKE my mother always made.  It was made with a yellow cake mix and then a package of lemon jello. What makes this cake so versatile is that you can use a different flavored (colored) jello to make the cake a different color for a special holiday or occasion.   

So the wheels started turning in my head....why not make the strawberry coconut cookies using a sugar free yellow cake mix and adding a box of sugar free strawberry jello to it and I would get both the strawberry flavor and color that I would get if I used the strawberry cake mix?  

And so that is what I did.

They were perfect in every way.....color and taste.

UPDATE: I made the cookies using the lime jello.  The dough wasn't as green as I wanted them so I added about 10 drops of green food coloring.  

I also kept out enough dough for 4 cookies and added a tablespoon of chocolate chips for my husband to take to Amanda in the tax office.... she doesn't like coconut.

For St. Patrick's Day, I am going to use a sugar-free lime jello mix and make (green) St. Patrick's Day Lime Coconut cookies.  As I said the possibilities are endless.  If you didn't want to use coconut, you could use any of your favorite add-in.  Would love to hear your ideas.

STRAWBERRY COCONUT COOKIES

1       box sugar-free yellow cake (regular yellow cake mix without pudding is ok)
1       (4 serving size) box of sugar free strawberry jello
1/2    cup canola oil
2       large eggs
3/4   cup (unsweetened) coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl on low speed until well mixed. (Dough will be thick.)

Using a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon size) place cookies about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 - 9 minutes.  Edges of the cookie will start to turn brown.

Cool 2 minutes on sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely. 

Another variation I came up this morning was to use a sugar free Devil's Food cake mix and cherry pie filling.  My hairstylist, Ali, requested sweets for Valentine's Day and since I had an appointment to get my hair cut today, I decided I would try them and take her some.  She has been working out really hard to lose weight and has been very successful (looks great!) so I decided I would still use the sugar free cake mix, but the cherry pie filling had sugar as I didn't have a "no sugar added" one.  

This produced a cake-like cookie but was very good.

I decided to call them Black Forest Cookies.

BLACK FOREST COOKIES

1       sugar-free Devil's Food cake mix
2      eggs
1       cup cherry pie filling, 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Place the cherry pie filling in a flat dish and cut through the cherries to chop them into smaller pieces.

Add all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix on low speed til combined and then increase speed to medium and mix til nice and smooth....about a minute.

Using a cookie scoop (1 tablespoon size) place cookies about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

I hope this has been a good Valentine's Day for you.  My husband took me out to lunch and we enjoyed a delicious lunch and a beautiful "coolish", but sunny day.  Warmer days are in the forecast so we think all this snow on the ground will melt.  That will help it feel warmer, too.