This is the recipe that will help you use up that straggler box of cake mix in your pantry! You’ll get 12 large, chewy, flavorful, and cake-y cookies. Cinnamon, rum, and raisin make this cake mix cookie taste way more complex and involved when really, this cookie is beyond easy to make. This will soon become a family favorite!
I know some people are ADAMANTLY against boxed cake mix because apparently making a whole damn cake from scratch is easier than putting together the boxed stuff. Like, you do you… but it is completely FALSE that from scratch is easier. Both have their merits. The other critique is that cake mix is “full of chemicals!” and yeah, so is the cake mix you make at home so I’m not really swayed by this argument either.
Cake mixes are convenient ways to bake, especially for people like myself who do not want to keep a dozen or more baking ingredients on hand year-round.
Moving on, I also really enjoy the texture of these cookies. They are very cake-y but also chewy and a bit dense (but dense in a good way!). Basically, these are a trifecta for my favorite cookie textures. Now, you will taste the “cake mix” in the cookies. For example, the sweet smell of cake mix will be present in the cookies. This may not be for everyone so if you dislike the way cake mix smells, then you should not make this recipe. I do enjoy the cake-y smell so for me it just adds to the flavor.
I made this batch full of cinnamon, rum-soaked raisins, and oats. These give tons of flavor (cinnamon! rum! vanilla!) and body (oats! raisins!) to the cake mix cookies. You could also easily double the cinnamon and rum-soaked raisins if you wanted if you really want a flavor powerhouse. Don’t forget to add some salt! it really rounds out the sweet flavors; remember, cake mix is VERY sweet. Don’t add sweet to sweet, make it balanced!
I really appreciate taking something so simple, like boxed cake mix and transforming it into something new. Cake mix is convenient and cheap, the add-ins (raisins, oatmeal, and alla that) are also cheap. If you don’t have rum around, just soak the raisins in some warmed water laced with vanilla extract. That way you can still boost the flavor. Or you could use whiskey!
One thing I do differently is that I run my knife through both the raisins and oatmeal. Not everyone is a fan of whole raisins in desserts so running a knife through them makes them much more palatable. I also run a knife through the oats in a very haphazard way (lol) because it gives me oats that are all a bunch of different sizes. This makes the texture just beyond good!!! Also, rough chopping is a great stress reliever!
I hope you make these cake mix cookies soon. It might just convince you to keep an extra box of cake mix in the cupboard.
My other favorite, simple desserts:
Ina’s Brown Sugar Swirled Peach Cake
Spiced Persimmon Cake with Tangy Lemon Glaze
Cornulete (Traditional Romanian Pastries) [This has been my #1 Recipe since I’ve posted it! It is simple, no-fuss, and DELICIOUS.]
Cake Mix Cinnamon Oatmeal Rum Raisin Cookies
Cake Mix makes these cinnamon oatmeal rum raising cookies so thick and cake-y. It's the best of both worlds!
Ingredients
- ½ cup raisins, packed
- 2 tablespoons spiced rum
- 2 large egg
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup old fashioned whole oats
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 box vanilla cake mix (15.25 ounces)
Instructions
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Give the raisins a rough chop then place in a small microwave safe bowl, add the rum and microwave for 30 seconds until warmed. Set aside.
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Optional: Give your oats a rough chop with your knife, this step helps add more texture because the oats will be varying sizes. In a medium bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients, whisk together until combined.
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In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients, whisk together until thoroughly combined. The eggs should very well whisked, no streaky egg whites should be seen.
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Combine the wet and dry ingredients and the rum soaked raisins. Mix the cookie dough until combined.
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Place cookie dough in the fridge while you preheat the oven to 350°. The cookie dough is a little soft so this chill time helps make scooping easier. When the oven is preheating, line a 13×18 (or similar) sheet pan with parchment paper. Using a ¼ cup measure, dole out 6 servings onto the sheet pan. Make sure each cookie has plenty of space to spread, because they will. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a rack and let chill for 15-20 minutes. They will continue to cook a bit while they cool down which makes them very chewy. After they've chilled, remove the cookies to a plate and repeat the process for the next batch. This recipe will make 12 large, chewy cookies.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Ima be honest here. These cookies have never lasted a day at my house. I once tried freezing a batch after baking in hopes it’d prevent my boyfriend and I from gobbling them up like…well, goblins….but yeah, it didn’t work. They tasted even more delicious frozen (I have this thing for frozen baked goods).