Hey friends! I hope you’ve been enjoying the Christmas season. I have been spending lots of time with my family, so not as much with Southern Plate. I know y’all are busy with family as well and neither one of us would have it any other way! Still, I am looking forward to slowing down and connecting with y’all more once the holidays are over.
We just got back from a little trip to one of our favorite places, Disney World. We always enjoy our time together, but seem to find even more magic as a family in one of our favorite places. It’s been very special to us to take our kids throughout the years and this trip was even more special because we’ve been taking Brady since he was 2 years old – and now he is a young man. At 17, Brady is a fine young man and we couldn’t ask for a better kid. At one point, we were having Katy’s photo made with Mickey Mouse and Brady stood up and said “Ahh, for old time’s sake…”, then proceeded to shake Mickey’s hand, give him a hug, and pose for a photo. I instantly felt myself tear up, remembering him as a little boy in a stroller telling me that he just wanted to go see Mickey Mouse rather than ride any rides, and as I looked over and saw Ricky tear up as well, I went full on ugly cry. What a precious gift it has been to get to be his Mama over these years! We are so very blessed and it is so important to open our eyes and be ever mindful of our blessings.
Today I’m sharing some of my favorite cookies when I want to make up a treat but am limited on time (and don’t want the mess). There are endless variations and we each have a favorite. Brady loves the chocolate chocolate chip, Katy the red velvet, and Ricky and I are very partial to the strawberry. If you came to one of my book signings for my latest book, Sweetness, and had a cookie (or two), it was this recipe.
These would be an easy addition to your cookie trays, and yet another blessing to others, this Christmas! Of course, Sweetness would also be a great gift. It’s a book of memories, love, blessings, and recipes written in honor of and dedicated to my grandparents. Click here to see it on Amazon and purchase it for around $10.
Busy Week Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 box (15 to 18 ounces) cake mix (see variations for flavors)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the cake mix, eggs, and oil in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes.
- Form the dough into balls a little smaller than a golf ball size and place them 2 inches apart on 2 ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake until very lightly browned at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing from the baking sheets.
Notes
Red Velvet Cookies: Use red velvet cake mix and stir in 1 cup white chocolate morsels after mixing.
Chocolate Chippers: Use chocolate cake mix and stir in 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels after mixing.
Strawberry Crinkles: use strawberry cake mix and stir in 1 cup white chocolate morsels after mixing. Roll the dough balls in confectioners’ sugar before placing on the baking sheets for a pretty snow-capped crinkle.
Butter Pecan Crinkles: Use butter pecan cake mix and stir in ½ to 1 cup pecan pieces after mixing. Roll the dough balls in confectioners’ sugar before placing them on the baking sheets.
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“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.”
~Burton Hillis
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