Description
Delight in these soft and creamy Creamsicle Cookies that combine vanilla cake mix, cream cheese, and a burst of orange flavor. Coated with powdered sugar for a crackled finish, these cookies offer a nostalgic creamsicle taste with a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 15.25 ounce box vanilla cake mix (Betty Crocker Super Moist recommended)
- 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 (Ghirardelli recommended)
Coating
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
- Mix Cream Cheese and Butter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and unsalted butter on medium-low speed for 1 minute until smooth with no lumps.
- Add Egg and Flavoring: Add the egg, orange extract, and orange gel food coloring. Continue mixing for 1-2 minutes until fully incorporated.
- Add Cake Mix: Mix in the vanilla cake mix at low speed for another 1-2 minutes until the batter is very thick.
- Incorporate White Chocolate Chips: Fold the white chocolate chips into the batter with a wooden spoon or spatula to distribute evenly.
- Form Cookie Balls: Using a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop, form 36 dough balls and place them on one parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate the dough balls for 30 minutes to chill.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sugar Coating: While chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F. Put the powdered sugar into a small bowl for rolling the cookies.
- Coat Cookies in Powdered Sugar: After chilling, roll each dough ball lightly in powdered sugar to create a crackled finish.
- Arrange for Baking: Place 9-12 coated cookie balls on the second baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them adequately.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 12 minutes until centers are set and the powdered sugar coating forms a beautiful crackle.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Repeat Baking: Repeat the coating, arranging, baking, and cooling steps for the remaining dough balls until all cookies are baked.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring instead of regular to achieve vibrant orange color.
- Ensure the cream cheese is fully softened to avoid lumps in the dough.
- Powdered sugar coating is optional but adds a lovely crackle texture and appearance.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 6 days.
- Cookies freeze well for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
