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Home Recipe Index Desserts Bars and Cookies

Lemon Poppyseed Cake Mix Cookies

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By: Rachel TiemeyerPosted: 10/22/24Updated: 10/29/24

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.

These bright and citrusy Lemon Poppyseed Cake Mix Cookies are crispy on the outside, doughy on the inside, packed with poppy seeds, and drizzled with an easy lemon glaze. Whether made with boxed cake mix from the store or Homemade Yellow Cake Mix, they come together quickly.

Glaze drizzled over lemon poppyseed cake mix cookies on a baking rack. this …


 
Table of Contents
  • Why You’ll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Cooking Notes from Our Pastry Chef
  • How to Make Lemon Poppyseed Cake Mix Cookies
  • How to Freeze Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
  • FAQs
  • Lemon Poppyseed Cake Mix Cookies
  • Recipe Contributor: Rachel Riegel

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • The flavor – These were my favorite cake mix cookies of all the flavors. I think they’d be perfect for Easter Lunch or for a spring or summer picnic.
  • Simple ingredients – The cookies themselves only require 6 ingredients.
  • Versatile – You can use store-bought yellow cake mix or our Yellow Cake Mix. Both have been test and work well.
  • Rigorously tested – Our recipe contributor (also a pastry chef!), Rachel Riegel, tested many variations of this recipe until she nailed it.

Ingredients

The ingredients for Lemon Cake Mix Cookies are so simple! Here is what you’ll need.

Lemon poppyseed cake mix cookie ingredients measured out and labeled.

Ingredient Notes:

  • Yellow Cake Mix (or store-bought yellow cake mix) – Store-bought lemon cake mix can be substituted for our Simple Yellow Cake Mix, but be sure to omit the lemon zest and extract from the dough. If using a store-bought cake mix, the weight needs to be 15.25 ounces. Anything less than that may result in cookies that won’t fully set.
  • Any neutral oil will work, such as avocado oil (our favorite), vegetable oil, canola, etc.

Cooking Notes from Our Pastry Chef

Our pastry chef, Rachel Riegel, made these notes during her many tests of these cookies:

  • If the glaze is not covered after preparing it, it will harden. So use it right away or cover the surface with plastic wrap until ready to use.
  • For a sweeter glaze, decrease the lemon juice to a ½ tablespoon and increase the milk to 1 ½ tablespoons.
  • If the cookies are glazed, they should be stored in the fridge, however they can be served at room temperature.
  • Some other mix-in and substitution ideas:
    • Add white chocolate chips.
    • Substitute orange for lemon.
    • Add 2 teaspoons of blueberry syrup or jam to the glaze.

How to Make Lemon Poppyseed Cake Mix Cookies

Prep

Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a cookie sheet by lining with parchment or coating with cooking spray. The cookies spread out quite a bit so it may be necessary to use more than one baking sheet or bake in batches.

Mix Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, and vanilla and lemon extracts, and lemon zest until fully combined. Add cake mix and poppy seeds to liquid ingredients and stir with a spatula or spoon to form a smooth dough.

Lemon poppyseed cake mix cookie dough in a glass mixing bowl.
Wet ingredients for lemon poppyseed cake mix cookies in a mixing bowl with cake mix and poppyseeds on top ready to mix in.

Portion & Bake

Form round balls using 2 rounded tablespoons of dough and place 3-4 inches apart on the cookie sheet.

Lemon poppyseed cake mix cookie dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet ready for the oven.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cookies will be done when they are almost fully set on the edges and slightly golden on the bottom.

Glaze

While the cookies are baking, whisk together all ingredients until fully combined and no lumps remain. Adjust consistency as needed with milk or powdered sugar. Cover and set aside.

Lemon glaze ingredients measured out and labeled.
Ingredients for glaze to go on top of lemon poppyseed cake mix cookies.

Let cool for a couple of minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to let cool completely. Once fully cooled, drizzle with glaze and let harden. You can also sprinkle with a few extra poppy seeds, if you want.

Store the iced cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Lemon poppyseed cake mix cookies on a baking rack with glaze drizzled on top.

How to Freeze Lemon Cake Mix Cookies

Freeze for Later: The cookies can be frozen before (here’s how to freeze cookie dough) or after they are baked and kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. Store in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. If they have been baked, make sure they are fully cooled first.

Prepare from Frozen: Bake frozen cookie dough according to the recipe instructions – baking times will still be the same. For baked cookies, let thaw to room temperature and enjoy.

FAQs

How do I store cake mix cookies?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. However, if they have an icing on them that has milk or cream in it, the cookies will need to be stored in the refrigerator not at room temp.

What is the texture of cake mix cookies?

They are so soft and cakelike – they practically melt right in your mouth. These cookies stay soft throughout and don’t form much of a crust on the bottom – you can either use a spatula to transfer them to the wire rack or just pull them right off the parchment (none of them stuck or ripped).

How can I make the cookies flatter?

Because these cookies do not spread much as they bake, you can flatten dough with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup (spray with cooking spray to avoid sticking to cookie dough).

Can I leave the poppyseeds out?

Yes, you can leave poppyseeds out of the recipe and it will work fine.

6 different cake mix cookies with labels.

Want More Cake Mix Cookies?

Using the same yellow cake mix recipe as a base, we developed 7 different Cake Mix Cookie recipes!

    • Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies
    • Nutella Cake Mix Cookies

    • Strawberries and Cream Cake Mix Cookies

    • Peanut Butter Cup Cake Mix Cookies

    • Pumpkin Spice Cake Mix Cookies
    • Plain Cake Mix Cookies

 

See All Cake Mix Cookie Recipes

Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

Lemon poppyseed cake mix cookies lined up on parchment paper drizzled with glaze.
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Lemon Poppyseed Cake Mix Cookies

These bright and citrusy Lemon Poppyseed Cake Mix Cookies are crispy on the outside, doughy on the inside, packed with poppy seeds, and drizzled with an easy lemon glaze.

Yield: 12 large cookies 1x
Prep: 10-15 minutesCook: 13-15 minutesTotal: 23-30 minutes
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Ingredients

Cookie Dough:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup avocado oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
  • Zest of 1 lemon (set aside a small pinch for glaze)
  • 1 batch of Yellow Cake Mix or 1 (15.25-ounce) box of yellow cake mix

Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Pinch lemon zest
  • Pinch salt

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions

Make It Now:

  1. Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a cookie sheet by lining with parchment or coating with cooking spray. The cookies spread out quite a bit so it may be necessary to use more than one baking sheet or bake in batches.
  2. Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, and vanilla and lemon extracts, and lemon zest until fully combined.
  3. Combine: Add cake mix and poppy seeds to liquid ingredients and stir with a spatula or spoon to form a smooth dough.
  4. Portion: Form round balls using 2 rounded tablespoons of dough and place 3-4 inches apart on the cookie sheet.
  5. Bake: Bake for 13-15 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cookies will be done when they are almost fully set on the edges and slightly golden on the bottom.
  6. Glaze: While the cookies are baking, whisk together all ingredients until fully combined and no lumps remain. Adjust consistency as needed with milk or powdered sugar. Cover and set aside.
  7. Store: Let cool for a couple of minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to let cool completely. Once fully cooled, drizzle with glaze and let harden. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Excess glaze can also be stored in the fridge, covered, for 3-4 days.

Freeze for Later: The cookies can be frozen before (here’s how to freeze cookie dough) or after they are baked and kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. Store in an airtight container or ziploc bag. If they have been baked, make sure they are fully cooled first.

Prepare from Frozen: Bake frozen cookie dough according to the recipe instructions – baking times will still be the same. For baked cookies, let thaw to room temperature and enjoy.


Notes/Tips

  • Using our homemade yellow cake mix will result in cookies that are thinner, crispy on the outside, and doughy in the middle (but include NO additives or preservatives). Using a store-bought mix will create thicker, cake-like cookies with a recognizable “cake mix/batter” flavor.
  • Keep the glaze covered when not using, otherwise it will harden on top.
  • If the cookies are glazed, they should be stored in the fridge, however they can be served at room temperature.
© Author: Rachel Tiemeyer
Cuisine: American Method: Bake

Did you make this?

Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

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Tag Us on Instagram

Rachel Riegel, guest recipe contributor to Thriving Home.

Recipe Contributor: Rachel Riegel

Pastry Chef Rachel Riegel developed and rigorously tested this recipe for Thriving Home.

Rachel grew up in northern Michigan with a family that loved to cook and bake. She attended a career center for culinary and baking and pastry arts in high school and went to college at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. She graduated in August 2023 with a Bachelor’s in Food Business Managment and Baking and Pastry Arts.

In her free time, she loves to read, listen to true crime podcasts, go on walks, travel, and spend time with her fiancé.

Lemon poppyseed cake mix cookies cooling on a baking rack with a lemon glaze on top.
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Rachel Tiemeyer

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Rachel dreams about creating recipes (literally) and uses her husband, her 3 kids, and even the neighbors as guinea pigs several nights a week. She believes that good food has the power to bring families and friends closer together and continues to wake up excited about her job each day, even after 10+ years!

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