3-Ingredients, 12 minutes, and delicious cookies? You betcha! These Vegan Cocoa Puff Cake Mix Cookies are where it’s at.

You may be asking yourself: “How is this magic possible? How can I make fluffy delicious cookies that taste like literal cocoa puffs using only 3 ingredients?”

Well, the answer is: I cheated. Yup, I used a box. But not boxed cookie mix. Boxed cake mix. That’s the secret to these delicious too-good-to-be-true cookies.

I actually learned this secret from my friend in elementary school (hello Allie, if you’re reading…improbable but if you ever see this, you da best!). Her genius mother taught us how to make cake mix cookies. I was skeptical, but one bite, and I became a believer.

In addition to being fluffy clouds of pure joy, cake mix cookies are so incredibly easy you’d be silly to not make them. Chocolate cake mix elicits cookies that taste like straight-up cocoa puffs (which pairs perfectly with some almond milk), but you can also use vanilla or any other flavored cake mix to achieve your desired cookie result.

Today I made these mix-in free (mainly because I had nothing fun to mix in since the budget is extra tight these days), but adding chocolate chunks, nuts, sprinkles, or a swirl of peanut butter would result in an even more delicious vegan cake mix cookie experience.

Let’s move on to the vegan-izing part. Back in the day, I made these with eggs. Now, I just use water. Because I’m lazy, it’s easy, and it works. As for the cake mix, I’m delighted to inform you that a great deal of boxed and readily-available cake mixes are coincidentally vegan. I know Duncan Hine’s has quite a few. If you aren’t sure, just give the ingredient list a once-over.

You can totally use a healthier organic, preservative-free, gluten-free, whatever-you-want kinda cake mix, and they will probably turn out incredible.

But for this batch, I used Pilsbury cake mix. Yup – straight up garbage. I found it on clearance at my local store for $0.59 a couple weeks ago and couldn’t pass it up. Is it riddled with artificial preservatives? Yes. Do I eat this often? No. Am I stressed about occasionally consuming ultra-processed food products and added sugar? Heck no, because the majority of my diet is full of plant-based wholesome goodness and I know better than to sweat the small stuff.

Now I’d like to fully acknowledge these are not fancy, nor innovative, nor groundbreaking or super creative or fancy. That’s what these Vegan Levain Bakery Cookies and these Chewy Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Protein Bars are for. These are just for fun. A fast, fun sweet treat that you can whip up in seconds when a cookie craving strikes.

And you know what? There’s a time and place for these vegan cocoa puff cake mix cookies in my world, and I hope there’s a time and place for them in your world, too.

If you make these, please let me know how you like them! Drop me a comment down below, or HMU on Instagram.

Vegan Cocoa Puff Cake Mix Cookies

Active Time: 3 minutes

Bake Time: 10-12 minutes

Servings: ~16 cookies

Ingredients:

1 16.25-ounce box Devil’s food or chocolate cake mix (vegan-friendly, if desired; I used Pillsbury Devil’s Food Cake Mix)

1/2 cup softened non-dairy butter (I used Earth Balance, feel free to use regular butter

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup mix-ins, if desired (suggested: chocolate chunks, chopped walnuts, peanut butter)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, softened butter, and water. Mix until combined. Add mix-ins, if using, and stir until evenly distributed throughout dough. Spoon cookie dough onto baking sheet in 1 to 2-tablespoon scoops (depending on desired size) with room between each cookie. Bake for 10-12 minutes until puffed and fragrant. Remove from oven and allow to cool…or don’t. I’m not here to judge you for eating warm cookies.

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