This strawberry lemonade cookie recipe bakes up soft with bright lemon flavor in every bite.
I never planned on making a strawberry lemonade cookie, but sometimes the best recipes come from a little curiosity and a box of cake mix sitting in the pantry.
These cookies are easy, forgiving, and perfect for anyone who wants a fun bake without stressing over technique.
The strawberry flavor comes from strawberry cake mix, while fresh lemon zest adds just enough citrus to balance the sweetness.
The result is a soft cookie with the best texture, a light lemon taste, and that pretty pink color that makes these cookies pop on a plate.
Ingredients
See the recipe card below for measurements and instructions.
- Strawberry Cake Mix
- Egg
- Whipped Topping
- Powdered Sugar
- Lemon
Soft Strawberry Lemonade Cookie Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 box Strawberry Cake Mix
- 1 Egg slightly beaten
- 8 ounces Whipped Topping
- Zest of 1 Lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º
- Add ½ cup Powdered Sugar to a small bowl and set aside. You will use this to coat your hands so the dough does not stick to them.
- Add 1 box Strawberry Cake Mix, 8 ounces Whipped Topping, and the Zest of 1 Lemon to a mixing bowl.
- Lightly whisk the egg with a fork, then add it to the bowl.
- Use a handmixer to combine the mixture until a thick, sticky dough forms.
- Prepare cookie sheets. Line with parchment paper if desired.
- Dip your hands in powdered sugar, scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough, and roll it into a 1-inch ball.
- Place dough balls on the cookie sheet, keeping your hands coated in powdered sugar as you work.
- Lightly dust the tops with powdered sugar. Bake for 8 to 11 minutes. Cookies will be soft when removed, but firm up as they cool.
- Cool the cookies on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
Nutrition
How to Store Cookies
Here's the easy way to store leftover cookies so they stay soft and fresh.
At Room Temperature
Let cookies cool completely, then store them in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Adding a small piece of bread helps keep them soft.
In the Refrigerator
Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Let them come to room temperature before serving for the best taste.
In the Freezer
Freeze baked cookies in a single layer until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. They keep well for up to 2 months.
Thaw at room temperature before eating.
More Cookie Recipes
Can you ever have too many cookie recipes? I don't think so. If you're in the mood to keep baking, here are a few more favorites to try next.
Hi, I'm Katie!
I'm so glad you're here. Want to make something fabulous? I'm here to help!
Jessi
Yum, oh my gosh these sound delicious! I pinned this so I can try making them later on, thanks for sharing the recipe!
Katie
Thanks Jessi! Let me know how they turn out if you make them!
Jessi @ Practically Functional
Ok, I made these just now and they are FANTASTIC! I made the cookies a little bit bigger than you did, so they weren't quite done even after 10 minutes. But I love the soft, chewy centers so it worked out great! They are super yummy and my husband loves them too; thanks for the recipe!
Katie
Yay! So glad they turned out good for you! I probably should make them bigger... the little ones are so easy to just pop in your mouth, lol! Have a great week!
Kristy, Life-n-Reflection
I am so happy it's an easy recipe. I'm not the cook in the family, my husband is. But, I think I sneak in the kitchen and make these!! Thanks for sharing!
Katie
Hehe... if I can make it, anyone can! : ) Let me know how it turns out!
Mrs. Match
What an adorable party! And those cookies are perfect. I'm afraid to make them-I bet I'd eat the whole batch!
Katie
Thank you! lol.. yes it is quite possible to eat the whole batch! Been there, done that : )
Stephanie @ Henry Happened
These seem fairly easy to make, and look like a million bucks! I bet they are super tasty, too...
Katie
Yes, they are quite easy to make! So easy to just keep eating them!
Jodi
OK - I was just searching the web for pink cookies for a all pink baby shower I am hosting. I am so glad I found these at the Chic on a Shoestring link party because I'm totally trying them. Will link back. Thanks!
Katie
Thanks so much Jodi! I hope you enjoy them! Let me know if you have any questions!
Kristi @ Addicted 2 Decorating
Those are so pretty!!! And wow...such an easy recipe, I feel fairly certain that even I couldn't mess them up! 🙂
Katie
Thank you so much! I'm pretty sure I made the only mistake possible when making these (adding too much cool whip), so you should be good to go now ; )
Karyn - Pint Sized Baker
Looks like fun cookies. Are they kinda like lemon coolers? Do they get crunchy and melt in your mouth or stay soft and cakey? I've pinned to make soon.
Katie
Thank you! They stay kinda cakey and melt in your mouth : )
Alecia @ Chicken Scratch NY
These look so good and so summery! We make chocolate crinkle cookies for Christmas, we roll the balls in powdered sugar and they crack as they cook and end up looking like those, only brown not pink.
-Alecia @ Chicken Scratch NY
Katie
We originally made them with devil's food cake at Christmas time! : ) I just changed it up for the pink lemonade! Thanks for stopping by!
Laura / Pet Scribbles
I can't get over how pretty these cookies look - both the pink version and the mint lemonade version! Definitely saving this recipe...for the day that I eventually start to make the many recipes I keep pinning, like this one! (My husband is the cook in our house!) Thanks for sharing such a great-looking and yummy recipe!
Katie
Thanks Laura! Yes, I pin food too... do I actually make it? Probably not... I'm too busy pinning food to make : )
Maria
Oh these cookies sound so good and look SO beautiful!!!
Katie
Thank you Maria! : )
Jenn
I have had these, but with a lemon cake mix and I loved them. I can just imagine how yummy they are with a strawberry one! Great pics!
Katie
Thanks so much Jenn! They are quite addicting too! They are just so small and you feel a little better since it's just cool whip ; )
Seaweed & Raine
When I saw these at your pink lemonade party post I thought I would have to give them a go... except I've yet to find somewhere in Sydney that stocks coolwhip. Any suggestions?
Leah
These are so pretty, and you're right, the recipe looks easy enough that I might actually try making them 🙂
Katie
Thank you so much Leah! They are really easy! And fun if you have little ones who want to help, it's kind of like playing with play dough!
Tiffany @ DontWastetheCrumbs
Visiting from Lines Across... beautiful! Love how little hands can get in there and help roll out the dough too. I bet they're tasty!
Katie
Thanks so much Tiffany! My son loves making these! It's like playing with play dough!
Peggy
What size is the container of Cool Whip? I've seen several different sizes.
Katie
Oh, so sorry, I'll go fix that now! Thanks for letting me know. I bought an 8 oz container, so I used 4 oz. : )
Linda
I have the same question as Peggy! There are a couple of different sizes of cool whip.
Katie
I just fixed that! Thanks for pointing that out ladies : ) I bought an 8oz container, so I used 4 oz! Let me know if you have any other questions!
Krysta
These look so good! Thanks for sharing - I will be putting these on the "must try" list!!
Katie
Thanks so much!!! Have a great week!
Rhiannon-Baked In The South
Delish! Thanks for sharing!
Katie
Thank you so much!
Val from Down South
I'm not sure what i've done wrong-the only thing I changed is that I used lemon cake mix instead of strawberry. I used regular cool whip as it didn't say fat free and my batter looked wetter than that pictured above. I've put the cookie sheets back in several times as the cookies are definitely NOT done (still gooey in the middle). So far I'm up to about 16+ minutes. My oven temp is okay too as I've been making lots of cookies and they've been true to the time suggested. Oh well.....perhaps another try....
Katie
Hey Val! I responded via email just wanted to make sure you received it! 🙂
Val from Down South
Yes, thanks so much. Here's an update for anyone trying this recipe: I used Duncan Hines lemon supreme and it may have been more moist so I baked a good bit longer (16+ minutes). The cookies ended with a nice crunch on the outside and a lovely chew on the inside. The upshot: my family LOVED them so I'll definitely make these again. Already thinking a spice cake would be nice for fall.
Katie
Thanks so much for letting me know. The moist mix could have very well been why it appeared wetter than what I show in the picture. It is also sensitive to how big the cookies are when you roll them into balls. I did just move too, so maybe my oven might be a little off. I haven't really tested it to much. Thanks so much for keeping me updated! The spice cake sounds delicious!!! They would be fun in some kind of orange for halloween, I might have to do that ; ) I love these cookies.. I'm not big on sweets so these are always my favorites! Also, whenever I messed up the first time I used the whole thing of cool whip and they still turned out good, they just looked like regular cookies instead of little puffy balls so it's ok if you add to much of that, you just have to adjust your cooking time. I'll add in the recipe about the cooking time so others can be aware!! I'm so glad you like them!
Val from Down South
I tried the recipe with spice cake and they were really yummy! Love this recipe because it is so easy and the cookies turn out delicious. I topped them with a bit of cinnamon sugar 🙂
Katie
So glad you liked them! We have made these cookies with several different cake mixes and they always turn out good! I'll have to try it with spice cake though, YUM!
Brittney
Am I the only one that thinks it's weird that these are supposed to be strawberry LEMONADE cookies and the only lemon involved is an OPTIONAL lemon zest? If you don't use the option...won't you just have strawberry cookies? And, for those of us non-bakers, how are we supposed to "eye-ball" the lemon zest..? I have no clue how much zest will make these taste just lemon-y enough to have that lemonade feel, but not overpower the cookie.. Is there any way you could give an actual measurement to make these taste like strawberry lemonade cookies. I love the idea (I've had strawberry lemonade cupcakes before and they're delicious! But they definitely have a very distinct lemon flavor) but I don't want to end up with plain strawberry cookies... Thanks!
Katie
Brittney,
I'm sorry that you feel the cookies are mislabeled because the lemon zest is optional. I stated it was optional purely so that others would know that it is not required to make the cookies. Yes, it wouldn't have a lemonade flavor when you don't use it, but I assumed that would be obvious if you someone chose not to use it. As stated in the first paragraph in the post, I am by no means a baker. This is just something I made for my daughter's Pink Lemonade Party, several people asked for the recipe so I posted how I did it. Lemon zest can be quite a sensitive thing. I am not HUGE on lemon so I probably used about a teaspoon to a tablespoon just to give it a little bit of a lemon flavor. If you would like additional information on using lemon zest I would search google for someone who is more familiar with it than I am. If you decide to use this recipe I would suggest starting there and then adding to it if you would like more of a lemon flavor that that offers. But that is just my suggestion, I cannot guarantee how it will turn out. I can only tell you what I did.
If you are looking for a recipe that has a distinct pink lemonade flavor, you might try this one. I thought about using this one before using the one I made.
http://eatathomecooks.com/2011/01/strawberry-lemonade-cookies-with-pink-lemonade-frosting.html
Cynthia
It seems like if you were going to make a large batch you could go with one box of lemon cake and one box of strawberry, and probably end up with a pretty fabulous pink lemonade flavor... just a thought, I'm not much of a baker and haven't tried these yet 🙂
Jess from Corner
These look AWESOME! I'm so pinning the entire party as a party idea! It's SO stinking cute!
Katie
Thanks so much Jess! You're too sweet : )
Karie
Looks SO good! Thanks for sharing, I will have to give this a try 🙂
Katie
Thanks so much Karie! If you have any questions let me know ; )
ashley
looks super yummy!!!
Katie
Thanks so much! Have a great week!
Jodi
Made these for my sister-in-law's baby shower. I'll be linking back to you tomorrow on my blog.
Katie
Thanks so much Jodi! I hope your daughter had fun helping ; )
Jessica @ Stay at Home-ista
So cute! I just pinned htese since I'm always on the lookout for easy cookies that I can whip up in a moment's notice.
Katie
Thank you Jessica! These are seriously addicting cookies! : ) I'd love to see how yours turn out if you make them!
Ash
Yummy these look great.. What a great blog it makes me hungry lol
Kate
I made these cupcakes for my daughters baptism luncheon. They were delicious!!
Judy
Wow these sound great. Who can resist a pink cookie (as evidenced by the overpriced pink cookies sold at espresso bars which aren't even that good.) I will be trying these for the next party or potluck.
Ela
These lookes soooo delicious... but do you have any idea how to make the strawberry cake mix on your own? Because I don't think we have it in our stores in Poland... Is there any substitution to this or am I never going to taste these little beauties?
Melise Morton
CAn you tell me what one batch yields?
Vanessa C
I just put mine in the oven....finger crossed
Katie
Yay! They are delicious! : ) Hope you enjoy them!
Vickie B
These cookies look so good. Just one question......what makes them strawberry ----LEMONADE----?
Katie
It's the lemon zest. It goes along with the pink lemonade party.... So I guess technically Strawberry Lemon. ; )