Description
Delight in the zesty sweetness of Creamsicle Cookies, which combine the tangy brightness of orange with the creamy richness of white chocolate in a soft, cake mix-based cookie. These cookies feature a beautiful crackled powdered sugar coating, offering a fun twist on classic flavors perfect for snacking or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Base
- 15.25 ounce box vanilla cake mix (Betty Crocker Super Moist brand recommended)
- 8 ounce block cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- ½ teaspoon orange gel food coloring
- 11 ounce bag white chocolate chips (Ghirardelli brand recommended)
Coating
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside for later use.
- Mix Cream Cheese and Butter: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and unsalted butter on medium-low speed with a handheld mixer for 1 minute until smooth with no lumps.
- Add Egg, Extract, and Coloring: Add the egg, orange extract, and orange gel food coloring to the mixture and beat for 1-2 minutes until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Incorporate Cake Mix: Add the vanilla cake mix and mix at low speed for 1-2 minutes to form a very thick batter.
- Add White Chocolate Chips: Fold the white chocolate chips into the batter evenly with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Form Cookie Dough Balls: Using a 1½ tablespoon (1½ inch) cookie scoop, portion out 36 cookie dough balls and place onto one of the prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate dough balls for 30 minutes to chill.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sugar Coating: While chilling, preheat oven to 350°F and place the powdered sugar in a small bowl.
- Coat Cookies with Powdered Sugar: After chilling, roll each dough ball in powdered sugar to lightly coat them.
- Arrange Cookies for Baking: Place 9 to 12 coated cookie balls onto the second parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced evenly.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, or until cookies are set in the center and exhibit a cracked powdered sugar surface.
- Cool Cookies: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat Baking Process: Repeat coating, arranging, baking, and cooling steps with remaining dough balls until all cookies are baked and cooled.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant orange color without thinning the batter.
- Ensure cream cheese is fully softened at room temperature to avoid lumps in the batter.
- The powdered sugar coating adds a distinctive crackled appearance but can be omitted if preferred.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for 5-6 days.
- Cookies freeze well for up to three months in an airtight container.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
