Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies with Silky Almond Buttercream
A brilliant hack using strawberry cake mix to create bakery-style cookie sandwiches. These are soft, vibrant, and filled with a decadent almond-infused buttercream.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 8
- Total Time: 23
- Yield: 12 sandwiches
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
1 box (15.25oz) Strawberry Cake Mix (Duncan Hines recommended)
2 large whole eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sanding sugar (for rolling)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 pinch salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 cup heavy cream
6 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the strawberry cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil until just combined. Do not overmix.
3. Place sanding sugar on a shallow plate. Use a 1-inch scoop to form dough balls, then roll them thoroughly in the sanding sugar.
4. Place dough balls 3 inches apart on the baking sheet and bake for 7-9 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
5. For the buttercream, whip softened butter until light and fluffy. Add salt, vanilla, almond extract, and heavy cream.
6. Gradually add powdered sugar, whipping on high for 2 minutes until voluminous. Add extra cream if needed for consistency.
7. Pipe a flat swirl of buttercream on the bottom of one cookie and press a second cookie on top to assemble.
Notes
Don’t overbake! The cookies should look slightly soft when pulled out; they firm up as they cool.
Use room temperature butter for the fluffiest buttercream results.