Strawberry Cake Mix Sandwich Cookies are made with freeze dried strawberries and a simple cream cheese filling. Easy cookie sandwiches that are packed with strawberry flavor!
If you love strawberries, these Strawberry Cake Mix Sandwich Cookies are about to become your new favorite treat. They’re unbelievably soft, packed with real strawberry flavor from both cake mix and freeze-dried strawberries, and sandwiched with a creamy homemade cream cheese frosting that makes them taste like a cross between a cookie and a slice of strawberry cake. I love making these because they’re just as fun to assemble as they are to eat—and somehow two cookies with frosting in the middle always feels like the right amount!
Recipe Highlights
- Double Strawberry Flavor – Strawberry cake mix, freeze-dried strawberries, and optional strawberry extract work together to create a bold, fruity flavor in every bite.
- Soft Cookies + Creamy Filling – The cookies bake up soft and chewy, then are sandwiched with a rich homemade cream cheese frosting that adds the perfect tangy balance to the strawberry cookies.
- Bakery-Style with Minimal Effort – Using a cake mix keeps the recipe quick and simple, while the homemade frosting and sandwich-cookie presentation make them look and taste like they came from a bakery.
Ingredients in Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
Strawberry cake mix – You will need a box of strawberry cake mix. Any brand is fine, but just make sure the cake mix is about 15 ounces.
Baking powder – Adding a little bit of baking powder makes these cookies softer and chewier.
Eggs – The recipe calls for 2 eggs. The cookies turn out even better if you let the eggs sit out for about 15-20 minutes so they can come to room temperature before adding to the other ingredients.
Butter – Real butter works best. Melt the butter and let it sit for a few minutes to cool before adding to the recipe.
Strawberry extract – Just a tiny bit of strawberry extract intensifies the strawberry flavor of the cookies. It’s optional, but if you love the strawberry flavor, go ahead and add it.
Freeze dried strawberries – Adding a cup of chopped freeze dried strawberries will add some texture and flavor to the cookies.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Butter – Again, real butter works best, but this time don’t melt it! Bring the butter to room temperature so that it will be soft enough to mix with the cream cheese for the filling.
Cream cheese – You will need half a block of full fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature.
Vanilla extract – Just a teaspoon of vanilla extract adds a little flavor to the frosting.
Powdered sugar – Two cups of powdered sugar adds the perfect consistency and amount of sweetness to the cream cheese.
Tips & Tricks for making Cake Mix Strawberry Cookies
Full instructions in the recipe card below, but here are a few tips for the baking & assembly process!
- Chill the dough for thicker cookies. While optional, 30 minutes in the refrigerator helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much, giving you thicker, softer cookies that are sturdy enough to hold the cream cheese filling.
- Finely chop the freeze-dried strawberries. Large pieces can make scooping the dough difficult and create uneven cookies. Smaller pieces distribute the strawberry flavor more evenly throughout every bite.
- Pair cookies of similar size before frosting. After the cookies have cooled, match them into pairs before adding the filling. This makes the sandwich cookies look neater and keeps the frosting evenly distributed.
- Let the cookies cool completely before assembling. Even slightly warm cookies will cause the cream cheese frosting to melt and slide. Cooling them completely gives you clean, bakery-style sandwich cookies that hold together beautifully.
How Long Do Sandwich Cookies Last?
These strawberry sandwich cookies are at their very best the day they’re assembled, when the cookies are perfectly soft and the cream cheese frosting is light and fluffy. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving so the frosting can soften slightly.
These cookies also freeze well! Place the assembled sandwich cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag with parchment paper between layers. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for about 30 minutes at room temperature before enjoying.
VARIATIONS ON COOKIE SANDWICHES
USE A DIFFERENT CAKE MIX: You can use any boxed cake mix flavor you’d like! Lemon and chocolate are both delicious!
USE YOUR FAVORITE COOKIE RECIPE: Have a favorite homemade cookie recipe? Use that! You can use any cookies you’d like and then just add the cream cheese frosting to the centers.
SKIP THE SANDWICH PART: Instead of making cookie sandwiches, you can pipe frosting on individual cookies and just eat one at a time.
Do I have to use the strawberry extract?
No. The cookies are still delicious without it, but the strawberry extract gives them an extra boost of berry flavor that pairs perfectly with the freeze-dried strawberries.
Can I make the cookies ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can bake the cookies a day or two in advance and store them in an airtight container. Assemble them with the frosting just before serving for the freshest texture.
Can I use store-bought frosting?
Yes, if you’re short on time. However, the homemade cream cheese frosting has a tangy flavor that complements the strawberry cookies much better than traditional vanilla frosting.
Can I make these without the freeze-dried strawberries?
Yes, but you’ll lose some of the concentrated strawberry flavor and texture they add. If possible, they’re worth including for the best results.
Why are my sandwich cookies sliding apart?
This usually happens if the cookies are still warm or the frosting is too soft. Make sure the cookies are completely cool before assembling, and refrigerate the sandwiches for 15–20 minutes if needed to help the frosting firm up.
Here are more of our favorite Cake mix cookie recipes:
- Strawberry Cool Whip Cookies look like you spent way more time on them than you actually did! With their beautiful crackly, crinkle tops, these pretty pink cookies are perfect whenever you’re craving a quick sweet treat.
- With 4 ingredients, you can mix and match your favorite Jello flavors to create Cake Mix Jello Cookies that are perfect for parties, holidays, lunchboxes, or an afternoon baking adventure.
- One of the easiest treats you’ll ever make are these Cake Mix Rolo Cookies. Bite into one warm from the oven for a gooey, melty Rolo center that makes these cookies completely irresistible.
- Love caramel apples? These Caramel Apple Cake Mix Cookies are an easy way to enjoy those cozy fall flavors any time of year!
- These Easy Homemade Oreo Cookies are a fun, shortcut version made with chocolate cake mix, so you get all the classic chocolate-and-cream goodness with hardly any effort.
- If you love carrot cake but don’t want to bake a whole cake, these Carrot Cake Cookies are the perfect solution! Made with cake mix and topped with rich cream cheese frosting, they’re an easy dessert that’s perfect for spring gatherings, or whenever you’re craving those classic carrot cake flavors.
Strawberry Cake Mix Sandwich Cookies are made with freeze dried strawberries and a simple cream cheese filling. Easy cookie sandwiches that are packed with strawberry flavor!
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