The Easiest 3-Ingredient Chocolate Cookies (with cake mix and canned pumpkin)
These cookies are a total game-changer—ridiculously easy, irresistibly delicious, and brimming with festive vibes that’ll have everyone in your house reaching for seconds (and thirds!).
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) box devil’s food cake mix
- 1 (14-ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup dried cranberries, optional
- ½ cup toasted pecans, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or give it a misting of cooking spray so the cookies don’t stick.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and pumpkin puree. (Do not add anything else that the cake mix calls for like eggs and oil—you just mix the cake mix with pumpkin, that’s it). Stir gently until the mixture is smooth without flour streaks—be careful not to over-mix as you want the batter to stay fluffy. It may become hard to mix, but keep going and it will eventually blend into a batter. If needed, you can add a splash of water or milk.
- Once the batter is blended, fold in the chocolate chips along with any other mix ins you’re adding. This step is entirely customizable, so have fun with it!
- Using a cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon, drop the dough onto your prepared baking sheet. Space each cookie about 2 inches apart to give them room to spread slightly as they bake.
- Place the tray in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. The cookies should be soft and slightly puffed. Once baked, let the cookies sit on the pan for about 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a cooling rack or serving tray.
Notes
Storage tips:
• These cookies will last for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keep them sealed to maintain their soft texture.
• These cookies freeze beautifully! Let them completely cool on the counter, then place in a freezer friendly bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw the preferred amount at room temperature or pop them in the microwave for about 20 seconds to soften up.
• The cookies may be a little sticky because they’re super moist from the pumpkin. For the first day or two after baking, I typically leave the lid slightly ajar when letting them sit on the counter. Then afterwards, when I store them in the fridge or freezer, I seal the container and don't have an issue with stickiness. Note: If you have layers of cookies, you can always place pieces of parchment paper between them to keep them from sticking. Variation ideas:
You can easily switch it up with different mix-ins based on your taste and what you have on hand. Here are a few ideas we like in my house:
• Add chopped walnuts or slivered almonds instead of pecans. The crunch pairs perfectly with the soft texture of the cookies.
• Spice it up by adding ½ teaspoon of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the cake mix. You’ll get a warm, comforting flavor that’s perfect for the season.
• Swap out the cranberries for raisins, dried cherries, or even chopped dried figs for a different flavor profile. Ingredient modifications:
• You can use a gluten-free cake mix for this recipe. Note that the texture may change a little because of the varying types of gluten-free flours used from brand to brand. For example, a gluten-free 1:1 (also known as a gluten-free all-purpose baking flour) will seamlessly work, whereas almond flour might have slight texture change, albeit, it will still be delicious. Try to find a brand that is as close to the recommended 15 ounces as possible, though it can be a little bit less. • For reference, we experimented with two mainstream gluten-free cake mix brands readily found in the grocery story being that this recipe is all about convenience and ease: Betty Crocker GF Devil's Food Cake Mix and Simple Mills GF Chocolate Cake mix.
• These cookies will last for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keep them sealed to maintain their soft texture.
• These cookies freeze beautifully! Let them completely cool on the counter, then place in a freezer friendly bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw the preferred amount at room temperature or pop them in the microwave for about 20 seconds to soften up.
• The cookies may be a little sticky because they’re super moist from the pumpkin. For the first day or two after baking, I typically leave the lid slightly ajar when letting them sit on the counter. Then afterwards, when I store them in the fridge or freezer, I seal the container and don't have an issue with stickiness. Note: If you have layers of cookies, you can always place pieces of parchment paper between them to keep them from sticking. Variation ideas:
You can easily switch it up with different mix-ins based on your taste and what you have on hand. Here are a few ideas we like in my house:
• Add chopped walnuts or slivered almonds instead of pecans. The crunch pairs perfectly with the soft texture of the cookies.
• Spice it up by adding ½ teaspoon of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the cake mix. You’ll get a warm, comforting flavor that’s perfect for the season.
• Swap out the cranberries for raisins, dried cherries, or even chopped dried figs for a different flavor profile. Ingredient modifications:
• You can use a gluten-free cake mix for this recipe. Note that the texture may change a little because of the varying types of gluten-free flours used from brand to brand. For example, a gluten-free 1:1 (also known as a gluten-free all-purpose baking flour) will seamlessly work, whereas almond flour might have slight texture change, albeit, it will still be delicious. Try to find a brand that is as close to the recommended 15 ounces as possible, though it can be a little bit less. • For reference, we experimented with two mainstream gluten-free cake mix brands readily found in the grocery story being that this recipe is all about convenience and ease: Betty Crocker GF Devil's Food Cake Mix and Simple Mills GF Chocolate Cake mix.
Nutrition Information per serving
Serving Size: 1 cookieCalories: 90Carbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1gTotal Fat: 2.5g— Unsaturated Fat: 1g— Saturated Fat: 1.5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 110mgPotassium: 46mgFiber: 1gTotal Sugar: 10g— Natural Sugar: 6g— Added Sugar: 4g
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.