If you’re looking for a summer cookie recipe to bring to a graduation party or a potluck style dessert party, I have you covered. These Strawberry Lemon Cookies has been a family favorite for years. You may even hear it go by Strawberry Lemonade Cookies. That’s because freshly squeezed lemon juice is added to both the cookie dough batters. It adds just the right amount of sweet lemon tang to these otherwise sugar cookies.
One of my most popular posts over the past 6 years of blogging has been these insanely delicious Lemon Sugar Cookies. If you’d like a homemade lemon cookie recipe to use in this recipe, head over to the post and substitute this lemon cookie recipe for my homemade version! Millions of people have visited this recipe over the years and they have received hundreds of 5-star praises on Pinterest and my website alone.
Last year, I shared my super simple Strawberry Cookie recipe. This recipe features the both of best worlds because now the cookie dough batters are combined to create the ultimate strawberry and lemon cookie recipe.
Easy Strawberry Lemonade Cookies
For this recipe, you’ll need 1 box Strawberry Cake Mix and 1 box Lemon Cake Mix, plus a few other ingredients to achieve the perfect cake box cookies.
Next, mix each boxed cake mix separately. Two eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1/3 oil gets added to each bowl. Stir to combine the ingredients. Each cake mix will make the cookie dough. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes to firm up the dough.
Since the dough can be sticky, I generously sprinkle 2 separate plates with powdered sugar. First, scoop the lemon dough using 1/2 tablespoon. My cookie sheet can fit about 12 cookie balls spaced 1-inch apart. I’ll scoop 12 lemon cookie dough balls and place them on the plate then I’ll do the same with the strawberry cookie dough and place on another place. Next roll each individual ball, about 24 total or however many you may have scooped. Roll until smooth.
Then, roll 1 lemon cookie dough ball and 1 strawberry cookie dough ball together. Apply gentle pressure while rolling the dough together between your hands. Once the doughs are combined and smooth, place the ball on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat until you’ve filled up your sheet then bake the cookies in the oven for 9-13 minutes. I baked mine for 12.5 minutes or until the lemon cookie edges were slightly golden brown.
Take the cookies to the next level!
To jazz up these summer cake mix cookies, feel free to adjust the recipe. My favorite way to make these cookies stand out even more includes:
- Add freshly sliced strawberries to the top of the cookie dough halfway through baking. After all, fresh strawberry cookies with real strawberries is the best!
- Add lemon zest to the lemon and strawberry cookie doughs.
- Add white chocolate chips to the cookie doughs before baking.
- Use lemon juice in place of water in the icing/frosting recipe.
- Use your favorite sprinkles in the dough.
- Double the frosting then dip the cookies in the lemon icing.
Summer Dessert Recipes
For more summer dessert recipes, try these Cherry Pie Cookies. We love them at the height of summer. This Strawberry Shortcake is a classic summertime cake that gets serious 5-star reviews. My Cherry Pie Crumble Bars hit the spot during the summer heat. For a different recipe that tastes great all year long, try these Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies.
If you like cake mix cookie recipes, these Gooey Butter Cookies use decadent yellow cake mix cookies with cream cheese. These Butter Pecan Cookies are the perfect fall cookie recipe. Of course, to make strawberry lemonade cookies, you’ll use these Strawberry Cookies and these Lemon Cookie recipes.
To jazz these cookies up, even more, be sure to read my post for additional ideas that you’ll love!
Strawberry Lemonade Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 box Betty Crocker Delight Strawberry Cake Mix or any brand cake mix
- 1 box Betty Crocker Delight Lemon Cake Mix or any brand cake mix
- 4 large eggs, divided
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons cold water or lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk 2 eggs, 1/3 cup oil, 1.5 teaspoons lemon juice. Stir in lemon cake mix. Mix until combined; set aside.In a separate medium bowl, whisk 2 eggs, 1/3 cup oil, 1.5 teaspoons lemon juice. Stir in strawberry cake mix. Mix until combined; set aside.Refrigerate doughs at least 30 minutes.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.Generously sprinkle 2 separate large plates with powdered sugar. Working with the lemon dough first, scoop 1/2 tablespoon dough and place on powdered sugar plate. Repeat until you have enough to fill the cookie sheet about. Roll dough between hands then place back onto plate.Scoop 1/2 tablespoon strawberry cookie dough onto second powdered sugar plate. Roll dough balls. The powdered sugar on the plate should make working with the dough easier when it’s ready to be rolled. If it’s still too sticky to roll, sprinkle a little powdered sugar on hands.Roll 1 lemon ball and 1 strawberry ball together. Cup hands and apply a little pressure while rolling until smooth ball forms.Place on baking sheet 1-inch apart. Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar. Bake in oven for 10-13 minutes or until slightly golden around the edges. I baked mine for 12.5 minutes.Refrigerate remaining dough in between uses. Transfer baked cookies to cooling wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough. To make the glaze, combine 1.5 cups powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons water or lemon juice. Mix until smooth. Using a spoon, drizzle glaze over cookies.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate and it’s accuracy is not guaranteed to be exact.
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16 Responses
For the glaze can I use granulated sugar instead of powdered? Or is it best to do use powdered
Hi Josie! Great question! For the glaze, powdered sugar is definitely the best choice. Granulated sugar won’t dissolve smoothly and will leave the glaze gritty. Powdered sugar creates that classic smooth, glossy finish that sets beautifully on top of the cookies. If you’re ever out of powdered sugar, you can make your own by blending granulated sugar in a high-speed blender until fine. Hope that helps! 😊🍋🍓
Can you freeze the cookies after being baked?
Yes, Strawberry Lemonade Cookies can be frozen—both the dough and the baked cookies.
Thank you Jessica for this recipe, I love how the cookies turn out! But one thing I noticed is that this recipe doesn’t make as many cookies as it used to for me. (I started using this recipe back in 2020.)
I’m wondering if it’s the cake box size/manufacturers amount or if it could be something on my end that I’m doing?
That is really strange. I have not changed the recipe. It is entirely possible they changed the box size, but I don’t think so.
Can you freeze the dough
Hi Belinda! Yes, you can absolutely freeze the dough. I recommend rolling the lemon and strawberry doughs into individual balls first, then freezing them on a baking sheet until firm. Once they’re solid, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. When you’re ready to bake, just let them thaw in the fridge for about 30 minutes before rolling the two doughs together and baking as usual.
Can butter be substituted for oil
Hi Debra! Yes, you can substitute butter for the oil in the recipe if you prefer. Use the same amount of melted butter (2/3 cup total) as a replacement for the vegetable oil. Keep in mind that the texture of the cookies may be slightly different—using butter could make them a bit richer and softer. Let me know how they turn out!
Do you roll the two together?wont they be mixed and not look like your half and half?
Hi Judie,
Great question! When you roll the lemon and strawberry doughs together, you want to apply gentle pressure while rolling them between your hands. This will combine them into a single smooth ball without fully mixing the colors, giving you that distinctive half-and-half look. Just make sure not to over-roll, so you maintain the two-tone appearance. Happy baking!
Best,
Jessica
The box calls for 3 eggs and 1/3 cup of oil… am I supposed to shorten it for the recipe or follow box instructions
For the Strawberry Lemonade Cookies, you should follow the recipe’s specific instructions rather than the box instructions. The recipe calls for 2 eggs and 1/3 cup of oil for each cake mix to achieve the best texture and flavor for these cookies. The adjustments are meant to tailor the dough for this particular combination, so it’s important to stick with the amounts listed in the recipe.
I baked these for a community lunch I volunteer for. These cookies were a HUGE HIT. I received many compliments. Thank you for sharing.
These look delicious, thank you for sharing!