Cake Mix Butter Pecan Cookies are the ultimate shortcut dessert that tastes like you spent hours baking from scratch. These soft, chewy cookies are packed with buttery pecans, sweet toffee bits, and warm vanilla flavor, all wrapped up in a rich, melt-in-your-mouth cookie base. Thanks to butter pecan cake mix, you get bakery-style flavor with minimal effort, making this one of the best easy dessert recipes for busy home cooks.
If you love simple family recipes that deliver big flavor without complicated steps, these cookies are for you. They’re perfect for easy dinner ideas that need a quick dessert, affordable meals where you still want something special, or quick weeknight recipes when time is tight but cravings are strong. With just a handful of pantry ingredients, these Cake Mix Butter Pecan Cookies are guaranteed to become a go-to family comfort food dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Uses cake mix for fast, foolproof baking
• Budget-friendly dessert with simple ingredients
• Soft, chewy texture with crunchy pecans
• Family-approved cookies everyone loves
• Perfect for holidays, bake sales, and gifting
• Beginner-friendly recipe with no mixer required
Ingredient Breakdown
Butter Pecan Cake Mix – The star of the recipe, providing buttery flavor, sweetness, and built-in seasoning for perfectly balanced cookies.
Eggs – Help bind the dough and give the cookies structure and chewiness.
Vegetable or Canola Oil – Keeps the cookies moist and soft instead of dry or crumbly.
Vanilla Extract – Enhances the warm, nutty flavors and adds depth.
Pecan Halves – Add crunch, nutty richness, and visual appeal when pressed on top.
Chopped Pecans – Mixed into the dough to ensure pecan flavor in every bite.
Toffee Bits – Bring caramelized sweetness and a slight crunch that pairs perfectly with butter pecan flavor.
Pro Tips
Do not overbake. Cookies will look slightly underdone in the center but firm up as they cool.
Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
Press the pecan halves gently so they don’t sink too far into the dough.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet briefly to set before transferring.
Use room-temperature eggs for smoother dough mixing.
Ingredient Swaps or Variations
Swap butter pecan cake mix for vanilla or yellow cake mix and add extra chopped pecans.
Use chopped walnuts if pecans aren’t available.
Add white chocolate chips for extra sweetness.
Make it dairy-free by checking toffee bits and cake mix labels carefully.
Turn them into sandwich cookies by adding cream cheese frosting between two cookies.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Cake Mix Butter Pecan Cookies slightly warm with a glass of milk, coffee, or tea. They’re perfect on dessert trays, holiday cookie platters, or as an easy party food idea. These cookies also make wonderful edible gifts when packaged in decorative tins or bags. For a more indulgent treat, drizzle with caramel sauce or melted white chocolate before serving.
Make Ahead + Storage Tips
These cookies are excellent for meal prep desserts. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Refrigeration is optional but can extend freshness slightly. To freeze, place baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Dough can also be frozen in scooped portions and baked directly from frozen with a 1–2 minute increase in bake time.
Butter Pecan Flavor: A Southern-Inspired Classic
Butter pecan is a flavor deeply rooted in Southern comfort food traditions, often associated with ice cream, cakes, and holiday desserts. Its rich, buttery base and toasted nut flavor make it a timeless favorite. These cookies take that classic flavor and turn it into a modern, easy dessert recipe perfect for today’s busy kitchens while still honoring traditional family comfort food flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these cookies ahead of time?
Yes, they store well and are perfect for baking a day or two in advance.
What’s the best way to store leftovers?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain softness.
Can I make this recipe healthier?
You can reduce toffee bits slightly or use smaller portions, though this is meant to be a treat.
Can I use butter instead of oil?
Oil is recommended for softer cookies, but melted butter can be used for richer flavor.
Why are my cookies spreading too much?
Make sure your baking sheets are cool before adding dough and avoid overmixing.
Cake Mix Butter Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Set aside 22 pecan halves for topping. Roughly chop the remaining pecans.
- In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Stir in the chopped pecans and toffee bits.
- Scoop the dough using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop and place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart.
- Press one pecan half gently onto the top of each dough ball.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
