Texas Sheet Cake Cookies are the perfect marriage of rich chocolate flavor and chewy cookie texture, bringing the beloved Southern classic into bite-sized form. With just a few pantry staples, these indulgent treats come together quickly.
The cookies boast a soft, fudgy base and are crowned with a warm chocolate icing that sets into a glossy shell. They’re a guaranteed hit at potlucks, parties, or cozy nights in.
What You’ll Need for Texas Sheet Cake Cookies
- Milk chocolate cake mix – Acts as the shortcut base, packing flavor and moisture into every bite without needing flour or leavening agents.
- Large eggs – Bind the dough and provide structure, keeping the cookies soft yet chewy.
- Canola oil – Adds richness and helps create that perfectly tender cookie crumb.
- Unsalted sweet cream butter – Forms the luscious base of the chocolate icing for a smooth, creamy finish.
- Cocoa powder – Intensifies the chocolate flavor in the icing for a classic, deep cocoa punch.
- Whole milk – Brings everything together in the icing, offering a creamy consistency.
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens and thickens the icing while giving it that iconic glossy sheet cake look.
Let’s Bake: Texas Sheet Cake Cookies in a Snap
Preheat your oven and line two baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Mix the cake mix, eggs, and oil until the dough is smooth and glossy.
Scoop dough into mounds and space them out generously on the baking sheets. Bake until the edges are set but the centers are still soft — they’ll firm up as they cool.
While the cookies cool on a wire rack, make the icing on the stovetop. Stir together butter, cocoa, and milk until smooth and just bubbling. Take off the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar until velvety.
Drizzle that warm icing over each cookie and let it set until it’s shiny and firm to the touch. That’s it — dessert perfection.
Cookie Tips & Chocolate Twists
For the best texture, avoid overbaking — the cookies should look slightly underdone in the center when pulled from the oven. They’ll finish setting as they cool, locking in that soft, fudgy interior.
Want a flavor twist? Add a pinch of cinnamon to the icing for a nod to classic Texas sheet cake flair. Prefer a crunch? Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the warm icing for texture and Southern charm.
These cookies also work well with dark chocolate or German chocolate cake mix if you want to deepen or tweak the cocoa flavor.
Sweet Storage: Keeping Texas Sheet Cake Cookies Fresh
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. If stacking, place parchment or wax paper between layers to prevent sticking.
For longer storage, freeze the cookies without icing and add it fresh when ready to serve. Simply thaw at room temperature and drizzle with warm icing for that just-baked magic.
Texas Sheet Cake Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 box milk chocolate cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup canola oil
For the Chocolate Icing
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ cup unsalted sweet cream butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, blend the cake mix, eggs, and oil together until the dough is fully incorporated and smooth.
- Portion the dough using an ice cream scoop, spacing each scoop about two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, then let the cookies rest briefly before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. Continue baking remaining dough in batches.
For the Icing
- In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine the butter, cocoa powder, and milk. Whisk steadily until the mixture is well blended and smooth.
- Take the pan off the heat and gradually whisk in the powdered sugar until a silky consistency is achieved.
- Set a cookie sheet beneath the cooling rack to catch any excess drizzle. Spoon the icing generously over each cookie. Allow to set before serving.
