Cake Mix Cookies are quick and easy

Dee King called recently searching for a recipe for Cake Mix Cookies.

Just after her call, a recipe appeared in the Hints from Heloise column which calls for adding 1/2 cup oil and two eggs to any 18.25-ounce box cake mix and then baking them in a 350-degree oven.

King called back to say she’d tried the recipe, but the batter was much too stiff and she could barely stir it, so she’d added an extra egg to the batter.

I’m sure her version turned out fine. But I tested it at home just to be sure this well-circulated recipe was correct.

The stirring did get a little bit hard, but thick batter actually stays soft while you finish stirring. My cookies turned out nicely with just those two ingredients.

I also tried two recipes below for Devil’s Food Cookies and Snickerdoodles from cake mixes. Both were tasty versions of this quick and easy recipe.

We could also use some help from longtime readers of this column for another recipe request.

Lynda Lowman of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, is searching for a recipe that she remembers finding as a newlywed in the 1960s for a cheesecake that included cream cheese, crushed pineapple and small-curd cottage cheese.

She loved taking the cheesecake to potlucks and luncheons, but has misplaced the recipe. It had a graham cracker crust and set up in the refrigerator.

I found a recipe from a leaflet published in 1965 for Pineapple Cheesecake Supreme, but it doesn’t include the cottage cheese. If someone out there has a recipe that fits this description, send it to me at the address at the end of today’s column.

Snickerdoodles from Cake Mix

From www.recipezaar.com

1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix cake mix, eggs, oil and vanilla extract. Stir until well blended.

In a separate small bowl mix sugar and cinnamon.

Form cookie dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture until completely covered.

Place on cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.

Devil’s Food Cookies

From cooks.com. I used dark chocolate chips and stirred them in to the batter before baking.

1 (18.25-ounce) package devil’s food cake mix without pudding

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup chopped pecans

6 (1.45-ounce) milk chocolate bars, divided into squares (optional)

1/2 cup coconut (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cake mix, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Stir in the pecans. Drop batter by teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets and cool completely on wire racks.

Optional: While the cookies are still on the pan, place 1 square of milk chocolate on each; spread gently to frost. Sprinkle with coconut.

Yield: About 3 dozen cookies

Nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.