Cake Mix Cookies

I am a big fan of Cake Mix Cookies. They're fast and easy, they taste good, and they're fun to make with the kids. There are also so many different varieties that you can come up with depending on what cake mix you use. Here are a few of my favorite combinations.

Base Cookie Recipe (all the variations include the ingredients of this recipe)

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package cake mix
• 1/2 cup butter (or coconut oil), softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix, butter and eggs until smooth and well blended. Add optional ingredients (chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, etc.) Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Variations:

• Dark Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies - Dark Chocolate cake mix and 2/3 cup dark chocolate mint chips (usually only available around Christmas)
• Chocolate Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies - Devil's food cake mix, 2/3 cup white chocolate chips, and 1 cup coconut flake (add 1/2 cup of the coconut flake to the dough and then press the top of the cookie dough ball in the other 1/2 cup).
• Macaroons - Coconut cake mix + ½ cup coconut + 1½ cups chocolate chips + 1 tablespoon butter. Mix ¾ cup chips into the batter. Melt the other ¾ cup chips and 1 Tbsp. butter together then drizzle over cooled cookies.
• Double Chocolate Chip - Dark chocolate/devil’s food cake mix + chocolate chips. 
• Berry Vanilla Chip - Strawberry cake mix + white chocolate chips.
• Oatmeal Raisin - Yellow cake mix + 2/3 cup quick cooking oats + ¾ cup raisins (in place of baking chips) + ½ cup walnuts (optional).
• Spiced Carrot Oat - Spiced cake mix + 1 1/2 cup old fashion rolled oats (quick cooking will suffice if that's all you have) + 1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrot + 1/2 cup raisins, craisins, or chocolate chips (I'd suggest semi-sweet or white) + 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional  - this one reminds me of carrot cake

What variations have you tried for this recipe? Is there anything you do differently?