All You Need Is Soda To Turn Boxed Cake Mix Into Easy Cookies

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Boxed cake mix is not only convenient; it's adaptable. Its pre-measured ingredients, which include flour, leavening agents, and sugar, can be used not just to make a cake, but also to bake cookies. You can easily transform your boxed cake mix with soda to create this baked good by substituting approximately ¾ of a 12-ounce can of soda for the egg, water, and vegetable oil that the instructions call for. The soda's liquid adds just the right amount of moisture to activate the leavening agents in the cake mix, and its carbonation helps create a fluffy texture.

The amount of soda you use can vary depending on the consistency of the cookie dough, so a little trial and error may be needed. But think of the Goldilocks effect: You don't want it to be too soupy, but you also want to keep it from becoming too crumbly and dry. You want it to be just right. Once you mix your soda and cake mix together, you may want to grease up your hands a little. This is going to be a wet dough, so a little pump of non-stick spray will help mitigate it getting stuck on your hands or scooper. 

The important thing to remember is that your soda-based cookies are not going to turn golden brown the way a typical cookie does as it bakes. If you like crunchy cookies, you may need to break out the measuring cups and start from scratch. Instead, a boxed cake mix and soda produces a cookie that is a little lighter and fluffier. The bite is equivalent to a sugar cookie or brownie that is soft and a little chewy. 

What you will appreciate about this hack to make cookie baking a breeze is all of the different soda and cake mix combinations you can create. Spice up your carrot cake mix by turning it into cookies, then simply add a little ginger ale or 7UP to create an easy batch of treats that are perfect for spring gatherings. 

Grab some orange Fanta and a white cake mix to make a riff on the beloved Creamsicle, or if you're a fan of Laverne's milk and Pepsi combo or the dirty soda trend, mix your Pepsi, Coke, or Dr. Pepper with some cream and pour it into a red velvet or devil's food boxed cake mix; bake them up, pour a cup of coffee, and call it breakfast. Soda isn't the only bubbly ingredient swap that will make your boxed cake mix taste better, either. 

Seltzer water, flavored or plain, can also work. The water and bubbles will do all the work activating the leavening agents, and you can add a little vanilla, lemon, or other flavored extract to produce flavorful, pillowy cookies with less sugar. You can also add a little or a lot of frosting or icing drizzle to polish them off. Your family and friends will be asking for the recipe.