Kristen Tomlan's Sprinkle Cake-Batter Cookies

“It’s perfect for when you can’t decide between a cupcake and a cookie!” says the author of the new Hello, Cookie Dough cookbook

Kristen Tomlan’s Sprinkle Cake-Batter Cookies

1½ cups vanilla cake mix (from1 [15¼-oz.] pkg.)
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
2½ Tbsp. cornstarch
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
¾ cup (6 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup egg whites (from 3 large eggs), at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
⅓ cup Halloween-colored sprinkles
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup white chocolate chips

1. Whisk together cake mix, flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt in a bowl; set aside.
2. Beat butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl using a rubber spatula. Add egg whites and vanilla; beat until incorporated, about 2 minutes.
3. Add half of the cake-mix mixture to butter mixture; beat on low speed until the flour just disappears, about 15 seconds. Immedi-ately add remaining cake-mix mixture; beat until combined, about 15 seconds. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl. Beat 15 seconds. Fold in sprinkles and semisweet and white chocolate chips using a rubber spatula.
4. Press plastic wrap onto top of dough in bowl. Place in freezer for 2 hours or in fridge for 24 hours to chill.
5. Preheat oven to 350º. Line 4 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough about 3 inches apart onto baking sheets using a 1½-inch cookie scoop. Bake in 2 batches until edges are lightly golden and centers are just set, 9 to 11 minutes, rotating baking sheets top to bottom rack halfway through bake time.
6. Remove from oven; let cool on baking sheets 5 minutes. Eat warm, or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Makes: 30 cookies
Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 3 hours (includes chilling)

Quick tip! For an even spookier presentation, Young suggests inserting a plastic fork into each truffle and lining them all on a platter—or place the truffles in apothecary jars and label them ‘Eyeballs.’