When the book hit my desk a couple of weeks ago, I felt like I had reconnected with a long- lost friend. “Cake Mix Cookies,” by Camilla V. Saulsbury (Cumberland House, $16.95) touts the ease and delectability of cookies that begin with a box of cake mix. When I saw it, I couldn’t help thinking of the cake-mix cookie that caused such a stir more than 10 years ago when I featured it in a column.
It was a drop-cookie recipe that was dubbed “chips off the old box.” The mix was devilishly simple: devil’s food cake mix combined with chocolate chips, oil and eggs. The formula produced a confection that was rich in chocolate with an appealing, cake-like texture. And the batter could be oven-ready in less than five minutes.
Loads of readers called, assuming that I’d left out an ingredient or two. The recipe was correct, and in the years that followed I was tickled to hear that these simple cookies had become part of so many readers’ repertoires. Yes, the popularity might be linked to their taste and texture, but I think more than anything else, it’s the fact that they can be concocted at the last minute.
I scanned the new book for evidence of that old recipe and found an updated version (Bittersweet Chocolate Blackout Cookies) that augmented a similar batter with instant espresso powder and chunks of bittersweet chocolate.
Instead of oil, this recipe uses butter. The cookies are delicious.
Saulsbury’s book includes more than 175 recipes, including bar cookies, filled cookies and frosted cookies. Her lemon bars (made with lemon cake mix) are delicious, and take much less time to prepare than the traditional recipe. I also liked a granola-based cookie, Granola Chocolate Chunkers, sturdy cookies that are good choices for care packages, lunch boxes or picnics.
Original “Chips Off the Old Box” Cookies
Yield: About 2 1/2 dozen
Ingredients
Directions
Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in large bowl of electric mixer. Mix until blended. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets about 2K inches apart. Bake 10 minutes or until cookies are set at edges. Remove from oven and keep cookies on sheets 5 minutes. Remove with thin, flexible spatula onto cooling rack.
Nutritional information (per cookie): Calories 170 (69 percent from fat), fat 13g, protein 3.2g, carbohydrates 10.1g, fiber 0.3g, sodium 89mg, calcium 12mg
Bittersweet Chocolate Blackout Cookies
From “Cake Mix Cookies,” by Camilla V. Saulsbury (Cumberland House, $16.95) Yields about 4 dozen cookies.
Ingredients
Directions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350 degrees.
Spray baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
In large mixing bowl of electric mixer, combine espresso powder and water, stirring to dissolve. To same bowl add half of cake mix along with butter and egg. Mix on medium-high speed 1-2 minutes, or until blended and smooth. Stir in remaining cake mix and chocolate chunks. Mix until blended.
Drop by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, on prepared baking sheets.
Bake 9-12 minutes or until set at edges and just barely set at center when lightly touched. Cool 1 minute on sheets. Transfer to cooling racks using thin, flexible spatula.
Nutritional information (per cookie): Calories 185 (71 percent from fat), fat 14.5g, protein 3.1g, carbohydrates 11g, fiber 0.3g, sodium 93mg, calcium 14mg
Lemon Buttermilk Bars
From “Cake Mix Cookies,” by Camilla V. Saulsbury (Cumberland House, $16.95) Yields 24 large or 36 small bars.
Ingredients
Directions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350 degrees.
Line 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving enough foil hanging over sides to use as handle for easy removal. Spray foil with nonstick spray.
Reserve 1 cup of cake mix; set aside. In large bowl of electric mixer, combine remaining cake mix, 1 egg, 1/4 cup melted butter. Mix on low speed 1-2 minutes, or until well-blended. Pat mixture into bottom of prepared pan.
In same bowl (no need to wash – it will be fairly clean because crust dough should come off easily), combine remaining 3 eggs, buttermilk, lemon juice, remaining 1/2 cup melted butter, sugar and zest. Mix on low speed until well-blended. Add reserved cake mix, beating 2 minutes on medium speed until mixture is smooth; pour over crust.
Bake 35-38 minutes in preheated oven, or until set and light golden on top. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Cut into bars and sift with powdered sugar.
Nutritional information (per small bar): Calories 210 (68 percent from fat), fat 15.8g, protein 6.5g, carbohydrates 11.2g, fiber 0.2g, sodium 85mg, calcium 11mg
