Cake Mix Cookies

I didn't just make peanut butter balls for St. Patrick's Day, I also made some shamrock cookies.  This cake mix cookie recipe is simple to make and the dough is easy to work with if you are making cut-out cookies.  There are so many different things you can do with this recipe...cut-out cookies with colored sugar, bake them plain & top with frosting, use food coloring in the dough for different color cookies, change the flavor of the cake mix, push the dough through a cookie press, add chocolate chips or candies, etc, etc.  enjoy!

1 package white cake mix
2 3/4 cups flour
1 pound (4 sticks) butter or margarine, divided

1.  Preheat oven to 350'F.  In a small bowl microwave 2 sticks of butter one minute or until melted.  Slice remaining butter into 1/2" pieces; add to melted butter, tossing to coat.  Allow butter to stand 3-5 minutes or until softened.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine cake mix and flour; blend well.  Whisk butter until smooth and free of lumps.

3.  Pour butter all at once into dry ingredients, scraping butter from bowl.  Mix until dry ingredients are incorporated and dough is smooth.

4.  Form cookies as desired (see notes).

5.  Bake cookies 10-15 minutes or until a very light golden brown.  Cool on cooling rack.

makes 7-8 dozen cookies

Notes...
Flavor Variations - different flavored  cake mixes can be used to change the flavor of the cookies.

Forming Cookies - This cookie dough can be pressed through a cookie press OR you can add an additional 1/2 cup of flour and roll & cut out cookies OR you can stir in 1/2 - 1 cup of your favorite chocolte chips, candies or nuts and drop by tablespoonfuls on cookie sheet.

Decorating - You can add food coloring to the dough to make tinted cookies.  You can top them with colored sugar or sprinkles before baking.  You can frost them with icing after they're finished cooling.

Source: Pampered Chef - Celebrate! cookbook