Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with Cake Mix
These red velvet whoopie pies with cake mix are ridiculously easy to whip up — and they taste like they came straight from a bakery case.
If you’ve ever craved that rich cocoa flavor and velvety texture of red velvet but didn’t want to spend an afternoon measuring and mixing, this is the shortcut you need.
A box of devil’s food cake mix, a little butter, and some red food coloring turn into soft, pillowy cookies, and a quick cream cheese filling does the rest.
Whether you’re making this whoopie pie recipe for Valentine’s Day, a holiday party, or just because you’re craving something a little indulgent, this easy version is guaranteed to impress.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you when you make a purchase through my links. Thank you for supporting my kitchen!
Why This Recipe Works
- Only 4 ingredients for the cookies — cake mix, butter, eggs, and red food coloring.
- No mixer skills required — the dough comes together in one bowl.
- Bakery texture, box-mix speed — soft, slightly chewy cookies instead of a dense cake crumb.
- Make-ahead friendly — the filled pies hold well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How to Make Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with Cake Mix
- Combine cake mix with softened butter, beaten eggs, and red food coloring until a thick dough forms.
- Scoop 1-inch portions onto the prepared baking sheets and bake until set but still soft.
- Let the cookies cool completely while preparing the cream cheese frosting.
- Spread filling on the flat side of one cookie, top with a second cookie (flat side down), and press gently.
- Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving so the filling sets.
Don’t Forget To…
- Scroll down to print the full recipe with step-by-step instructions and exact measurements.
- Check out my Kitchen Essentials for the pans, mixing bowls, and baking tools I use to make this recipe a breeze.
- Save or share this recipe on Pinterest!
Yes — boxed cake mix is actually the easiest way to make whoopie pies from scratch-tasting dough without the usual ingredient list. The trick is cutting back on liquid compared to a regular cake recipe: instead of oil, water, and multiple eggs, you’re using softened butter and just two eggs, which pulls the batter from cake-thin to scoopable cookie dough.
Cake batter is thin enough to pour into a pan because it’s built to rise and spread evenly. Whoopie pie batter needs to hold its shape on a baking sheet, so it’s mixed with less liquid and more fat — that’s why this recipe swaps out the oil and extra eggs a boxed mix normally calls for and uses softened butter instead. The result is a dough thick enough to scoop, that bakes into a soft, domed cookie rather than a flat cake layer.
Traditional whoopie pie filling is a marshmallow-based buttercream, but for red velvet, cream cheese filling is the more common — and better-tasting — match. This recipe’s filling is just cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar, whipped until light and fluffy.
Yes, especially with a cream cheese-based filling like this one. Store finished whoopie pies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. For the best texture, let them sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving — straight-from-the-fridge cookies can taste a little dense, and a short rest brings back that soft bakery texture.
More Red Velvet Recipes to Try
- Red Velvet Cupcakes — moist cake and tangy cream cheese frosting
- Red Velvet Cookie Recipes — a chewier take on the classic flavor
- How to Make Box Cake Taste Homemade
- Is Red Velvet Cake Just Chocolate Cake?
Baking eBook Bundle
Baking Troubleshooting Guide
CUNSENR Cooling Rack for Baking and Cooking – 10HONGBAKE Baking Sheet Pan Set of 3, Cookie Sheets for Oven, Nonstick Half/Quarter/Jelly Roll Pans with Diamond Texture Pattern, 0.8mm Thick Heavy Duty Cookie Tray, Champagne Gold
JUNADAEL J Medium Cookie Scoop, 2 Tablespoon Cookie Scoops for Baking, Cookie Dough Scoop, Spring-Loaded, Comfortable Grip, Non-Slip, For Making Cookies Muffin Cupcake Pancake Ice Cream Meatball
Reynolds Kitchens Cookie Baking Sheets, Pre-Cut Baking Parchment Paper Sheets for Cookies, Oven-Safe up to 425 Degrees, Reusable Up to 3X, No-Mess Cleanup, 12 in x 16 in, 22 Count
How to Make Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with Cake Mix
Ingredients
Whoopie Pies
- 1 box Devils Food Cake Mix
- ½ cup butter softened
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 oz red food coloring 1 bottle
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz cream cheese softened, 2 boxes
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 4 tbsp butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In large bowl, mix together cake mix, butter, eggs and food color with electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Your batter will be thick, like a cookie dough.
- Using 1-inch cookie scoop, drop dough about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. The cookies should be soft and slightly springy to the touch. Overbaking can make them dry.
- Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks; cool completely, about 15 minutes.
- While the whoopie pies cool, cream together butter and cream cheese and then slowly add powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Whip until fully combined light and fluffy (4-5 mins).
- Spread a dollop of cream cheese frosting on bottom of 1 cookie and top with a second cookie, bottom side down; gently press together.
- For the best texture, refrigerate the whoopie pies for at least 30 minutes before serving.
One Comment