Better Homes And Gardens Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Recipe

Honey-Roasted Peanut Butter Bars with Chocolate Ganache

Credit: Andy Lyons

Cake mix might be one of the most versatile, easy shortcut ingredients you can keep in the pantry. And while following back-of-the-box instructions certainly turns into an excellent cake, there are plenty of boxed cake mix recipes to take your dessert to the next level. Grab a few extra boxes of cake mix on your next grocery run—you're going to want to add all of these cake mix cookies, bars, cupcakes, and more to the recipe box (or Pinterest board).

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Chewy Chocolate Caramel Bars

Chewy Chocolate Caramel Bars stacked on white plate

Credit: Blaine Moats

With chocolate chips, caramel candies, nuts, and butter, this is a 6-ingredient cake mix recipe you'll crave often. Keep the cake mix bars in an airtight container for a few days at room temp or freeze them up to three months.

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Carrot Cake Bars

Credit: Blaine Moats

Carrot cake is one of my favorite desserts, but I rarely make it due to the multiple hours it takes to prepare. Enter this yellow cake mix recipe to save the day. A bit of fresh ginger, raisins, and shredded carrots turn the cake mix into a dreamy bar. Topped with cream cheese frosting (use canned for easier prep), it's just as tasty as the real layered cake.

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Butterscotch-Toffee Bars

Credit: Andy Lyons

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Dulce de Leche Cake

Credit: Andy Lyons

Upgrade your boxed cake mix with a can of dulce. The sweet caramel filling is sandwiched between layers of yellow cake we hacked with a few extra eggs, butter, and orange zest in the mix.

Test Kitchen Tip: This cake mix recipe tastes even better when chilled overnight. Just wait to frost until serving time.

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Honey-Roasted Peanut Butter Bars with Chocolate Ganache

Credit: Andy Lyons

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Berry-Lemon Cupcakes

Credit: Blaine Moats

This lemon cake mix recipe is perfect for last-minute summer gatherings. Seasonal berries are tossed in flour (this prevents the colors from blending into cake batter) and added to the cake mix. Garnish the buttercream frosting with lemon peel for a pretty finish.

Buy It: Mainstays 12-Cup Nonstick Muffin Pan ($5, Walmart)

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Champagne Cake with Fresh Strawberries

Credit: Jason Donnelly

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Boston Cream Cheesecake

Credit: Blaine Moats

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Candy-Bar Bars

Credit: Greg Scheidemann

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Cranberry-Pear Bars with Orange Frosting

Credit: Blaine Moats

This cake mix recipe looks like it belongs in a coffee shop pastry display. The recipe makes 48 bars, so expect everyone to be jumping at second helpings. You can also freeze these beauties to get a head start on holiday baking.

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Margarita Cupcakes

Credit: Matthew Clark

Drink your margarita and eat it, too with an irresistible boxed cake mix recipe. The cupcakes get a couple shots of tequila, Triple Sec, and lime juice in the mix for a delicious cocktail-inspired treat. The cream cheese frosting cuts through the zesty lime flavor for the perfect sweet and tangy bite.

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Butterscotch Marble Cake

Credit: Blaine Moats

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Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Lemon Crinkles cookies

Credit: Jason Donnelly

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Cake Pops

Holiday Cake Pops

Credit: Jason Donnelly

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Pumpkin Spice Whoopies

Pumpkin-Spice Whoopies

Credit: Kim Cornelison

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Hummingbird Dump Cake

Dump cakes are one of our favorite ways to use boxed cake mix when time is short. A couple of cans of crushed pineapple, bananas, and pecans give this easy dessert the same flavors of the popular fruit-filled cake—only much easier.

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Praline Crunch Cake

Credit: Blaine Moats

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