Sugar-Free Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies (Easy, WW Friendly)

I’ve been making these cookies for years, and the thing that gets me every time is the reaction when I tell people they’re made with sugar-free cake mix. Nobody ever guesses. They taste like a real cookie — soft in the middle, lightly crisp at the edges, with a cinnamon-sugar crust that makes them genuinely hard to stop eating at one.

The other thing I love: no mixer. No creaming butter, no waiting for ingredients to come to room temperature, no countertop covered in flour. You stir everything together with a wooden spoon (affiliate link), roll the dough into balls, toss them in cinnamon sugar, and bake. Start to finish, you’re looking at about 20 minutes.

The recipe comes from Marlene Koch’s cookbook Eat What You Love Quick & Easy (affiliate link), and it’s become one of my most-made recipes from the book.

Why I Love This Recipe

• Just 65 calories and 2 WW Points per cookie — genuinely satisfying without blowing your budget
• No mixer required — one bowl, a wooden spoon (affiliate link), done
• 7 ingredients, 20 minutes — this is a real weeknight dessert
• 24 cookies per batch — plenty to share, or freeze half for later
• Completely customizable — chocolate, snickerdoodle, add-ins — it all works

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Sugar-free cake mix (1 package, 16 oz) — the base of the recipe and what keeps the Points low. Pillsbury and Betty Crocker both make sugar-free chocolate varieties. If you use a regular cake mix instead, it adds about 20 calories, 3 carbs, and 1 gram of fat per cookie — still reasonable, but adjust your Points. If using a regular mix, reduce the water to 1 tablespoon.
• Cocoa powder (2 tablespoons) — deepens the chocolate flavor and makes these taste more like a real chocolate cookie. You can skip it if you want a milder flavor, especially if you’re using a chocolate cake mix that’s already heavily flavored.
• Eggs (2 large) — bind the dough. No substitutes tested here.
• Light sour cream (¼ cup) — adds moisture and richness without a lot of fat. Non-fat Greek yogurt is a direct substitute and works beautifully — same texture, slightly tangier flavor.
• Water (2 tablespoons) — just enough to bring the dough together. Note: reduce to 1 tablespoon if using a regular (non-sugar-free) cake mix, as those mixes are a bit drier.
• Granulated sugar (2 tablespoons) — for the cinnamon-sugar coating only, not in the dough. A small amount divided across 24 cookies.
• Cinnamon (2 teaspoons) — mixed with the sugar for rolling. It’s what gives these that snickerdoodle quality on the outside.

Want to mix it up? Try a yellow cake mix instead of chocolate for a true snickerdoodle — skip the cocoa powder. You can also fold in a small handful of mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts before rolling; just track the added Points.

WW Points and Calories

According to my calculations, each cookie has just 65 calories and 2 Points.

To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
2 PointsPlus (Old plan)

How to Make Sugar-Free Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies, Step-by-Step

Step 1: Gather and prepare all ingredients.

Step 2: Preheat oven to 375F degrees. For easy cleanup use parchment or a silpat (affiliate link) liner on baking sheet (affiliate link). Or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Step 3: Combine the cake mix, cocoa, eggs, sour cream and water in a mixing bowl using a wooden spoon.

The dough will be stiff and sticky to the touch.

Step 4: Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.

Have a small bowl (affiliate link) of water available to wet fingers.

Step 5: Gently roll tablespoons of cookie dough into balls with damp fingers. Toss the balls in the cinnamon and sugar mixture to coat.

Step 6: Place balls on the cookie sheet.

Gently flatten the cookie balls with the bottom of a glass or jar.

Step 7: Bake the cookies for 6-8 minutes.

Step 8: Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Tips for Success

• Damp fingers are essential. The dough is sticky by design — wetting your fingers between each ball keeps it manageable and helps the cookies roll smoothly.
• Don’t overbake. Six to eight minutes sounds short, but these cookies continue to set up on the rack after they come out of the oven. Pull them when the center looks just barely done.
• Flatten evenly. The dough balls won’t spread much on their own, so the press with the glass is important for getting a nice, even cookie shape.
• Freeze extras. These freeze well. Let them cool completely, then freeze in a zip-top bag for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature for about 15 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

• Enjoy with a little coffee or tea for a mid afternoon pick-me-up.
• Toss a couple cookies in when packing lunches.
• Eat cookies warm out of the oven with a glass of milk.
• Everyone loves a little sweet treat after dinner.

Storing

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They stay soft. For longer storage, freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a bag or container for up to 2 months.

If you’ve made these Almost Sugar Free Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Recipe source: Eat What You Love Quick & Easy (affiliate link) by Marlene Koch

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream? Yes — non-fat Greek yogurt is a direct substitute. The texture stays the same and it works just as well. The flavor is slightly tangier, but in a chocolate cookie with cinnamon sugar you won’t notice.

Can I add chocolate chips? Absolutely. Fold in a small handful of mini chocolate chips or sugar-free chocolate chips after mixing the dough. Just track the additional Points for whatever amount you add.

Can I use a regular cake mix instead of sugar-free? Yes, with one small adjustment: reduce the water to 1 tablespoon, since regular mixes have a slightly different texture. The nutritional numbers will be a little higher — roughly 20 more calories and 1 more WW Point per cookie — so use the WW app to track with your specific brand.

Why doesn’t the nutrition info match my WW Points calculation? The most accurate way to calculate WW Points for any recipe is to enter all the ingredients directly in the WW Recipe Builder app. You can’t calculate Points from the nutrition label alone, because of how zero-point foods are handled. For more detail on how WW Points work, this FAQ page has a helpful breakdown.

Can I make these into bars instead of individual cookies? You can press the dough into a parchment-lined 9×13 pan and bake at the same temperature, checking at around 12–14 minutes. The texture will be slightly more cake-like in bar form. See the Chocolate Coconut Cake Mix Cookie Bars for a dedicated bar version.

More Easy WW Friendly Cookie and Dessert Recipes

• Chocolate Coconut Cake Mix Cookie Bars
• Low Fat S’mores Cookies
• Low-Fat Spice Cake Mix Cookies
• 3-Ingredient Almond Apple Sugar-Free Cookies
• Banana Oatmeal Cookies
• 2-Ingredient 7-Up Cake Mix Cupcakes