Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 9–11 minutes, just until the tops are set, puffed, and lightly crinkled. The cookies should look soft in the center; they will continue to set as they cool.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for 5–10 minutes. They will be very soft at first—this is what keeps them tender.
Carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling, or, if your household is like mine, slide them straight into a blue stoneware bowl on the counter and watch them disappear while they’re still warm.
Variations & Tips
For a prettier crinkle effect, you can roll each dough ball in powdered sugar before baking, though this will technically add a fourth ingredient; around here I do it for holidays and leave it off for everyday snacking. If you prefer a slightly richer cookie, swap 2 tablespoons of the oil for melted butter, keeping the total fat to 1/3 cup. To make them a little chewier, bake on the shorter end of the time range and let them cool completely on the pan. For smaller households, freeze half the unbaked dough balls on a sheet pan, then store them in a freezer bag and bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time. You can also use this same method with other cake mix flavors—lemon, chocolate, or spice—whenever you want a different color and taste while keeping the recipe as simple and dependable as the original strawberry version.
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