1-First Step: Gather and prep your ingredients. Pull out 1 box cake mix, 1 box instant pudding, 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, 2 room-temp eggs, and 1/2-1 cup mix-ins. Melt butter in microwave 20-30 seconds. Let eggs sit out 15 minutes. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats to prevent sticking. This mise en place keeps you speedy!

2-Second Step: Mix the base dough. In a large bowl, dump the dry cake mix and dry pudding mix. Pour in melted butter and eggs. Grab your hand mixer and beat on medium until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape sides for no lumps. Dough will be thick and sticky. I love how quick this is, no creaming butter and sugar forever!

3-Third Step: Fold in mix-ins. Add your 1/2-1 cup goodies like chocolate chips or nuts. Beat on low just until incorporated, 30 seconds max. Overmixing toughens cookies. Taste dough (safe with eggs today!). Get creative: try yellow cake, butterscotch pudding, and candy-coated chocolates for party vibes.

4-Fourth Step: Chill the dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and pop in fridge 30 minutes. Chilling firms it up for perfect scoopable balls and fluffier results. I skip sometimes for urgency, but chill makes them bakery-level! Optional: chill scooped balls extra 30 minutes.

5-Fifth Step: Preheat and scoop. Heat oven to 350°F. Scoop 9 dough balls per sheet using a large cookie scoop (about 2 tbsp each). Space 2 inches apart. They spread a bit. Press lightly if you want thicker cookies.

6-Sixth Step: Bake to perfection. Bake 10-15 minutes. Edges set golden, centers soft and puffed. Darker batters like chocolate may need less time, 10-12 minutes for moister chew. Rotate sheets halfway for even baking. Different flavors? Adjust 1-2 minutes. Smells amazing!

7-Final Step: Cool and enjoy. Cool on sheet 2 minutes, they firm up. Transfer to wire rack. Repeat batches. No frosting needed, but optional! Store as below. Dunk in milk or pair with coffee. For sliced cookies, chill dough firm, slice 1/2-inch thick.