Easy recipes with only 3 ingredients. For holidays or any day, these great cookies & bars make the best snacks, gifts & party foods. Good recipes for kids to help make.

Perfect for every day, all the following recipes use just three ingredients and a prepared baking sheet. These recipes are super easy, super fast, and super good.

Easy 3 Ingredient Cake Mix Cookies Recipe with Variation Ideas

This recipe makes yummy little cookies that can be prepared in about 5 minutes. These cookies are easy to make with kids and simple to adapt to taste or to special diets (lower sugar, lower fat, etc.). See the many variations listed below.

Makes about 24 small cookies.

Ingredients:

1. 2 eggs
2. 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix*
3. 1/2 cup vegetable oil**

To Do:

• Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl.
• Make small 1" balls with the dough and set on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 7 - 10 minutes.

These do go from done (chewy) to overdone very quickly and so need to be watched carefully.

Other notes:

• *Experiment with various flavors of cake mix (or see ideas, below).
• **Make with 1/3 cup oil to lower fat content or to taste.
• Store in airtight container or plastic bag within 10 minutes of baking. To freeze, pack into freezer storage bags.

Additive ideas for the above:

• Add various flavored extracts, such as lemon or almond, or a light peppermint.
• Add chocolate chips, another flavor of chips, coconut, toffee bits, walnuts, candy sprinkles, food coloring, or chopped nuts.
• Add 2 teaspoons vanilla and M&M mini baking bits; top with red sugar crystals.
• Top warm cookies with cinnamon-sugar (a mix of both).
• Frost cooled cookies or top with a glaze.

Recipe variation ideas:

• For St. Valentine's Day, use strawberry cake mix for pink cookies.
• For the holidays, try spice cake mix; add walnuts and diced dried cranberries.
• Use lemon cake mix; dip in sugar before baking.
• Use spice cake mix; add chocolate baking chips.
• Use carrot cake mix; add butterscotch baking chips.
• Use German chocolate cake mix; top with chocolate frosting after cooled.
• Use yellow cake mix; add white chocolate chips.
• Use chocolate cake mix; add peanut butter chips
• Be creative and try something unique.

Reference note: Some of the above cake mix cookie variation and additive ideas came from allrecipes members' comments on a similar recipe.

Easy 3 Ingredient Butter Shortbread Cookies Recipe

This simple recipe makes a not-too-sweet little buttery cookie that is perfect at a tea party. A good recipe to make with kids, although children may prefer more sugar or a sweet topping.

Makes about 24 small cookies.

Ingredients:

1. 1 1/2 cups flour
2. 1/2 cup powdered sugar
3. 1 cup slightly softened butter

To Do:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175 degrees C).
• Combine all 3 ingredients at once and mix for 8 minutes. (Use a stand mixer if possible, or a strong hand mixer and spatula will also work.)
• Mixture may be dry and crumbly to start, but will become more batter-like after mixing.
• Drop by heaped teaspoons onto a parchment-covered cookie sheet. For a more polished look, roll into smooth balls and flatten lightly (the bottom of a glass works well for flattening) on cookie sheet.
• Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.

These are easy homemade gifts.

Optional:

Before baking, decorate with a light sprinkling of holiday colored decorating sugar, if desired. Adapt to various holidays simply by changing the color of sugar on top.

Make into thumb print cookies by pushing thumb or a spoon into the center of each cookie and topping with a small spoonful of preserves before baking.

Easy No-Bake 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Crackle Cookies

These crisp rice based "cookies" are egg free and gluten free (if gluten free ingredients are used). The number of cookies depends on size made. Children can help make these with supervision (due to using the stove).

Ingredients:

1. 4 cups crisp rice cereal
2. 1 package (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips (or flavored baking chips of choice)
3. 4 tablespoons peanut butter, heaping

To Do:

• Melt chocolate and peanut butter together in double boiler until chocolate is melted.
• Stir well to combine.
• Fold in cereal.
• Remove from heat.
• Place desired-sized spoonfuls (they will be a little messy-looking) of the cookie mixture onto parchment-covered cookie sheets or waxed paper. Leave out on counter or place in refrigerator until chocolate is firm and dry.
• Enjoy.

Enjoy these easy 3 ingredient recipes. For more easy ideas, read about 3 Ingredients Easy Dessert Recipes, and try this vintage favorite Old-Fashioned Ginger Snaps Recipe.

Sometimes there is not enough time to do everything one wants to do. With super easy 3-ingredient and 4-ingredient cookies, there is always time to enjoy and give gifts of fresh, homemade treats.