Dolly Parton and Duncan Hines Just Released a New Holiday Item, and I'm in Love

I had the pleasure of visiting Dollywood for the very first time earlier this year. And what made that trip even more special was that I had a chance to see Dolly Parton herself. In a real “pinch me” moment, I sat in an auditorium and listened to her talk about Dollywood’s 40th anniversary.

Dolly is exactly the warm, witty icon that we’ve all come to love. And it was the way she spoke passionately about the quality of food at Dollywood that really stood out to me. It’s true that food is central to her mission of bringing folks together to have a good time.

This is why I got very excited when I heard that Duncan Hines was dropping Dolly Parton’s Holiday Sugar Cookie mix. I figured that a little dose of Dolly would be a welcome addition to my holiday cookie spread.

How to Make Dolly Parton's Holiday Sugar Cookie Mix

I have to be honest: I don’t normally reach for a boxed mix for cookies. Cakes and brownies? Absolutely. But cookies are something I’d either just buy store-bought or make from scratch, and the in-between of a box mix didn’t really make a lot of sense to me. But boy, did this box mix make me change my mind. Not only are these cookies Dolly-approved—they’re delicious.

The boxed cookie mix retails for $2.78 at Walmart. In addition to the mix, you just need a 1/2 cup of melted butter and one egg. I actually realized that I was out of eggs when I went to make these cookies, so I whipped up a flax egg as a replacement and it was absolutely fine. (This is also my No. 1 tip for saving money on holiday baking: Save the eggs for custards and meringues, and use flax eggs for cookies and cakes!) The mix already has red and green sprinkles incorporated, so they’re festive right out of the box.

I combined the mix, butter, and flax egg in a medium bowl until it formed a thick dough. It came together really easily, and it made me realize how this would be a great recipe to make with kids. It can also be a great thing to keep in the pantry for when your kids tell you at 8 p.m. that they need to bring a treat to school tomorrow.

Why I'm a Boxed Cookie Mix Convert

The box says that it will yield 14 large or 28 small cookies. I decided to go big, and used an ice cream scoop to make 14 balls of dough. I was shocked that I was actually able to get the exact yield the box said I would—normally I end up with too many or too few cookies.  I arranged seven on each of my baking sheets, and cooked them for 13 minutes. After letting them cool, I tasted one. It was an absolute delight—buttery, crumbly, and sweet, with a nice little crunch from the sprinkles.

Consider me a convert to the boxed cookie mix. Going from nothing to a beautiful plate of festive cookies in 20 minutes was impressive—as was the cleanup. I only used four dishes: a measuring cup to melt the butter, a mixing bowl, a fork, and an ice cream scoop.

I think next time I’m going to make smaller cookies and turn them into cookie sandwiches with a little bit of frosting. To quote Dolly from the side of the box, “After all, what’s a few extra cookies to spread that holiday joy?”