The 2 Secret Ingredients In Kristin Chenoweth's Easy Crinkle Cookies

At times, baking is a complicated skill that requires the utmost precision and years of expertise. Other times, it's quite shocking just how simple baking can be. And, since we're always trying to make baking easier for ourselves to make our lives as foodies less stressful, a simple crinkle cookie recipe that only requires two ingredients is something that bakers, new and old, are likely to rejoice at the thought of. Luckily, Kristin Chenoweth has come forth with just that.

Known in part for her role as Glinda in the hit Broadway musical "Wicked" back in 2003, Chenoweth recently came onto the scene to reveal her cookie recipe just as the movie adaptation of the musical was taking the world by storm — promotional Stanley cups and all. In an Instagram reel released on November 27th, the beloved actress revealed that, instead of the traditional methods used to make crinkle cookies for Thanksgiving, she merely uses Cool Whip and store-bought cake mix — along with a little powdered sugar and some icing — to present us with the simplest recipe you could possibly imagine.

Cool Whip, the delicious childhood snack that kids can't help but sneak into the fridge to try, is a surprisingly versatile ingredient when it comes to baking and Chenoweth's crinkle cookies further prove that fact. While most crinkle cookie recipes call for flour, eggs, sugar, butter, baking soda, a flavor enhancer like lemon juice or cocoa powder, and more, this simple recipe accounts for most of the qualities the cookies need without the additional steps. The boxed cake mix stands in for ingredients like flour, baking soda, and flavor enhancers, while Cool Whip provides the moisture, sweetness, and general ability to combine together the dry ingredients to create a serviceable crinkle cookie.

However, other variations of this recipe do diverge from what Chenoweth's strategy displayed. On top of the beloved actress putting some additional frosting on top (something that most crinkle cookie recipes don't do), similarly uncomplicated variations suggest adding an egg to the Cool Whip and cake mix. This strategy gives the cookies a more gooey feel before you throw them in the oven which eventually results in the cookies more closely resembling the traditional recipe in both taste and texture.