Easy & Chewy Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting (Made with Cake Mix!)
Experience the ultimate shortcut to a beloved spring classic with these incredibly easy carrot cake cookies! Crafted effortlessly with a boxed carrot cake mix and crowned with a luscious, rich cream cheese frosting, these thick and chewy cookies offer all the delightful flavors of traditional carrot cake without the fuss. They are the perfect, crowd-pleasing dessert for Easter celebrations, elegant bridal showers, joyous baby showers, heartfelt Mother’s Day gatherings, or simply whenever you crave a comforting, spiced treat.
Do you adore the warm, sweet, and distinctly “spring” flavors of carrot cake, but find yourself dreading the extensive baking process, ingredient prep, and multi-layered frosting involved in making one from scratch? If the thought of grating pounds of carrots and perfecting a batter from zero gives you pause, you’re certainly not alone!
The good news is, you can wave goodbye to the frustration and time commitment of traditional cake baking. These thick, chewy, and irresistibly moist carrot cake cookies offer a brilliant solution, starting with a simple boxed cake mix. Imagine indulging in that quintessential carrot cake experience in a portable, cookie form – it’s a game-changer!
Just like our wildly popular lemon cake mix cookies, decadent red velvet cake mix cookies, and classic cake mix chocolate chip cookies, this delightful carrot cake version begins its journey with a humble box of cake mix. This clever trick simplifies your baking process dramatically, allowing you to achieve bakery-quality results with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
By harnessing the power of a boxed cake mix as the foundation for your cookie dough, you’re not just saving precious time and effort in the kitchen; you’re also guaranteeing that every single bite of these cookies bursts with that familiar, comforting cinnamony carrot cake flavor. The mix ensures a consistent, perfectly spiced base, letting you focus on the fun parts of baking without compromising on taste.
Just one bite of these wonderfully thick, delightfully chewy cake mix cookies, exquisitely finished with our homemade, tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting, and we promise you’ll completely forget any desire for the traditional, more laborious version of this delectable dessert! They truly capture the essence of carrot cake in an incredibly accessible and enjoyable format.
Why You’ll Fall in Love with These Carrot Cake Cookies
- Effortlessly Easy: The boxed cake mix takes most of the work out of preparing the dough, making this recipe perfect for beginner bakers or anyone short on time.
- Unforgettable Flavor: All the classic, comforting spices and sweet carrot notes of a traditional carrot cake are packed into every cookie.
- Perfectly Chewy Texture: These aren’t your average flat cookies! They’re thick, moist, and boast a wonderfully chewy, almost cake-like consistency that melts in your mouth.
- Iconic Cream Cheese Frosting: No carrot cake is complete without its signature cream cheese frosting. Our simple homemade recipe is tangy, sweet, and perfectly complements the spiced cookies.
- Versatile for Any Occasion: From casual family desserts to festive holiday spreads, these cookies fit right in. They’re particularly popular for spring celebrations like Easter and Mother’s Day.
- Quick to Prepare: With minimal prep and baking time, you can have a batch of these delicious cookies ready in under an hour (plus chilling time!).
Cake Mix Carrot Cake Cookie Ingredients
This section provides detailed ingredient notes and helpful substitution options to ensure your cookies turn out perfectly. You’ll find all precise measurements, a complete ingredient list, and step-by-step instructions in the printable recipe card located at the very end of this post.
For the Cookies
- Carrot Cake Mix—The hero of our easy recipe! We achieved fantastic results using Betty Crocker, but feel free to grab any brand or variety of carrot cake mix you prefer. Ensure it’s a standard 15.25-ounce box.
- All-Purpose Flour—A small amount of extra flour helps to strengthen the cookie structure, preventing them from spreading too much in the oven and ensuring they maintain that desirable thick, chewy shape.
- Sugar—Just a touch of granulated sugar enhances the sweetness and contributes to the cookie’s tender texture. The cake mix already provides significant sweetness, so we only need a little extra.
- Eggs—Serving as the primary binding agent, large, room-temperature eggs are essential for bringing all the cookie ingredients together into a cohesive dough and adding moisture.
- Unsalted Butter—Opt for unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, for its deep, rich flavor. It also plays a crucial role in the cookie’s spread and contributes to its overall chewiness. Room temperature butter creams beautifully.
- Carrots—The quintessential ingredient! Freshly shredded carrots add natural sweetness, moisture, and that authentic carrot cake essence. Don’t skimp on these for the best flavor and texture.
- Old Fashioned Oats—These contribute a delightful nutty flavor and a fantastic chewy texture, making the cookies more substantial and adding a rustic charm. Quick oats can be used in a pinch, but old-fashioned oats offer superior chew.
- Spices—A carefully balanced blend of ground nutmeg and cinnamon infuses the cookies with warm, comforting, and aromatic flavors that are characteristic of classic carrot cake. Feel free to adjust to your personal preference.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting—The crown jewel! This tangy-sweet frosting is homemade by whipping together softened cream cheese, unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar (also known as powdered sugar), a hint of warming cinnamon, and pure vanilla extract until wonderfully smooth and fluffy. Ensure your cream cheese and butter are at room temperature for the creamiest, lump-free frosting.
Essential Equipment You’ll Need
To whip up these amazing carrot cake cookies from cake mix, you won’t need any highly specialized gadgets. All you’ll require are your standard, basic baking tools, most of which you likely already have in your kitchen.
- Measuring cups and spoons: For accurate ingredient portions, which is key for perfect cookies.
- Mixing bowls: A large one for the cookie dough and a medium one for the frosting.
- Electric mixer: A hand mixer or stand mixer will make quick work of mixing the dough and achieving a super smooth, fluffy frosting.
- 2-tablespoon sized cookie scoop: This ensures uniformly sized cookies, which promotes even baking and makes for a prettier presentation.
- Grater for carrots: A box grater or food processor attachment for finely shredding your fresh carrots.
- Spatula: For scraping down the sides of your mixing bowl and folding in ingredients.
- Baking sheets: At least two are ideal for rotating batches.
- Parchment paper: Essential for preventing sticking and ensuring easy cleanup. I am obsessed with these pre-cut sheets for ultimate convenience!
- Piping bag: For a beautiful, professional-looking frosting swirl. Alternatively, you can simply spread the frosting on with an icing spatula for a more rustic look.
How to Make Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Follow these simple steps to create a batch of irresistible carrot cake cookies that are sure to impress!
Step 1: Prepare Your Dry Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), thoroughly whisk together the boxed carrot cake mix, all-purpose flour, and granulated sugar. This step ensures that the leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed throughout your cookie dough.
Step 2: Incorporate Wet Ingredients. Add the softened unsalted butter and large, room-temperature eggs to the dry mixture. Beat with your electric mixer on medium speed until all ingredients are just well combined and a cohesive, slightly sticky dough forms. Be careful not to overmix at this stage.
Step 3: Add the Signature Mix-ins. Gently fold in the freshly shredded carrots, old-fashioned oats, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg. Continue mixing on low speed or by hand with a spatula until all these flavorful additions are evenly distributed throughout the dough. You want every cookie to have a perfect balance of ingredients.
Step 4: Scoop and Chill the Dough. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a 2-tablespoon sized cookie scoop to portion out uniform balls of dough and place them onto the lined baking sheet. At this stage, they can be close but not touching. Once scooped, place the entire tray of cookie dough into the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour. This crucial chilling step helps solidify the butter, preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking and ensuring they remain wonderfully thick and chewy.
In a hurry and need cookies sooner? You can accelerate the chilling process by placing the scooped dough into the freezer for approximately 10-20 minutes instead.
Step 5: Roll and Bake. Once chilled, remove the dough from the fridge (or freezer) and quickly roll each portion into a smooth ball with your hands. Arrange these dough balls on a fresh parchment-lined baking sheet, ensuring they are spaced at least 2 inches apart to allow for proper spreading. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Pro tip: For optimal results and to ensure even cooking and browning, bake only one tray of cookies at a time. Keep any unbaked cookie dough balls in the refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to bake them.
Step 6: Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting. While your cookies are cooling on the baking sheet, it’s time to whip up that irresistible cream cheese frosting! In a medium-sized bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, softened unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and a touch of cinnamon. Beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is wonderfully smooth, creamy, and lump-free, typically taking about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is thoroughly incorporated.
Step 7: Frost and Serve. Once your baked cookies have completely cooled (this is vital to prevent the frosting from melting!), transfer your prepared cream cheese frosting into a piping bag fitted with your desired tip (or simply snip off a corner of the bag for a rustic drizzle). Pipe a generous swirl or zig-zag pattern onto each cooled cookie. Alternatively, use an icing spatula to spread the frosting. Serve immediately and delight in your homemade, easy carrot cake cookies!
Storage Instructions
To keep your carrot cake cookies tasting fresh and delicious, store them in an airtight container. Because of the cream cheese frosting, these cookies should always be kept in the refrigerator. They will maintain their excellent flavor and moist texture for up to 5 days. For the best taste, allow them to come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving.
How to Make Chewy Carrot Cake Cookies Ahead of Time
Did you know that these wonderfully moist and chewy carrot cake cookies are incredibly freezer-friendly? Making them ahead of time is a fantastic way to prepare for future cravings, unexpected guests, or simply to streamline your holiday baking!
To do this, prepare and shape your cookie dough exactly as described in the recipe steps (scoop and roll into balls). Once your dough balls are formed, place them onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet in a single layer and allow them to freeze completely solid. This usually takes a few hours. Once frozen, transfer your solid carrot cake cookie dough balls to a freezer-safe ziplock bag or an airtight container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to indulge in something sweet, spiced, and utterly comforting, simply grab a few (or a whole batch!) of your frozen dough balls. Pop them onto a lined baking sheet and bake as normal, following the temperature and time guidelines in the recipe. There’s no need to thaw the dough beforehand – just add an extra minute or two to the baking time if needed, keeping an eye on them until the bottoms are lightly browned and the cookies are set. This method ensures you always have fresh-baked cookies at your fingertips!
Expert Tips and Tricks for Perfect Cookies
- The Secret to Thick Cookies: These cookies are designed to be thick, wonderfully chewy, and wonderfully cake-like! If you notice your cookies spreading more than desired in the oven, it’s often due to insufficient chilling. Try extending the chilling time for your dough – setting them in the fridge for 2 hours or even overnight (instead of just 1 hour) before baking can make a significant difference in preventing over-spreading and achieving that perfect plump texture.
- Speedy Chill Method: Don’t have much time? As mentioned, you can accelerate the dough chilling process by placing it in the freezer for 10-20 minutes. Just ensure the dough is firm to the touch before baking.
- Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: For both the cookies and especially the frosting, make sure your butter, eggs, and cream cheese are at room temperature. This allows them to cream together smoothly and emulsify properly, resulting in a perfectly consistent dough and lump-free, fluffy frosting.
- No Piping Bag? No Problem! If you don’t own a piping bag, you can easily create a makeshift one by spooning the cream cheese frosting into a sturdy freezer baggie. Snip a small corner off the bag with scissors, and voilà – instant piping bag! For an even simpler approach, just use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to generously spread the icing onto your cooled cookies for a charming, rustic finish.
- Don’t Overbake: For the chewiest cookies, keep a close eye on them. They should be lightly golden at the edges and just set in the center. They will continue to firm up as they cool. Overbaking can lead to dry, crumbly cookies.
- Cool Completely Before Frosting: Patience is a virtue here! Ensure your cookies are entirely cooled before applying the cream cheese frosting. Warm cookies will cause the frosting to melt and slide right off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, absolutely! Baked and fully cooled carrot cake mix cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months if stored properly. I highly recommend freezing the cookies without the icing first. This allows them to be stacked easily in a sealed food-safe container or freezer bag without sticking together. Once thawed, you can then prepare and apply the fresh cream cheese frosting for the best texture and taste.
Yes, nuts are a fantastic addition and complement the carrot cake flavor beautifully! Chopped walnuts or pecans would be an excellent choice. If desired, simply add ¼ to ½ cup of finely chopped nuts (depending on your preference for nuttiness) to the cookie dough at the same time you incorporate the oats and shredded carrots. They add an extra layer of crunch and flavor.
Absolutely! This recipe is incredibly versatile and serves as a fantastic base for making almost any flavor of cookie you can imagine. You can easily tweak this recipe by simply replacing the carrot cake mix with a boxed cake mix of your choice (e.g., vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, spice). You’ll want to adjust any additional mix-ins, spices, and frosting flavors accordingly to match your chosen cake mix. For a fun and festive option, may I suggest giving these funfetti cake mix cookies a try? The possibilities are endless!
More of Our Favorite Spring Desserts
If you’re looking for more delightful treats to celebrate spring, Easter, or any special occasion, explore these other fantastic recipes:
- Strawberry Filled Cupcakes: Bursting with fresh berry flavor.
- Lemon Cupcakes: Bright, zesty, and perfectly tart.
- No-Bake Birds Nest Cookies: A fun and easy classic for Easter.
- Fresh Strawberry Cookies: Soft, sweet, and full of summer strawberries.
- No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars: A creamy, refreshing dessert with minimal effort.
- Lemon Bars: Tangy, sweet, and utterly irresistible.
Carrot Cake Cookies
Author: Jaclyn
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 box 15.25 ounces carrot cake mix (any brand)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup shredded carrots about 2 large carrots, freshly grated
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
Icing:
- ½ cup cream cheese room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the carrot cake mix, all-purpose flour, and granulated sugar until well combined. This ensures an even distribution of dry ingredients.
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Add the softened unsalted butter and room temperature large eggs, beating with an electric mixer until just well-combined and a cohesive dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
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Gently fold in the freshly shredded carrots, old-fashioned oats, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg. Continue mixing until all the delicious add-ins are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 2-tablespoon sized cookie scoop, scoop out uniform portions of cookie dough and drop them onto the baking sheet. The scooped cookies can be close to each other for now, but ensure they are not touching. You’ll space them properly later when ready to bake.
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Place the tray of scooped cookies in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour (or in the freezer for at least 10-20 minutes). This crucial step helps prevent excessive spreading during baking.
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While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350° F (175°C) and line a second baking sheet with fresh parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
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Remove the chilled cookies from the refrigerator (or freezer) and use your hands to quickly shape them into smooth balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet at least 2 inches apart to allow for proper spreading. For best results and even cooking, only bake one tray at a time. Keep any remaining unbaked cookie dough in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to bake.
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Bake for approximately 12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned and the centers are just set. Avoid overbaking for the chewiest texture.
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Allow the freshly baked cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 6-8 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents them from breaking.
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While cookies cool, prepare the icing: Add softened cream cheese, softened unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon to a medium-size bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until well combined, smooth, and fluffy, typically about 3 to 4 minutes. Once cookies are completely cool, spread the frosting generously onto each cookie with an icing spatula or transfer the frosting to a piping bag and pipe decorative swirls over the cookies. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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