These soft and sweet Carrot Cake Mix Cookies taste just like real carrot cake, which is one of my favorite cakes! The fragrant, warm spices combined with the pillowy soft cookie topped with tangy cream cheese frosting just make you want a second (or third) cookie! You won’t look at a box of cake mix the same way again!
Some people think Carrot Cakes are strictly for spring. Maybe it’s the association with carrots and bunnies, I don’t know. I think the notes of cinnamon and nutmeg combined with brown sugar make it perfect for fall, winter, or really, any time of year!
SAVE THIS EASY CARROT CAKE MIX COOKIE RECIPE TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD!
How Does a Cake Mix Become Cookies?
I love using a boxed cake mix for all kinds of cookies. It’s an easy shortcut because boxed cake mixes contain many of the same ingredients you would need from your pantry for cookie dough. But it’s already measured and mixed for you! Adding the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in the cake mix makes them scoopable for the perfect cookie.
Ingredients for Carrot Cake Mix Cookies
We’re going to keep this recipe quick and easy to make by using some simple ingredients that are premade for the cookie dough and the frosting. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 box carrot cake mix (15.25 ounces)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 16 ounces of cream cheese frosting
- Orange sprinkles (optional for decoration)
That’s it!
Can I use homemade cream cheese frosting?
If you have a cream cheese frosting you love, it would be perfect for this recipe. The Cream Cheese Frosting recipe in this Banana Cake recipe would taste amazing! But often I simply buy a tub at the store and whip it up in a medium bowl with a hand mixer or other electric mixer on low speed until it is light and fluffy before spreading it on the baked cookies.
Does it matter what brand of cake mix I use?
All the big brands of dry cake mix you find at the grocery store work equally well for this recipe. If you use a gluten-free or other specialty cake mix, your results may differ.
Can I use butter instead of oil?
You can absolutely trade the oil for melted butter in this recipe. This will give you a slightly chewier cookie.
How to make easy Carrot Cake Cookies
There are just a few easy steps to make this delicious cookie recipe. First, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, then preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix the box of carrot cake mix, oil, and eggs in a large bowl on medium speed until the batter is well blended. Use a cookie scoop to measure about two tablespoons of the dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, making sure to leave room in between each cookie. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes.
Your cookies should be very lightly golden. If you see them starting to brown on the edges, remove them from the pan. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for five minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Spread the frosting onto the cookies and, if desired, add sprinkles to the top of the cookies.
How to store leftover Cake Mix Cookies
These cookies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days for maximum freshness.
Can I freeze these cookies?
After the cookies cool completely but before frosting them, place them in a freezer bag and freeze them for up to a month.
Another method is to scoop the cookie dough into balls and put them on a sheet pan in the freezer; once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag. This way, I can bake a few cookies at a time to enjoy fresh-baked cookies anytime!
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
You can also make the dough ahead of time and then scoop the dough into balls directly into an airtight container. Then you can store the cookie dough in the fridge for up to a week.
Can this Carrot Cake Mix Cookie recipe be used for bar cookies?
If you would like to make a bar-style cookie instead of individual cookies, press the dough into a pre-greased baking pan (8×8 or around that size). Then bake for 20-25 minutes or until it is cooked through.
Flavor Variations
You can certainly add extra ingredients to this easy recipe if you want a heartier cookie. Here are some favorite things you could add:
- a splash of vanilla extract
- grated carrots
- white chocolate chips
- golden raisins
- walnuts or pecans
More easy Cake Mix Cookies
There are so many varieties of cookies you can make with cake mix! My personal favorites are these Lemon Cake Mix Cookies. They are so tangy and sweet! For some delicious bar cookies made with cake mix, you must try these Funfetti Ooey Gooey Bars. And this holiday season I took these Peppermint Ooey Gooey Bars to a potluck and they were a hit!
Desserts Made with Carrots
Perfect any time of year, these Carrot Cake Cookie Sandwiches with cream cheese filling are a delicious sweet treat that don’t contain any nuts.
Change up your oatmeal cookie game and make these Oatmeal Carrot Cookies. These will be great for lunch boxes, as an after school snack, and perfect for your Easter dessert table, too.
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Easy Carrot Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 box carrot cake mix 15.25 ounces
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 16 ounces cream cheese frosting
- orange sprinkles
Instructions
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Mix the cake mix, oil,and eggs in a mixing bowl until the batter is well blended.
- Scoop about two tablespoons of the dough into balls and place them onto the sheet pan, making sure to leave room in between each cookie.
- Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes. You don’t want the cookies to get golden. If you see them starting to get color on the edges, remove them from the oven.
- Allow the cookies to cool right on the sheet pan for five minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Spread the frosting onto the cookies and top with the sprinkles.
- You can store them in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to four days for maximum freshness.
Notes
- You can trade the oil for melted butter to give you a slightly chewier cookie.
- If you would like to make a bar-style, press it into a greased small baking pan. Then bake for 20-25 minutes until it’s cooked through
Comments & Reviews
I used this exact carrot cake mix and followed the recipe changing the oil to butter as it suggested for chewy cookies, I prefer not to have cake like cookies. The flavor is off and leaves a bad taste in your mouth. It almost tastes like there is baking soda that didn’t get properly mixed in, I did not add any. It is so overpowering that you can’t taste any of the carrot cake flavor. I have not frosted them yet, I was planning on taking these to Easter dinner and thought I would frost them the morning of. I am not sure if the cream cheese frosting will hide the bad taste or not. If so then we will just taste cream cheese and not the carrot cake flavor. Disappointed as I was so looking forward to these!
This was really easy and pretty tasty! I used a 3 tablespoon scoop and butter instead of oil. It made 10 nice puffy cookies.
The flavor is a bit one-note but I think that’s just because of how basic the recipe is. When I do it again (and I absolutely will) I’ll include some add-ins like golden raisins, white chocolate chips, and probably some more spice (like cinnamon and fresh nutmeg).
One can of frosting was too much for my batch so if I doubled the batch I’d just use one can of frosting. (I did whip the frosting some before applying it to the cookies.)
Thanks for the recipe!