These carrot cake cookies are an easy twist classic spring dessert–made with boxed carrot cake mix and topped with a rich cream cheese frosting, these thick and chewy carrot cake cookies are perfect for Easter, bridal showers, baby showers, Mother’s Day, or any occasion.
Do you love the sweet, springy flavors of carrot cake but hate the hassle of making one from scratch?
Yeah, me too!
You can ditch the frustration of baking and frosting a cake by making these thick and chewy carrot cake cookies from cake mix instead.
Like my lemon cake mix cookies, red velvet cake mix cookies, and cake mix chocolate chip cookies, these carrot cake cookies start with a box of cake mix.
By using a boxed cake mix as your dough base, you’ll ensure that every bite of these cookies is packed with cinnamony carrot cake flavor—plus it’ll save you a ton of time and effort.
Take one bite of these thick cake mix cookies topped with a homemade cream cheese frosting and I promise you, you’ll forget you ever wanted the traditional version of this delectable dessert!
Cake Mix Carrot Cake Cookie Ingredients
This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
For the Cookies
- Carrot Cake Mix—We used Betty Crocker but any brand or variety will do!
- All-Purpose Flour—Adds a bit of extra firmness and helps your cookies to hold their shape as they bake.
- Sugar—For that perfect amount of sweetness.
- Eggs—Acts as the main binding agent, holding all the other cookie ingredients together.
- Unsalted Butter—Known for its deep and rich flavor, this ingredient also helps your cookies to spread the perfect amount in the oven.
- Carrots—The star ingredient in any carrot cake dessert!
- Old Fashoined Oats—Have a delightfully nutty flavor and chewy texture.
- Spices—A blend of nutmeg and cinnamon add warmth and comforting flavor.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting—Made by whipping together cream cheese, unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
Equipment You’ll Need
You’ll need all your basic baking equipment to make these carrot cake cookies from cake mix.
- measuring cups and spoons
- mixing bowls
- electric mixer
- 2-tablespoon sized cookie scoop
- grater for carrots
- spatula
- baking sheets
- parchment paper (I am obsessed with these pre-cut sheets)
- piping bag (or spread frosting on with an icing spatula)
How to Make Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together the carrot cake mix, flour, and sugar.
Step 2: Add the butter and eggs and beat until well combined.
Step 3: Add the carrots, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Continue mixing until well-combined.
Step 4: Use a cookie scoop to portion out your dough and place on a lined baking sheet and pop them into the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour. This will work to prevent over-spreading.
In a hurry? Chill the sough in the freezer for 10 minutes instead.
Step 5: Roll the cookies into balls, place them 2-inches apart on a lined baking sheet, and bake until the bottoms are lightly browned.
Pro tip: For best results, only bake one tray at a time to ensure even cooking. Leave the other cookies in the fridge or freezer until ready to bake.
Step 6: While your baked cookies are cooling, create your frosting by beating together the cream cheese, unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Continue mixing until smooth.
Step 7: Transfer your frosting to a piping bag and top each cooled cookie with a generous drizzle. Serve and enjoy!
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Make Chewy Carrot Cake Cookies Ahead of Time
Did you know that these moist and chewy carrot cake cookies can easily be made ahead of time?
To do this, make and shape your cookie dough as normal. Place your dough balls onto a lined cookie sheet and allow them to freeze completely. Transfer your frozen carrot cake cookie dough balls to a ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to indulge in something sweet and cinnamony, simply pop a dough ball or two onto a lined baking sheet and bake as normal—no thawing necessary!
Expert Tips and Tricks
- These cookies are meant to be thick, chewy, and well, cake-like! If you find that your cookies are spreading too much in the oven, try setting them in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight (instead of just 1 hour) before baking.
- In a hurry? You an chill the dough in the freeer for 10-20 minutes instead.
- No piping bag? No problem. You can use a freezer baggie with the corner cut off for easy piping. Or simply spead on your icing!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, baked and fully cooled carrot cake mix cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months if stored properly in a sealed food-safe container. I recommend freezing the cookies without the icing so that they can be stacked without sticking together.
Yes! Chopped walnuts or pecans would be a nice addition. If desired, add ¼ cup of finely chopped nuts at the same time you add the oats.
Absolutely! You can tweak this recipe to make almost any flavor of cookie by simply replacing the carrot cake mix with the boxed cake mix of your choice. You’ll want to adjust any mix-ins, spices, and frostings accordingly. May I suggest giving these funfetti cake mix cookies a try?
More of Our Favorite Spring Desserts
- Strawberry Filled Cupcakes
- Lemon Cupcakes
- No-Bake Birds Nest Cookies
- Fresh Strawberry Cookies
- No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
- Lemon Bars
Carrot Cake Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 box 15.25 ounces carrot cake mix
- 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
- 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
- In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the carrot cake mix, flour, and sugar.
- Add the butter and eggs, beating until well-combined.
- Add the carrots, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Continue mixing until well-combined.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 2-tablespoon sized cookie scoop, scoop out cookies and drop them onto the baking sheet. The cookies can be close to each other for now but not touching. You’ll space them properly later when ready to bake.
- Place the tray of cookies in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or in the freezer for at least 10 minutes).
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a second baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Remove the cookies from the freezer and use your hands to shape them into balls. Place them on the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. For best results, only bake one tray at a time to ensure even cooking. Leave the other cookies in the fridge or freezer until ready to bake.
- Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly browned.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 6-8 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Add cream cheese, unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon to a medium-size bowl and beat until well combined and smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes. Spread onto cookies with an icing spatula or transfer to a piping bag and pipe over cookies.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by a third party and intended to serve as an estimate only. The accuracy of nutritional information is not guaranteed.
Is there something to use instead of the carport cake mix? I would much rather do from scratch or have an optional gluten-free substitute.
*carrot*
I haven’t tried the recipe using a gluten-free carrot cake mix or with a homemade carrot cake mix so I can’t say for sure. If you do decide to give it a try I would love to hear how they come out.
Please use real ingredients ( not boxed crap). These don’t even have carrots in them. Junk
The recipe calls for 1 cup of shredded carrots.