Easy One Bowl Carrot Cake Cookies

with Cream Cheese Frosting 

Love pretty sweets, but not a big baker? You’ll love this tastes-like-scratch Easy Carrot Cake Cookie recipe using a cake mix base and a little something extra. Minimal prep & clean-up time with quick, one-bowl mixing. And so simple to dress up with a freezer bag, some cream cheese frosting, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a fat pecan! 

Here is the thing. I don’t like to cook a whole lot… but I will bake. Because I love me some sweets. Motivation. It’s all about the motivation I tell ya. But even then… I like easy. Years and yeears ago my mom told me the cake-mix to cookie secret and I’ve used it ever since. I just like to tweak them a bit, like I did with my super yummy, Party In Your Mouth Cookies [click here for the recipe].

Today, I’m sharing these easy, one bowl Carrot Cake Cookies with you, in case you like baked goods too… but don’t have the time or inclination to bake from scratch. 

YOU WILL NEED:

• One Carrot Cake Mix 
• Two Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Cooking Oil (I used canola)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• Cookie Sheet(s)
• Optional: Non Stick Spray, Parchment Paper
• Pre-Made Cream Cheese Frosting
• Freezer Bag
• Garnish with: Cinnamon & Pecans if desired

TO MAKE:

• Combine cake mix, eggs, oil and cinnamon. 
• Cook at 350* for approx. 8 to 12 minutes depending on size of cookie and your oven.
• Let Cool.
• Frost & Garnish
• Devour… or gift to friends & loved ones.

Makes approx. 14 fat, 3 inch cookies.

When I’m going to top them with frosting, I like to make nice, fat, fluffy cookies so you get the perfect balance of cookie to frosting ratio in every bite. Plus, they come out a little bit golden brown on the bottom, while being soft and moist inside! 

Just like with cupcakes, you want to let your  cookies cool before frosting so it doesn’t melt and slide off in a big ole mess. While you wait, you can taste one to make sure they aren’t poisonous. Make sure to have milk on hand. It’s a known antidote. 

To pipe the frosting:  

“Simply grab a freezer bag (I find them a bit more sturdy than the regular bags) and fill with frosting, putting it down in the corner of the bag. Cut a small slit in the bottom corner, twist the bag above the frosting line, and squeeze out frosting onto the cookie. Just swirl it on, you’ll get a rhythm going. 

I’ll admit I frost the cookies partly because it’s just fun! I’m thinking of making those mini meatloaves with the frosted whipped potato garnish, just for the thrill of pipping on the mashed potatoes! I’ve made mini meatloaf before [click here] and the boys love it! (I love that it cooks a lot faster than a traditional meatloaf.)

But back to cookies… I also I frost them because it makes them feel special. I guess I feel like if I’m going to get away with making cheater cake mix cookies, I can put a bit of effort into them. So I jazz them up.

Frosting Feels Jazzy 

Here is my dilemma. My husband hates nuts in cookies, and I love them. Sometimes I split the batter and add nuts to half. I’d normally add some fresh carrot zest too, but I was out of carrots… and I settled for a Pecan on top instead. Which turned out quite tasty. 

The sprinkle of cinnamon adds a pinch of flavor, but it mostly just looks pretty.

And what’s better than pretty cookies? xo Shannon

Wants more sweets?

Drop Dead Wicked Delicious Cookie Recipe 

Party In Your Mouth Rocky Road Cookie Recipe 

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