Easy Carrot Cake Cookies with Buttercream
These carrot cake cookies deliver all the flavor of classic carrot cake in single-serving cookie form. Plus, they’re made with a simple box mix hack that cuts your prep time.
The cookies combine carrot cake mix with crushed pineapple for extra moisture, while the vanilla buttercream adds that essential creamy element you expect from carrot cake. The result is soft, chewy cookies with that signature carrot cake spice.
I started making these when I needed a quick dessert that still felt homemade. The pineapple trick keeps them moist, and they’re much faster than baking and frosting a whole cake from scratch.
These cookies are super cute as an Easter cookie, and are an easy-to-make dessert-to-share for parties or potlucks.
Let’s make some cookies!
Ingredients
- 1 box carrot cake mix
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 1/2 tablespoons crushed pineapple, drained
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans, divided
- 12 ounces vanilla buttercream
- Decorative sprinkles
Steps to make carrot cake cookies
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Pat pineapple pieces with paper towel to remove excess moisture.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine carrot cake mix, softened butter, cinnamon, flour, drained pineapple, and eggs. Mix for about 3 minutes until a soft dough forms.
4. Reserve a few toasted pecans for decoration. Fold the remaining pecans into the cookie dough.
5. Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, portion dough into 2-2½ tablespoon balls. Place on prepared cookie sheet, leaving space between each for spreading.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
7. Place buttercream in a piping bag with medium-sized opening. Pipe in a circular motion to cover the top of each cookie.
8. Decorate with sprinkles and reserved toasted pecans.
Tips
- If cookies rise too much for your desired look, gently flatten with the back of a spoon after baking.
- Storage: Keep in airtight container in cool, dry place for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 weeks. Note that sprinkle colors may bleed when defrosting.
- To toast pecans: Spread raw pecans on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Cool before using.
- For cream cheese flavor: Add 1/2 teaspoon cream cheese flavoring to the buttercream and whip until combined.
Easy Carrot Cake Cookies with Vanilla Buttercream
These carrot cake cookies use boxed cake mix & crushed pineapples for a simple to make treat
Ingredients
- 1 box carrot cake mix
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 1/2 tablespoons crushed pineapple, drained
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans, divided
- 12 ounces vanilla buttercream
- Decorative sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Pat pineapple pieces with paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- In a mixing bowl, combine carrot cake mix, softened butter, cinnamon, flour, drained pineapple, and eggs. Mix for about 3 minutes until a soft dough forms.
- Reserve a few toasted pecans for decoration. Fold the remaining pecans into the cookie dough.
- Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, portion dough into 2-2½ tablespoon balls. Place on prepared cookie sheet, leaving space between each for spreading.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
- Place buttercream in a piping bag with medium-sized opening. Pipe in a circular motion to cover the top of each cookie. (For cream cheese flavor: Add 1/2 teaspoon cream cheese flavoring to the buttercream and whip until combined.)
- Decorate with sprinkles and reserved toasted pecans.
