It’s a cookie! It’s a cupcake! It’s…DELICIOUS!
Since I first discovered the secret of cake mix cookies, I keep finding new and exciting combos to try. I’ve used butter pecan cake in Toffee Butter Pecan Cake Mix Cookies, and chocolate cake to make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies. So it was only a matter of time before I decided to try this trick on carrot cake, as well.
But I ran into a snag. You see, carrot cake just doesn’t taste right without the cream cheese frosting, and there’s no good way to put cream cheese frosting on a cookie. It doesn’t dry stiff like regular icing, so it would smear all over your hands when you tried to eat it.
So my solution was to bake the carrot cake cookies in a muffin tin. I indented the tops with a spoon, and that made a perfect little cup to put the frosting in. I even sprinkled cinnamon and chopped walnuts on top, and they stayed put right in the middle.
And here’s the result: Carrot Cake Cookie Cups. They’re like carrot cake, cupcakes, and cookies all rolled up in one tasty treat – that you don’t need a fork to eat.
Carrot Cake Cookie Cups
Ingredients:
1 (15.25 oz) box carrot cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg
Frosting
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Optional Toppings
Cinnamon
Chopped walnuts
orange crystal sprinkles
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350. In bowl mix together your cake mix, butter and egg until well blended.
- Spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Taking about 1 Tablespoon of dough, roll into a balls and place in the muffin tins.
- Bake for about 12-14 minutes or until set, remove from oven and using a teaspoon press middles down to create indent, set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile to make frosting, in bowl mix together your cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add in your powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until smooth again, add to piping bag and pipe into cooled cookie cups.
- Sprinkle with a little cinnamon and chopped walnuts if desired.
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Carrot Cake Cookie Cups
Ingredients
- 1 15.25 oz box carrot cake mix
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 egg
FROSTING
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Optional Topping
- Cinnamon
- Chopped walnuts
- orange crystal sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. In bowl mix together your cake mix, butter and egg until well blended.
- Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Taking about 1 Tablespoon of dough, roll into a balls and place in the muffin tins.
- Bake for about 12-14 minutes or until set, remove from oven and using a teaspoon press middles down to create indent, set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile to make frosting, in bowl mix together your cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add in your powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until smooth again, add to piping bag and pipe into cooled cookie cups.
- Sprinkle with a little cinnamon and chopped walnuts if desired.
Video
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Nutrition Information:
Nutrition Disclaimer
Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
monika Singh says
Wow what an adorable cup cake. I never had a cake like this. This would make my Easter unforgettable.
Susan says
Each year, even before easter arrives, my kids start asking me what I’m going to make for them this year. Sometimes it become a little difficult to come up with a new interesting idea for a dessert. These carrot cakes seem like something my kids will appreciate and thank me for.
Jen says
I’m planning on making this recipe today but I have a question. The recipe says to bake in mini muffin pan, but the video shows a regular sized muffin pan. What is the best option?
Corey says
Use a regular sized muffin pan.
Suzy OConnor says
I made these twice. First time I used Betty Crocker cake mix (could not find Duncan Hines) and they turned out perfect. I found a Duncan Hines Classic mix like the one pictured. The dough was very wet, not at all like the first time. I was careful to squeeze out the water from the carrots & raisins. After baking they did not hold together well. A lot fell apart. So what did I do wrong? I uses a mini muffin pan.
Corey says
That is strange Suzy. I have no idea why Betty worked better than the Duncan Hines.
Marilyn Borner says
Good recipe. I made the indentation not quite so deep, with an ice cream scoop but added a lot of cream cheese store bought frosting to each as I was in a hurry. Delicious but very sweet.
Lynne says
Mind looked nothing like picture. Is something missing in the recipe? They came out flat more like a cookie. Did ‘nt rise maybe because of nonstick spray? They tasted good!
Corey says
I can’t say for sure Lynne. Maybe it was the spray? Let me know if you try to make them again and skip the spray.
JENNIFER MARQUIS says
Would these need to be refrigerated since they have cream cheese?
Corey says
If you are not serving them right away, yes I would store them in the refrigerator
Adrienne says
Could you use a different kind of cake? I was leaning toward a chocolate cake mix.
Corey says
Yep! You sure can 🙂
Amy G says
I love making cake mix cookies and this idea of baking in a mini muffin tin is a fun idea. I’m going to try it with german chocolate cake and then fill with the coconut frosting… maybe I’ll make the frosting from scratch… yum
Lynn says
So when it says it makes 24 is that regular size cupcakes or mini cupcakes? Thanks. This is such a great idea love carrot cake
Corey says
Regular cupcake size. I hope you love them!