Last Updated on March 31, 2025
These Easter cake mix cookies only need a few ingredients and very little time to prepare so you can have Easter treats in about 30 minutes.

I love helping out with my kids’ classroom parties. The problem is, my kids usually forget to tell me until the last minute (or I forget to jot them down in my calendar) so I’m scrambling to whip up something that doesn’t look like I just threw it together (even though that’s exactly what I’m doing).
My go-to recipe for these last-minute classroom treat “emergencies” is cake mix cookies. They only require 3 ingredients and are easy to tailor to any theme, like these these super easy Easter cake mix cookies or strawberry cake mix cookies for Valentine’s Day or anniversaries.
Jump to:
- Why is Carrot Cake Associated with Easter?
- SAVE THIS RECIPE!
- ❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 🥘 Ingredients
- 🔀 Substitutions
- 🌈 Variations / Options / Add-Ins
- 🥄 Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools
- Tired of Ads?
- 🔪 How to Make Easter Cake Mix Cookies
- 👩🍳 Pro Tips
- ❓ Recipe FAQs
- 🙏 Pairing
- SAVE THIS RECIPE!
- 📋 Recipe
- Pro Tips
- Recipe FAQs
Why is Carrot Cake Associated with Easter?
Since I made these cake mix cookies for Easter, I used carrot cake mix—but, why is carrot cake associated with Easter?
- The Easter Bunny is traditionally depicted as fond of carrots and some kids even leave out carrots for the Easter Bunny. So, it makes sense that carrot-based dishes, including carrot cake, are popular during Easter celebrations.
- Easter occurs in spring, a time when carrots are harvested. Incorporating fresh, seasonal produce like carrots into dishes aligns with the themes of renewal and rebirth associated with the season.
- During the Middle Ages, when sugar was scarce and expensive, carrots were used as a sweetener in desserts. This tradition continued into the period of Lent and Easter, a time of fasting and abstinence in the Christian calendar, because it allows for a sweet treat without relying on expensive sweeteners.
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❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Besides needing only need a few ingredients and very little time to prepare, you’ll love these Easter treats because they’re:
- Easy to make: All you have to do is mix the ingredients, scoop out the dough, bake the cookies, then decorate.
- Fun to make: You and your kids will have so much fun making these cookies together. You can work on each step together, or make an assembly line and each person is assigned a task or everyone works their way down the line and gets to do each step (it depends on the age of your children).
- Always a hit at parties: If you bring these to a classroom party, the kids are going to love these cookies with the cute bunnies on top. In case your neighborhood has a party, you could let the kids have fun and frost their own cookies and put the bunny on top.
For more fun with Peeps, try these Easter pudding cups.
🥘 Ingredients

You only need a total of 5 ingredients to make this entire recipe. You probably already have some of them at home and the rest will be easy to find at the store.
- Cake mix: You will need a box of carrot cake mix. Any brand is fine.
- Canola oil or vegetable oil: Since both oils have a neutral flavor and similar baking properties, you can use whichever one you prefer. Any brand is fine.
- Eggs: The eggs help hold the ingredients together and give the cookies a light and tender texture.
- Whipped cream cheese frosting: This type of frosting is easier to spread on cookies and cream cheese is usually associated with carrot cake. Any brand is fine.
- Peeps: There are so many different flavors of Peeps available now, it doesn’t matter which flavor you use.
See recipe card for complete list of ingredients and quantities
🔀 Substitutions
If you don’t have the ingredients you need or if you have different dietary preferences, see if you have these instead:
Cake mix: If you need to, you can use a gluten-free cake mix.
Canola oil or vegetable oil: You can substitute melted butter in equal amounts for a richer flavor. If you want to make this healthier, you can use the same amount of Greek yogurt for softer cookies and added protein.
Eggs: For a vegan alternative, use flaxseed eggs. You can use 1/2 cup mashed banana or 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce for a healthier version.
Whipped cream cheese frosting: Regular cream cheese frosting will be slightly denser, but it will still work well. You can make your own frosting by mixing 4 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup heavy cream, and ¼ cup powdered sugar.
Peeps: If you don’t have Peeps, a regular marshmallow would work. Or, you could just leave off the Peeps.
🌈 Variations / Options / Add-Ins
These holiday cookies can easily be customized to fit your personal tastes.
- Cake Mix Flavor Variations: Use lemon cake mix paired with vanilla or lemon frosting for a bright and springy flavor and look. You could also use funfetti cake mix to look extra festive with the sprinkles baked in.
- Add-Ins for Extra Flavor: Add white chocolate chips for a creamy, sweet crunch or shredded coconut for a tropical twist, perfect for spring. You could also add chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts for crunch and a nutty flavor.
- Topping Options: Instead of Peeps, you could top the cookies with jelly beans, mini chocolate eggs or pastel M&Ms. Before adding the Peep, you could put Easter-themed pastel sprinkles on the frosting to make the cookies extra fun.
For a different themed Easter dessert, try these cute Easter Oreo chicks.
🥄 Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools
You only need a few kitchen tools to help you make this easy recipe. So, gather these tools and get ready to enjoy this tasty dessert.
- Mixing bowl: You’ll need a large bowl to combine all of the ingredients.
- Medium cookie scoop: Use this to scoop the cookie dough, so you’ll be sure they’re the right size for the decorations.
- Baking sheet: This is where you’ll bake the cookies.
- Wire cooling rack: The cookies will cool on this when they’re done baking.
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🔪 How to Make Easter Cake Mix Cookies
Even though regular homemade cookies don’t take a ton of time, when you’re really short on time, these cake mix cookies will save you precious minutes.
Step 1: Preheat Oven
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Step 2: Combine Ingredients
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil, and eggs. Mix well.
Step 3: Scoop out the Dough
Use a cookie scoop to place dough onto an ungreased baking sheet. I used the medium scoop because I needed the cookies to be large enough to hold the decorations I had planned for them.
You should get 24 cookies out of one box of cake mix if you scoop the right amount for each cookie.

Step 4: Bake The Cookies
The cookies need to bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the edges are set, but the center is slightly soft—also there will be a few cracks on the top which shows they’ve expanded properly.

Step 5: Cool the Cookies
Let them sit on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely (at least 15-20 minutes).
Step 6: Frost The Cookies
After they cool, you can frost them. I used whipped cream cheese frosting because it’s easy to spread and to me, carrot cake just screams for cream cheese frosting.

Step 7: Top With A Peep
Finally, to add the “wow” factor (for an elementary-school audience) and to go ahead and pile on the sugar so their teacher and parents will appreciate you, top each cookie with a peep.

Step 8: Serve and Enjoy
Load them up on a platter or in a storage container and voilà, you’ve made enough Easter-themed treats for an entire classroom full of kids in just about half an hour!

👩🍳 Pro Tips
Here are a few tips that you can use to make sure that your Easter Oreo Cake Mix Cookies turn out perfectly.
- You can cover the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat which prevents sticking and ensures even baking—better than greasing the pan!
- Stir the dough just until combined to avoid dense cookies. Overmixing can make them tough.
- If your dough feels sticky, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes before baking. This helps prevent spreading and makes the cookies thicker and chewier.
- Keep cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread to stay soft longer!
❓ Recipe FAQs
Store in an airtight container at room temp for 3-4 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
Yes, you can freeze unfrosted baked cookies for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the cookie dough in balls and bake them without thawing—just add 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
Yes! Just double all the ingredients and bake in batches.
🙏 Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Easter Cake Mix Cookies:
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📋 Recipe

Super Easy Easter Cake Mix Cookies
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Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Medium cookie scoop
- Baking sheet
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 box carrot cake mix
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 container whipped cream cheese frosting
- 24 Peeps®
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil, and eggs. Mix well.1 box carrot cake mix, 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil, 2 eggs
- Use a cookie scoop to place dough onto an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the edges are set, but the center is slightly soft—also there will be a few cracks on the top which shows they’ve expanded properly.
- Let them sit on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely (at least 15-20 minutes).
- Once cooled, frost each cookie with whipped frosting. Then, top each cookie with one peep.1 container whipped cream cheese frosting, 24 Peeps®
Notes
Pro Tips
- You can cover the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat which prevents sticking and ensures even baking—better than greasing the pan!
- Stir the dough just until combined to avoid dense cookies. Overmixing can make them tough.
- If your dough feels sticky, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes before baking. This helps prevent spreading and makes the cookies thicker and chewier.
- Keep cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread to stay soft longer!
So very cute and I’m always looking for quick but still impressive ideas. This is perfect for our family Easter get together.