If you’re on the hunt for a fun and tasty treat, look no further than this soft, chewy and easy Bear Paw Cookie recipe!
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Bear paw cookies are sweet chewy pecan cookies with added chopped pecans, and topped with a deliciously sweet maple frosting decorated with chocolate chips arranged in the pattern of a bear paw. The sweet maple toppings and the butter pecan flavor in these cookies really takes it up a notch to a new flavor profile. The cookies are adorable to serve, so easy to make the kids can help too!
Whether you’re baking for a holiday party, a kid’s birthday, or just a cozy afternoon snack, these paw-shaped cookies will wow everyone. With simple ingredients and easy steps, you’ll have charming bear paw cookies in no time. Let’s go on a bear hunt and get started on this sweet adventure!
Not a fan of pecans? Leave them out or use your own favorite cookie recipe and follow the directions to make a bear paw design.
Why You’ll Love This Bear Paw Cookie Recipe
This recipe is perfect for anyone looking to combine creativity with deliciousness. Here’s why it’s bound to become a favorite:
- Family-Friendly Fun: Kids love shaping and decorating these paw-shaped cookies. Baking these cookies can become a fun family tradition!
- Customizable Flavors: From maple syrup frosting to a butter pecan base, you can tweak the flavors to your liking. Yes, this recipe calls for pecans, but you can always leave them out for a more kid-friendly recipe.
- Simple Yet Impressive: These cookies look fancy but are surprisingly easy to make, making them ideal for parties, holiday cookie exchanges, or gifting.
Having Fun with the Kids? Add these Bear Themed Activities:
- Handprint Bear Card-a perfect craft to make and give with these cookies!
- Brown Bear Printable Activity MEGA Pack!
- Goldilocks and the Three Bears FREE Printable Activity Pack
Bear Paw Cookies
Ingredients for Bear Paw Cookies
To make these homemade bear paw cookies, you’ll need:
Cookies:
- 15-ounce box butter pecan cake mix (Betty Crocker works great!)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional for thicker frosting)
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or 1 teaspoon maple extract)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt (optional to balance sweetness)
Decorations:
- 22 dark chocolate candy melts
- 66 semisweet chocolate chips
Equipment You’ll Need
- Hand mixer (or a sturdy spatula if mixing by hand)
- Two baking sheets
- 1 ½ tablespoon cookie dough scoop
- Parchment paper or silicone mats
How to Make Bear Paw Cookies: Step-by-Step Instructions
For your convenience, printable directions are available at the end of this post. Enjoy!
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and set aside for later.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter pecan cake mix and baking powder.
- Then add the melted butter and eggs and beat on low with a hand mixer until fully incorporated. No mixer? No problem! A rubber spatula works just as well.
- Fold in the chopped pecans.
Step 2: Chill and Shape the Dough
- Optional but recommended: Chill the dough for 30 minutes. This helps reduce spreading during baking and makes shaping easier.
- Use your cookie scoop to measure 1 ½ tablespoon-sized balls of dough. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving enough space for them to spread.
Step 3: Bake the Cookies
- Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes or until the tops are set. The edges will be slightly golden, and the cookies will have that perfect chewy texture.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet.
Step 4: Make the Frosting
- As the cookies bake, you can prepare the frosting. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar and cornstarch, a little at a time and mix until combined.
- Add the dark brown sugar, maple syrup (or maple extract), vanilla extract, and salt and mix again until well incorporated and you have a smooth, easily spreadable frosting.
- Prefer a thicker frosting? Add another tablespoon of cornstarch without worrying about extra sweetness.
Step 5: Decorate the Cookies
- Once your cookies are cool, frost each with about 1 tablespoon of frosting.
- To create the bear paw design, place one dark chocolate candy melt as the pad and three chocolate chips as the claws.
READER NOTES
- You can use any boxed cake mix flavor you like however if you use a bigger box you will have to adjust the amount of butter used. Some other great flavor options are chocolate or red velvet cake mixes.
- Want to use your own homemade cookie recipe? Go for it. You can use any cookie base you like and just add the maple frosting and chocolate bear paw decorations on top.
- If you don’t have butter, use equal amounts of vegetable oil.
- The butter pecan cake mix doesn’t actually have butter pecan in it so I like to add a little bit for some texture. Swap out any nut you like or omit it entirely. You can even swap it with chocolate chips if you want!
Tips for Perfect Bear Paw Cookies
- Chill the Dough: Even though it’s optional, chilling helps maintain the paw shape.
- Use Room-Temperature Ingredients: This ensures the dough and frosting mix evenly.
- Don’t Overbake: These cookies are best when soft and chewy.
How to Store and Serve Bear Paw Cookies
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months.
- Serving: These cookies are perfect with a glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee.
FAQs
Can I freeze the dough? Yes! Freeze the dough balls on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2-3 extra minutes to the time.
How long do they last? Up to 5 days at room temperature when stored properly.
What if I don’t have candy melts? You can use large chocolate discs or skip the decorations altogether.
Conclusion
Bear paw cookies are not just treats—they’re an experience! From their rich butter pecan flavor to the adorable paw design, they’re perfect for all ages. So, grab your ingredients, preheat that oven, and let the baking fun begin. Trust me—these cookies won’t last long on the plate!
Print the Bear Baw Cookie Recipe Here:
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside for later.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter pecan cake mix and the baking powder. Then add the melted butter and eggs and beat on low with a hand mixer until fully incorporated. You can alternatively mix everything with a rubber spatula if you do not have a mixer.
- Fold in the chopped pecans.
- Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes. This step is optional and will help reduce spreading.
- Use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to drop 1 ½ tablespoon sized balls onto the baking sheets. Space them a few inches apart to leave room for the cookies to spread.
- Bake at 350℉ for 8-10 minutes, until the tops are set and it reaches desired doneness. Allow the cookies to cool in the pan completely before decorating.
- As the cookies bake, you can prepare the frosting. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Then add the powdered sugar and cornstarch a little at a time and mix until combined. Add the brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt and mix again until well incorporated and you have a smooth, easily spreadable frosting. You can add another tablespoon of cornstarch if you prefer a thicker frosting without adding more sweetness.
- Once the cookies have cooled, use a small icing spatula to frost about 1 tablespoon of frosting on each cookie. Place one candy melt and 3 chocolate chips on top of each cookie to make bear paws.
Notes
STORING
These cookies are best eaten the same day but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can premake the cookie dough and store covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. I have not tried freezing.More Recipes to Make Your Day Perfect: