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Bear Paw Cookies

Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 22 Cookies
Course: Dessert
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 15 ounce box butter pecan cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup pecans roughly chopped
Frosting
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional to thicken frosting without making it sweeter)
  • ¼ cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup or 1 teaspoon maple extract
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ⅛ tsp salt (optional to balance out sweetness)
Decorations
  • 22 dark chocolate candy melts
  • 66 semisweet chocolate chips

Equipment

  • Hand mixer
  • 2 Baking sheets
  • 1½ tablespoon cookie dough scoop

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside for later.
  2. 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.
  3. Fold in the chopped pecans.
  4. Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes. This step is optional and will help reduce spreading.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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

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 to any nut you like or omit it entirely. You can even swap it with chocolate chips if you want!

 

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.