Chocolate Walnut Bear Paw Cookies

These Chocolate Walnut Bear Paw Cookies are rich and fudgy – almost brownie-like with the perfect complement of caramel topping!

When it comes to using cake mix to make cookies, the possibilities are endless! You can make all sorts of delicious cookies using cake mix as a base, like cool whip cookies or strawberry cake mix cookies.

Then, you can add in chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dried fruit, or anything else you can think of to make your perfect cookie.

When it comes to these chocolate walnut bear paw cookies there’s no need to be a master baker to whip them up. The ingredients are quite simple and results are a batch of rich, chewy cookies that are impossible to resist.

You can make them with any kind of cake mix, but we love using a chocolate cake mix for these Chocolate Walnut Bear Paw Cookies. Enjoy!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• They’re easy to make
• They’re delicious
• They look adorable

What You Will Need

• Cake Mix: you can use any kind of flavor or brand you’d like. I am using Betty Crocker chocolate fudge cake mix. Don’t follow instructions on box!
• Baking powder, eggs & butter: to be combined in cake mix to make cookies.
• Walnuts: roughly chopped and folded in the cookies.
• Chewy caramels & heavy whipping cream: to make the caramel topping for the cookies.
• Chocolate: milk chocolate candy melts and semisweet chocolate chips to make the bear paws.

Equipment Used

• Hand mixer
• Two baking sheets
• 1 ½ tablespoon cookie dough scoop

How to Make Bear Paw Cookies

Prep: Preheat oven to 350℉ and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Make the cookie dough: In a large bowl, combine chocolate cake mix and baking powder. Add melted butter and eggs to the bowl and beat with mixer on low until fully incorporated. Fold in the chopped walnuts.

Chill the dough: Cover and place dough in fridge for 30 minutes.

Bake the cookies: Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, drop 1 ½ tablespoon sized balls onto the prepared baking sheets spaced a few inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops are set.

Cool cookies: Remove from the oven. Set aside to cool for 3 minutes while still on the cookie sheet, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.

Prepare the caramel: Unwrap caramels and melt in a microwave safe bowl with heavy whipping cream on high for 30 second increments stirring in between until smooth and no lumps. Allow to cool for a few minutes.

Decorate the cookies: Drop a half of a tablespoon amount on top of each cookie, allowing to cool slightly. Add a chocolate candy melt and 3 semisweet chocolate chips on top of each cookie to make it look like bear paws.

Recipe Tips

• Use any flavor boxed cake mix.
• Don’t want to use cake mix? Use your favorite chocolate cookie recipe or any cookie base you’d like.
• Don’t have butter? Use equal amounts of vegetable oil.
• Swap out walnuts for any other kind of nuts or omit entirely.
• Don’t have baking powder? No worries, you can skip it but will result in a thinner cookie.
• You can use any kind of brand of caramel if you can’t find Werther’s Originals.
• Make sure dough is chilled for at least 30 minutes before shaping.
• Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to portion out the dough so that all of your cookies are uniform in size.
• Be careful not to overbake the cookies – they should be golden brown around the edges but still soft in the center.

How to Store

• Place cookies in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

FAQs

Can I make these cookies ahead of time?

The cookie dough can be made ahead of time and stored covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Can I add other kinds of nuts besides walnuts?

Yes, you can add any kind of nut you’d like in your cookies or none at all.