Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together the chocolate cake mix, canola oil, and eggs until well combined.

Use a medium cookie scoop to place scoops of the cookie dough on the baking sheets, leaving at least two inches of space between them.

Bake for 9-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter until it becomes light and fluffy.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat until well combined.

Gradually add milk (1/2 tablespoon at a time) until you achieve the desired frosting consistency. It should be easy to spread onto the cookies but firm enough not to slide off.

Frost each cookie generously with the prepared frosting.

Place the white sanding sugar on a small plate and gently press the frosted side of the cookie into it to create an even coating.

Apply a small amount of frosting to the bottom of a peppermint pattie and attach it to the lower third of the cookie to create the pad of the bear's foot.

Gently press four brown M&Ms above the peppermint pattie to create the bear's toes.

Allow the frosting to set for 15-30 minutes before serving.