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Gooey Butter Cookies

Gooey Butter Cookies

Gooey Butter Cookies

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Gooey Butter Cookies
5.0 rating based on 12,345 ratings
5/5 (6)
Course: Hand-Shaped CookiesDifficulty: Easy
Makes

24

cookies
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Pretty and easy, made with a cake mix. You can use any flavor cake mix you like! Try yellow, chocolate, red velvet or funfetti! (see note*)

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 (16.5-ounce) box yellow cake mix (see note** if you can’t find this size box)

  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Add cake mix, and stir until well blended. Roll into 1″ balls and then roll the balls in the powdered sugar. (If dough is too gooey to handle, chill for one hour first). Place 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Allow to sit on the counter for about 10 minutes. You’ll notice the powdered sugar on the cookies start to turn translucent as it absorbs the oils and moisture from the dough. Roll a second time in powdered sugar to ensure a thick coating. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove before edges start to brown. Cookies are best if, once removed from the oven, and you break a hot one in half, it seems like raw dough in the center. When cooled, this will set up and result in a nice moist cookie. If you break the cookie in half and it seems fully cooked, it will be a little too dry once cooled. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  • The photos below show this recipe made with white cake mix, colored with red and green food coloring.

Notes

  • * Try other cake flavors for fun! Lemon, strawberry, funfetti…all will work EXCEPT for Angel Food.
  • ** Since this recipe was posted, cake mix boxes have shrunk from 18.25 ounces, to 16.5 ounces, to, as of this writing, 15.25 ounces. Many “cake mix” recipes don’t work anymore because a box of cake mix is not what it used to be. My advice: use only recipes that specify EXACTLY what size box this was developed for, and avoid any recipes that just call for “1 box of cake mix” without specifying which size!
    — To turn a 15.25 ounce cake mix into 16.5 ounces, add 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
    — best option: keep a spare box of yellow cake mix for this purpose and use a kitchen scale to weigh out the exact amount you need to add. You can mix yellow cake mix with any flavor.

Reviews

Name & Location
(example: Sue in LA)
Rating
Review

★★★★★
My bff begs for these every Christmas. Super simple way to make her smile. They’re easy to make and delicious.
- Kat

★★★★★
If you refrigerate the dough for about 20 minutes before rolling and then coat your hands with powdered sugar, it maks it a lot easier to form the cookie balls. These are my family's favorite. I now have to make at least three batches every Christmas
- A Baker

★★★★★
chill the dough 1st .. . itll be less gooey to work with! :)
- A Baker

★★★★★
these are always a huge hit. everyone wants the recipe and they get requested every year!
- A Baker

★★★★★
These cookies are super easy to make and taste great...The dough is gooey, but worth the effort!
- A Baker

★★★★★
These were fantastic. I cooked them 11 minutes for just a touch more Gooey Goodness... I absolutely will make them again
- A Baker
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