Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies
Christmas gooey butter cookies are thick, pale cookies with soft, cake-like centers and a snowy powdered-sugar coating. Yellow cake mix, cream cheese, butter, egg, and vanilla make a rich dough that is naturally sticky. Chill it before shaping so the cookies stay round and are easier to coat.
Keep the main batch sprinkle-free to let the powdered sugar show. Bake until the edges are set but the centers still look soft; the cookies will firm up as they cool. This recipe makes about 18–20 cookies, depending on portion size.
Ingredients for Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies
- 1 standard box yellow cake mix (about 15.25 oz / 430g)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened (225g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick / 115g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½–¾ cup powdered sugar, for coating
How to Make Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies
- Mix the dough: Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then add the cake mix and mix just until a thick, sticky dough forms.
- Chill: Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The dough should feel cooler and firmer, though it may still be slightly tacky.
- Prepare the oven and pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper and put the powdered sugar in a small bowl.
- Portion and coat: Scoop about 1½ tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll into thick balls. Coat generously in powdered sugar, then place about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. If the dough becomes difficult to roll, refrigerate it again until manageable.
- Bake: Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 10–12 minutes, checking at 10 minutes. Remove the cookies when the edges hold their shape but the centers still look soft. The sugar coating may crack; do not wait for deep browning.
- Cool: Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes so they firm up enough to move. Transfer carefully to a wire rack and cool completely before stacking or storing.
Why the Dough Needs to Chill
Cream cheese and butter make this dough softer than a typical cookie dough. Chilling firms it enough to scoop into even portions without adding flour, which would change the texture. If the dough warms while you work, return it to the refrigerator between batches.
How to Tell When the Cookies Are Done
Look for set edges and centers that still appear soft, not fully baked. The cookies continue to firm on the hot pan and as they cool. Smaller portions or an oven that runs hot may finish sooner, so use these cues rather than the clock alone.
Variations and Serving
White cake mix can replace yellow for a paler cookie. For a colorful variation, gently fold up to ⅓ cup red and green jimmies into the dough before chilling, then coat the portions in powdered sugar as directed. The sprinkle-flecked cookies will look different from the main version.
Serve the cooled cookies on a plate or cookie platter. To show the soft center, break one cookie open and place it on top of the stack.
How to Store Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies
Cool the cookies completely before storing them in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze the cooled cookies in an airtight container, with parchment between stacked layers. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per cookie, based on 19 cookies: 190 calories, 2g protein, 10g fat, and 24g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g: 430 calories, 5g protein, 23g fat, and 54g carbohydrates. Values vary with cookie size, cake mix, and the amount of powdered sugar that sticks.
Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Cookie scoop
- Small bowl
- Wire rack
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 standard box yellow cake mix (about 15.25 oz / 430 g)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened (225 g)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick / 115 g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Coating
- 1/2–3/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla, then mix in the cake mix just until a thick, sticky dough forms.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper and put the powdered sugar in a small bowl.
- Scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll into thick balls.
- Coat each ball generously in powdered sugar and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. If the dough becomes difficult to roll, chill it again until manageable.
- Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 10–12 minutes, checking at 10 minutes. Remove the cookies when the edges hold their shape and the centers still look soft.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips
- Chill the dough before shaping so it is easier to portion and stays round.
- Return the dough to the refrigerator between batches if it becomes too warm to roll.
- Take the cookies out while the centers still look soft; they will firm up as they cool.
- Check smaller cookies or cookies in a hot-running oven early, since they may bake faster.
Variations
- White Cake Mix Cookies: Replace the yellow cake mix with white cake mix for a paler cookie.
- Red and Green Sprinkle Cookies: Gently fold up to 1/3 cup red and green jimmies into the dough before chilling, then coat the cookies in powdered sugar.