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These rich and decadent Ooey Gooey Butter Christmas Cookies are so deliciously soft they will literally melt in your mouth. They’re perfect little confections that are easy to make and are guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser!
Gooey Butter Cake Mix Cookies
I won’t go as far as to call myself a cookie connoisseur; however, I do make dozens of cookies (and I mean dozens) every year, especially during the holiday season.
Out of all the cookie recipes I make, cake mix cookies, like these Lemon Cake Mix Cookies, Grinch Crinkle Cookies and these Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies are some of the most requested.
These Ooey Gooey Christmas Cake Cookies with their colorful sprinkles, will be a festive addition to place on your holiday cookie tray. Their rich butter flavor makes them completely irresistible. They really should come with a warning: You can’t eat just one! No, seriously, you can’t. Trust me!
What is a Cake Mix Cookie?
Think of these soft and chewy cookies as homemade cookies with a short cut. It’s a super easy recipe that starts off with just about any flavored box of cake mix you like. A few simple ingredients are added to create a yummy cookie dough. Once the dough chills, powdered sugar, sprinkles or sanding sugar coats the dough balls creating a crinkle look as they begin to bake.
Ingredients Needed to Make Gooey Butter Cookies
- 1/2 cup butter, unsalted, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 box of yellow cake mix
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup Christmas sprinkles (red, green, and white jimmies)
How to Make this Gooey Butter Cookie Recipe
- Preheat oven to 350
- Place a silpat liner or parchment paper on a ungreased cookie sheet and set aside.
- In medium-sized mixing bowl cream together the butter, vanilla, egg, and cream cheese until fluffy and mixed well.
- Mix in cake mix and stir until combined. Stir in ¼ cup sprinkles.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill cookie dough for 30-40 minutes.
- Remove batter from refrigerator and roll into 1-inch balls.
- Roll the cookie balls in sprinkles, then in confectioner’s sugar, until entire ball is coated.
- Place dough balls on lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until just golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool 2 minutes on the cookie sheet, then complete cooling on a wire rack.
*For optimal freshness, store these cookies in airtight container for up to a week.
Can I Freeze Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies?
Absolutely! These cake mix cookies actually freeze really well for up to a couple of months. I love to bake a double batch and freeze one for when we need last a last minute snack idea. For best results, freeze just a few in freezer bags so that you don’t have to unthaw all of them at once.
What other Cakes Mixes Make Delicious Gooey Butter Cookies?
There are so many different gooey cookie variations you could try. You can use this same recipe but change up the flavor of the cake mix to create endless possibilities. Here are a few ideas to give you a little inspiration:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies– Chocolate cake mix with peanut butter chips
- Snickerdoodle Cookies-White or yellow cake mix rolled in a cinnamon and sugar
- Red Velvet Cookies- Red velvet cake mix with white chocolate chips
- Funfetti Cookies- Funfetti cake mix and top the cookies with extra sprinkles
- Peppermint Cookies- White cake mix and add in crushed peppermint candies
- Strawberry Chocolate Chip– Strawberry cake mix with mini chocolate chips
- M&M Cookies– Yellow cake mix with mini M&Ms
Tips for the Best Gooey Butter Cookies
- For even baking, use a 1-inch cookie scoop to ensure your dough balls are all the size.
- Cake mix cookies are a little more delicate than some cookies. To keep your cookies from breaking apart, allow them to cool completely before you serve them.
- Chilling the dough before is important. If you rush this step, the cookies will flatten out too much while baking.
- Keep some and give some away! These awesome cookies make wonderful teacher’s gifts, sweet treats for your neighbors and will be all the envy at the next holiday cookie exchange. Place the cookies in decorative cookie tins, or clear cellophane bags with a pretty bow for that extra special touch.
Want More Christmas Sweet Treats?
- Pinwheel Cookies
- Sugared Cranberries
- Elf on the Shelf Cupcakes
- Christmas Bundt Cake
- Gingerbread Sheet Cake
- Chocolate Rum Balls
Ooey Gooey Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter unsalted, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 egg
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- ½ cup Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350
- Place a silpat liner or parchment paper on a baking sheet and set aside.
- In medium-sized mixing bowl cream together the butter, vanilla, egg, and cream cheese until fluffy and mixed well.
- Mix in cake mix and stir until combined. Stir in ¼ cup sprinkles.
- Chill cookie batter for 30-40 minutes.
- Remove batter from refrigerator and roll into 1-inch balls. Roll the cookie balls in sprinkles, then in confectioner’s sugar, until entire ball is coated.
- Place balls on lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until just golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool 2 minutes on the cookie sheet, then complete cooling on a cooling rack.
Nutrition
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K says
These cookies look flat, not round. Should I flatten the round dough ball before going into the oven?