There’s nothing quite like watching powdered sugar snow fall onto warm cookies straight from the oven. These Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies are pure holiday magic – soft, chewy centers with that perfect crackled top. They’ve become the cookie everyone asks for at every Christmas party.
Think gooey butter cake meets classic sugar cookie, but way easier. Just cake mix, cream cheese, butter, and an egg. No chilling, no rolling, no fancy technique required. They bake up with those gorgeous crackled tops and stay soft for days – perfect for cookie swaps or midnight milk dunking.
Started making these back in 2014 when my neighbor shared her grandmother’s recipe card. My oldest daughter took one bite and declared them “better than Christmas morning.” The secret I discovered after years of testing? Don’t overbake them – they’ll look underdone but finish cooking on the pan. Trust the process.
PrintChristmas Gooey Butter Cookies Recipe Youll Love
These Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies offer a soft, buttery texture perfect for holiday treats. Featuring Christmas Ooey Gooey Cookies and Cake Mix Gooey Butter Cookies, this recipe brings festive cheer in every bite for any cookie exchange.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 32 Cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Standard
Ingredients
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box of yellow cake mix
- 1/2 cup holiday sprinkles
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Warm your oven to 350 degrees F and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a mixer, combine softened cream cheese, butter, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the cake mix and stir to form a thick dough.
- Carefully fold in the holiday sprinkles without overmixing to keep their color vibrant.
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to firm it up.
- Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and coat them entirely in powdered sugar.
- Space the balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are set but centers remain soft.
- Allow cookies to cool on the sheets briefly before moving to a rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Store the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days
- The cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag
- Thaw at room temperature before serving
Nutrition
- Calories: 103 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 151 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.2 g + 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 14 mg
Why These Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies Will Become Your New Holiday Tradition
Picture this: cookies that stay impossibly soft for days, never requiring a glass of milk to soften them up. These Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies boast that magical texture we all cravecrispy edges that give way to centers so tender they practically melt on your tongue.
The beauty lies in their simplicity. While other holiday cookies demand hours of rolling, cutting, and decorating, this recipe comes together in about 20 minutes total. Yet, they look absolutely stunning with their crackled powdered sugar tops and festive sprinkles peeking through.
- Perfect for cookie exchanges: They travel beautifully and never crumble.
- Foolproof for beginners: No special techniques or equipment needed.
- Crowd-pleasers: Even picky eaters can’t resist that buttery sweetness.
The Magic Ingredients That Make It Work
The secret to these cookies’ incredible texture lies in the cream cheese and butter combination. Together, they create that signature gooey center while the cake mix provides structure and sweetness without any measuring of flour, baking powder, or sugar.
I always use full-fat cream cheesenever the reduced-fat version. It needs to be properly softened, sitting at room temperature for about an hour. The butter should feel soft when you press it, but not melted or greasy.
| Ingredient | Why It Matters | Don’t Substitute With |
|---|---|---|
| Full-fat cream cheese | Creates the signature gooey texture | Light or fat-free versions |
| Unsalted butter | Controls salt content and adds richness | Margarine or salted butter |
| Yellow cake mix | Provides structure and vanilla flavor | Other cake mix flavors change the taste |
| Holiday sprinkles | Adds festive color and slight crunch | Regular sprinkles work, but less festive |
Step-by-Step Success Tips
The mixing process is straightforward, but timing makes all the difference. Start by beating the cream cheese and butter until completely smoothno lumps allowed. This usually takes about 2 minutes with an electric mixer.
When adding the cake mix, stir just until it forms a cohesive dough. Overmixing creates tough cookies. The dough will feel quite soft and sticky; that’s exactly what you want for these Cake Mix Gooey Butter Cookies.
- Chilling is crucial: 30 minutes minimum makes the dough much easier to handle.
- Generous powdered sugar coating: Don’t be shyit creates those beautiful cracks.
- Watch the timer: 10-12 minutes max, even if centers look slightly underdone.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Over the years, I’ve fielded plenty of questions about these cookies. The most common concern? “They look too soft in the middle!” Trust me, they’ll finish cooking on the hot pan after you remove them from the oven.
If your dough feels too sticky to handle even after chilling, pop it back in the fridge for another 15 minutes. Sometimes kitchen temperature affects how the cream cheese behaves.
| Problem | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Cookies spread too much | Dough too warm | Chill dough longer before baking |
| Colors bleed from sprinkles | Overmixing after adding sprinkles | Fold gently, just until distributed |
| Cookies too firm | Overbaked | Reduce time by 1-2 minutes next batch |
Serving and Storage That Keeps Them Perfect
These cookies are at their absolute best about 2 hours after baking, when they’ve completely cooled but still taste fresh from the oven. I love serving them on a vintage platter with mugs of hot cocoa or coffee.
For storage, layer them between parchment paper in an airtight container. They’ll stay soft and delicious for up to 3 days at room temperature. The powdered sugar coating might absorb slightly, but the flavor remains incredible.
- Freezing tip: Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months in freezer bags.
- Gift giving: Pack in decorative tins lined with parchment paper.
- Cookie exchanges: Include the recipe cardeveryone will want to make them.
Expert Says
Christmas gooey butter cookies owe their tender texture to the balance of fat and sugar, which interferes with gluten development. Using cream cheese and butter creates a moist crumb, while precise baking times ensure a gooey center without overcooking, delivering the perfect holiday treat every time.
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The Journey to Perfect Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies
I must have baked these Christmas gooey butter cookies a dozen times, learning the hard way that patience and the right butter temperature make all the difference. After a few gooey mishaps and crispy outs, this recipe finally captures that tender, melt-in-your-mouth feel I’ve been chasing every holiday season.
FAQs ( Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies )
To prevent excessive spreading, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. Also, make sure your baking sheet is cool and use parchment paper to help the cookies hold their shape. Avoid adding too much butter beyond the recipe’s amount to maintain the right consistency.
Absolutely! You can prepare the dough and refrigerate it for up to 3 days before baking. After baking, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week to keep them fresh and gooey. This flexibility makes them great for holiday planning.
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain their softness. For longer storage, freeze them in a sealed bag for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature to enjoy the same ooey gooey texture as fresh.
Can I substitute ingredients in this recipe?
While some substitutions like using light butter instead of regular can work, avoid changing the cake mix type to keep the texture gooey. You can add a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg for extra holiday flavor without affecting the cookie’s unique consistency.
This recipe uses a blend of cream cheese and cake mix, which creates a dense, moist interior with a slightly crisp edge. That unique combo is the secret behind the soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture that sets these cookies apart from traditional ones.
These Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies deliver pure holiday magic in just 20 minutes of hands-on time. You’ll love how that powdered sugar coating cracks into beautiful patterns, revealing tender centers that stay impossibly soft for days. The buttery aroma filling your kitchen will have everyone gathering around before they’re even cool enough to taste.
For extra festive flair, try rolling half the batch in colored sugar instead of powdered sugarred and green create stunning variety on your cookie platter. A trick I learned from Julia’s old recipe box: press a few extra sprinkles on top right after rolling for colors that really pop. Store them in a tin with parchment between layers, and they’ll taste bakery-fresh for your entire holiday week.
I’d love to see your crackled beautiesshare a photo and tell me which loved ones couldn’t resist sneaking seconds! Did your family have a go-to Christmas cookie when you were growing up? These gooey treasures are perfect for starting new traditions while honoring the sweet memories that make the holidays special. Save this recipe for cozy December baking sessions ahead.
