Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and to eat lots of holiday treats like these amazing Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies! If you’re looking for the perfect melt-in-your-mouth Christmas cookies that are super easy to make, you’ve stumbled upon the perfect recipe.

Christmas gooey butter cookies with red and green sprinkles on a lace plate
Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies

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Friends, I’m telling you, these Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies are THE BEST!

Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies Recipe

Stack of soft powdered sugar cookies with holiday sprinkles

As far as I am concerned, you really can’t go wrong with a recipe that is so simple to make, especially during the busy holiday season.

Want to know another recipe I’m obsessed with making this Christmas? My easy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.

I make this bread as a gift to my friends because they all love it so much.

Crinkly sprinkle cookies spread out on parchment

Of course, it’s hard to pick a favorite when it comes to Christmas cookies. I adore these Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies, but I also love my Raspberry Almond Shortbread Cookies, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Snowball Cookies and my Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies.

See, I told you, difficult to choose just one! :)

Of course, it’s the holiday sprinkles that make these cookies festive. You could use regular sprinkles to make these gooey butter cookies for any time of year!

Close-up of a gooey cookie dusted with powdered sugar and sprinkles

I can tell you that I really tend to prefer soft and chewy Christmas cookies. It’s one of the reasons that I love this recipe so much. They are also a big favorite when I take them to holiday gatherings and parties.

People are always surprised when I tell them that I made these cookies using a cake mix!

Be sure to pin this recipe to your favorite boards on Pinterest so you don’t forget about it when it’s time to whip up a batch of cookies this Christmas. I hope you enjoy this holiday treat as much as we do!

More Holiday Sweets

Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies

By Crissy Page
Serves 36
Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies are soft, buttery and rich with cream cheese and cake mix, rolled in powdered sugar with festive sprinkles.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Chill 1 hour
Total 1 hour 25 minutes
Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies

Video

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 package cream cheese 8 ounces, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 white cake mix
  • ½ cup sprinkles divided
  • ½ cup confectioner’s sugar

Instructions
 

  • Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
  • Add the egg and vanilla, mixing just until combined.
  • Beat in the cake mix until the dough is fully blended.
  • Stir in 1/4 cup of the sprinkles.
  • Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper.
  • Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll each into a 1-inch ball.
  • Sprinkle the tops with some of the remaining sprinkles, then roll each ball in confectioner’s sugar until fully coated.
  • Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Chill the dough: The dough is very soft, so chill it for at least 1 hour before rolling.
Coat generously: Roll each ball thickly in confectioners’ sugar for the crackled, snowy look.
Don’t overbake: Take them out after 8 to 10 minutes, while the centers still look soft.
Storage: Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Lay the baked cookies on a sheet in the freezer until firm, then move them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature and roll them in a little more powdered sugar before serving.

Nutrition

Serving1 | Calories109kcal | Carbohydrates16g | Protein1g | Fat5g | Saturated Fat3g | Trans Fat0.2g | Cholesterol18mg | Sodium121mg | Fiber0.2g | Sugar8g

Nutrition is an estimate from an online calculator, not medical advice, and depends on your portion size.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keywords: christmas gooey butter cookies, gooey butter cookies
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Crissy Page

Written by Crissy Page, a home cook, mom and recipe developer.

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139 Comments

  1. Bonnie Cohn says:

    I have a recipe from the 70’s just like this. Back then cake mixes were 18.5oz. I add enough flour to the present mix to equal that. To this day these are my sons favorite cookies at Christmas. Making a patch right now for him! Nothing fancy with powdered sugar or sprinkles, just plain dropped on a cookie sheet!

  2. Desiree Besson says:

    Do you still follow the instructions on the cake mix box in addition to instructions posted here? 

  3. how much cake mix am i suppose to add? recipe is not clear, please help! 

  4. Linda Zeman says:

    Do they need to be kept in the refrigerator?? Just made them and will serve the them in 4 days??

  5. I was hesitant to try this recipe with an entire brick of cream cheese. The dough is sticky but the end result is delicious! I might try a chocolate cake mix with mini M&M’s. 

  6. Janice Carpini says:

    My grandkids and I just made these with pastel colored sprinkles. For Spring!  They are so easy and yummy!  Using a chocolate cake mix is good too.    They are supposed to be rounded and cracks as it spreads.   Mine made 18 cookies; approx 1 1/2”
    The history about these;  
    there is an area in St Louis, MO where many Italian families settled when they came from Italy.  Appropriately it is known as “The Hill.”In one of the Italian restaurants a baker was making a white cake that was their specialty.  The cook mistakenly put in too much butter and then baked it.  It was a hit!    Many great foods are an accident.   So gooey butter cookies evolved from this cake.   YUM!

    1. I’ve been to the Hill!! There was a bakery there too, that had the macaroons and the Italian cake bites with the almond paste in them!! Amazing!

  7. These are the best cookies!! So easy to make and yummy to eat. Disappeared quick at the Christmas party.

  8. Can’t wait to make these cookies along with the others that you have posted. They are so pretty also. Thank you for posting!!!

    1. How do you store them Street banking? Can they be left out? 

  9. Hi! I’m getting ready to make these cookies and just wanted to make sure that it is a standard cake mix box size that is used?
    Also best to use refrigerated dough when making them into balls? Thank you 

  10. 12/12/2021
    I Recently bought Vanilla Cake Cookies at my bakery at my Grocery Store. They Were Delicious! They sound similar to these.
    The only difference is that they were covered in confectionery Icing and Then with sprinkles. So, I Was Wondering If I Could Do The Same Thing Here ?
    I’d Appreciate Any Answers !!  Soon !!!!!

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