Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies Recipe

These Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies elevate the classic cake mix cookie with cream cheese, melted butter, and festive sprinkles. Their rich, tender texture and delightful sweetness make them perfect for holiday gatherings and cookie exchanges. Enjoy a sumptuous fusion of flavors that promises to enchant every taste bud this season.

I love making these Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies because they bring a festive twist to a classic cake mix cookie. Using a box of yellow cake mix, softened cream cheese and melted unsalted butter makes for a soft cookie that is super ooey-gooey and funfetti all at once.

The two large eggs and teaspoon of vanilla extract blend well with a bit of granulated sugar to give the cookies a balanced sweetness without being overly rich. The cream cheese also adds a bit of protein and calcium, making these a decent treat to enjoy during the holidays.

I also like to use assorted holiday sprinkles to give them a real Christmas look similar to those sprinkle sugar cookies you see at holiday fairs. Its nutritional value may not be as low as a salad but makes up for it in flavor and joyful spirit.

These cookies are perfect for cookie exchanges and sharing with friends and family. Enjoy baking these and making sweet memories!

Why I Like this Recipe

1. I love how simple this recipe is to pull off even when I’m super tired – mixing it all together is a breeze.
2. The cookies turn out to be perfectly gooey in the middle; they’re so soft and melty that I can never stop eating them.
3. I really dig the festive vibe those holiday sprinkles give; they make every cookie look fun and extra celebratory.
4. Honestly, using a box of cake mix makes it feel like an easy hack in the middle of a busy day, and it still comes out amazingly delicious.

Ingredients

• Yellow cake mix supplies carbs for sweetness though low in fiber and protein.
• Cream cheese is tangy and rich, adding a creamy twist that deepens flavor.
• Unsalted butter melts easily to give cookies a soft texture and rich flavor.
• Eggs bind ingredients and add protein while helpin the cookies rise and set.
• Granulated sugar sweetens the cookies and creates a caramelized exterior during baking.
• Holiday sprinkles add festive colors and a fun crunch to every yummy bite.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup assorted holiday sprinkles

How to Make this

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a big bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, melted unsalted butter and granulated sugar till well combined and a bit smooth.

3. Crack in the eggs and stir in the vanilla extract until the mixture is nice and creamy.

4. Gradually mix in the entire box of yellow cake mix until you get a thick, uniform dough.

5. Fold in the holiday sprinkles gently so they get spread evenly through the dough.

6. Scoop out rounded tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheet, leaving some space between each cookie.

7. Flatten the scoops just a little bit with the back of the spoon because they wont spread much on their own.

8. Bake the cookies for around 12-15 minutes, or until the edges look set but the centers still seem a little gooey.

9. Let the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a rack to fully cool. Enjoy your festive treats!

Equipment Needed

1. Oven
2. Baking sheet
3. Parchment paper
4. Large mixing bowl
5. Hand mixer
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Tablespoon or cookie scoop
8. Cooling rack

FAQ

Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• If you’re feeling creative with the cake mix, try substituting it with a homemade version made with flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, sugar, and a bit extra butter to amp up that flavor.
• If cream cheese is hard to come by, you could use mascarpone cheese instead. It’s a bit thicker but works really well if you whisk it down with a spoon of milk.
• Run out of unsalted butter? Use salted butter instead, but just taste the dough first and maybe cut down on any extra salt added later.
• Don’t have eggs? Use 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce for each egg. It might change the texture a little but still gives a moist, gooey cookie.
• If you’re low on vanilla extract, almond extract is a fun alternative. Use the same amount and be ready for a slight shift in flavor that still feels festive.

Pro Tips

1. It really helps if all your ingredients are at room temperature so the cream cheese mixes smooth and you don’t end up with lumpy cookie dough.
2. Don’t overbeat the mixture; mix just enough to combine everything so your cookies stay soft and tender instead of turning out tough.
3. Keep an eye on the cookies near the end of baking and take them out when the edges are set but the middle still feels a bit soft – theyll keep firming up as they cool.
4. When you fold in the sprinkles, be gentle so they don’t get all bunched up and lose their festive look in the cookies.