Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies
Introduction
If the holidays had a flavor, I’m convinced it would taste exactly like these Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies. Imagine the melt-in-your-mouth richness of cream cheese and butter, wrapped in a soft, powdered-sugar coating and dotted with cheerful holiday sprinkles. These cookies are decadent yet playful — a perfect mix of comfort and celebration. They’re the kind of cookies that vanish from the tray before you even realize you’ve gone back for seconds.
The magic of these cookies comes from their simple yet ingenious base: yellow cake mix. Combined with cream cheese and butter, it creates a texture that’s somewhere between a brownie and a sugar cookie — dense, soft, and oh-so-gooey. The dough itself is rich and buttery, lightly sweetened, and perfectly balanced with a dusting of powdered sugar that gives each bite a snowy, Christmas-morning look.
I’ve been baking these cookies for years as part of my holiday cookie tins, and they’re always the first ones people ask about. They’re easy enough for a beginner baker but impressive enough for a Christmas cookie exchange or a family dessert platter.
If you’re in the mood for more festive baking inspiration, check out King Arthur Baking’s Holiday Cookie Recipes or Sally’s Baking Addiction’s Christmas Cookies Collection. But first, let’s dive into how to make these Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies — a recipe that’s as cozy and joyful as the season itself.
Basic Recipe: Ingredients and Instructions
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Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies – Soft, Chewy, and Festive Treats
Description
Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies are soft, rich, and full of buttery sweetness. Made with cake mix, cream cheese, and a dusting of powdered sugar, these festive cookies are colorful, chewy, and incredibly easy to make — perfect for gifting or sharing at holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
- ½ cup holiday sprinkles
- ½ cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Cream butter and cream cheese.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes). Use a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed. - Add egg and vanilla.
Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. - Mix in cake mix.
Add the dry yellow cake mix gradually, mixing on low speed until just incorporated. The dough will be thick and sticky — that’s exactly what you want. - Add sprinkles.
Gently fold in the holiday sprinkles using a spatula. Avoid overmixing to prevent the colors from bleeding. - Chill the dough.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Chilling makes the dough easier to roll and helps the cookies maintain their shape while baking. - Preheat and prepare.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. - Roll in powdered sugar.
Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them into balls. Coat each ball generously in powdered sugar, ensuring they’re fully covered. - Bake.
Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers are still slightly soft. - Cool and serve.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve once cooled — or enjoy them warm and gooey!
Notes
Active time: 15 minutes | Chill time: 30 minutes | Bake time: 12 minutes
For perfectly soft cookies, remove them from the oven just before they look fully baked — they’ll finish setting as they cool.
Advanced Techniques
Getting the Perfect Gooey Texture
The signature of Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies is their melt-in-your-mouth texture. To achieve this, make sure you don’t overbake them — pull them out when they look slightly underdone in the center. As they cool, they’ll firm up just enough while staying soft and buttery inside.
Choosing the Right Cake Mix
A classic yellow cake mix works beautifully, but you can experiment with white or even butter-flavored mixes for subtle differences in flavor. I’ve also tried a funfetti mix for extra sprinkles baked right in — it’s perfect if you love a little extra color!
Chilling the Dough for Easier Rolling
This step is crucial. Without chilling, the dough can be sticky and tough to roll in powdered sugar. If you’re short on time, pop the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes instead of refrigerating — it works just as well.
Preventing Powdered Sugar Melt
To keep the powdered sugar coating bright and snowy, roll the dough balls twice — once before baking, and again right after they come out of the oven (while still warm). This gives them that dreamy, frosted appearance that screams Christmas.
Adding Festive Flavors
For a fun flavor twist, add ¼ teaspoon of almond extract or peppermint extract to the dough. Almond gives a delicate bakery-style flavor, while peppermint makes these cookies taste like holiday magic.
Storage, Shelf Life, and Maintenance Tips
Keeping Gooey Butter Cookies Fresh
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Place a piece of parchment between layers to prevent sticking. Their soft, rich texture stays perfect even after a few days.
Freezing the Cookie Dough
These cookies freeze beautifully before baking. Scoop and roll the dough balls (without powdered sugar), freeze them on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. When ready to bake, thaw for 15 minutes, roll in powdered sugar, and bake as usual.
Freezing Baked Cookies
You can also freeze fully baked cookies. Layer them between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature, and they’ll taste freshly baked.
Reviving Day-Old Cookies
If your cookies lose some of their softness, microwave them for 5–7 seconds. The gentle heat brings back that gooey, buttery texture. It’s like magic — and they’ll smell heavenly too.
Perfect for Gifting and Cookie Exchanges
These cookies travel well and make wonderful gifts. Arrange them in holiday tins lined with parchment and sprinkle in a little extra powdered sugar before sealing — it keeps them soft and adds a festive touch.
Dietary Adaptations and Substitutions
Making Them Gluten-Free
Use a gluten-free yellow cake mix for an easy substitution. The texture remains soft and chewy, and no one will notice the difference. Brands like King Arthur and Betty Crocker both offer great gluten-free options.
Dairy-Free Alternative
Substitute dairy-free cream cheese and vegan butter for a fully dairy-free version. I’ve tried this with Earth Balance and Kite Hill — the results are just as rich and delicious.
Lower-Sugar Option
You can reduce the powdered sugar for rolling to ¼ cup and choose a sugar-free cake mix. The cookies will still be sweet and flavorful but slightly lighter — perfect if you’re cutting back on sugar.
Egg-Free Version
Replace the egg with 1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal mixed with 3 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 10 minutes before adding. This keeps the dough cohesive and still gives you that signature gooey texture.
Natural Sprinkle Substitutes
If you prefer to skip artificial dyes, use natural sprinkles made from vegetable colorants. They keep the cookies vibrant but are gentler on ingredients — perfect for allergy-friendly baking.
FAQs About the Recipe
Why Are They Called Gooey Butter Cookies?
They get their name from the gooey, buttery center created by the combination of cream cheese, butter, and cake mix. The texture is irresistibly rich — almost like a cross between a cookie and a cheesecake bite!
Can I Use Another Cake Mix Flavor?
Yes! White, butter pecan, or even lemon cake mix can be used for unique twists. For Christmas, red velvet or funfetti mix creates stunningly colorful cookies.
Do I Have to Chill the Dough?
Yes — chilling the dough helps firm it up and prevents spreading while baking. Without it, the cookies may flatten and lose their signature soft centers.
How Do I Keep the Cookies from Spreading Too Much?
Make sure your butter and cream cheese are softened, not melted, and that the dough is chilled. Lining your baking sheet with parchment also helps the cookies hold their shape.
Can I Double the Recipe?
Absolutely! These cookies freeze beautifully and make fantastic gifts, so doubling (or even tripling) the recipe is always a good idea during the holidays.
Conclusion & Final Thoughts
There’s something truly special about Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies. They capture the spirit of the season — warm, joyful, and just a little indulgent. Each bite is a perfect blend of creamy, buttery richness and powdered sugar sweetness, with colorful sprinkles adding that unmistakable festive touch.
What I love most is how simple this recipe is to make, yet how impressive the results are. You don’t need to spend hours decorating or rolling out dough — just mix, chill, and bake. The result is a tray of cookies that look and taste like they came straight from a holiday bakery.
Whether you’re baking them for Santa, sharing them at a cookie exchange, or enjoying them with a mug of hot cocoa by the fire, these cookies are guaranteed to bring smiles. They’re soft, gooey, and filled with holiday cheer — a true must-have for your Christmas dessert lineup.
So this year, let your kitchen fill with the buttery aroma of Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies. Bake a batch (or two), share them with loved ones, and savor every deliciously gooey, sprinkle-filled bite — because the best part of Christmas is the joy we share, one cookie at a time.