Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies

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Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies are soft, rich and buttery cake mix cookies loaded with festive red and green sprinkles and rolled in powdered sugar.

These easy Christmas cookies are made with yellow cake mix, cream cheese and a handful of simple ingredients for a deliciously gooey, melt-in-your-mouth treat.

Ready in under 30 minutes, these colourful holiday cookies are perfect for Christmas cookie exchanges, holiday parties and festive dessert trays.

If you're looking for an easy Christmas cookie recipe that's sure to disappear fast, these sweet and chewy gooey butter cookies are a must-try!

Why This Recipe is a Winner!

• Quick and Easy: Ready in under 30 minutes with just 15 minutes of prep time.
• Cake Mix Shortcut: A box of yellow cake mix makes these cookies incredibly easy to prepare with minimal measuring.
• Simple Ingredients: Made with just seven ingredients that are easy to find at any grocery store.
• No Chill Time Required: The cookie dough can go straight from the mixing bowl to the oven.
• Great for Cookie Exchanges: These colourful cookies stand out on Christmas cookie trays and are easy to share.
• Easy to Customize: Swap the sprinkle colours to make these gooey butter cookies for any holiday or celebration.
• Perfect for Gifting: Package them in festive tins or treat bags for an easy homemade Christmas gift.

Ingredients You'll Need

• 8 oz cream cheese: Adds richness and creates a soft, gooey texture.
• ½ cup unsalted butter: Gives the cookies a rich, buttery flavour.
• 1 large egg: Binds the ingredients together and keeps the cookies tender.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract: Enhances the sweet, buttery flavour.
• 1 box yellow cake mix: An easy shortcut for soft, fluffy cookies.
• ⅓ cup Christmas jimmie sprinkles: Adds festive red and green colour.
• ½ cup powdered sugar: Creates a sweet, crackled coating.

Printable Recipe Card with a Full List of Ingredients and Instructions is Located at the Bottom of the Post.

Be sure to read through the entire post so that you don't miss out on any important tips and tricks!

Step By Step Instructions

 STEP 1: 

In a large mixing bowl I beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth.

 STEP 2: 

I added an egg and vanilla extract to the bowl and continued mixing.

 STEP 3: 

I added a box of yellow cake mix to the bowl and used a rubber spatula to fold it into the cream cheese and butter mixture until well combined.

 STEP 4: 

I added Christmas sprinkes to the bowl and folded them into the dough.

 STEP 5: 

I used a 1.5 inch cookie scoop to scoop the dough and rolled the dough balls in powdered sugar to coat them.

I placed the coated dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet.

 STEP 6: 

I baked the cookies for 10 minutes and then allowed them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

These Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies are irresistibly soft and tender with rich, buttery centres, a sweet powdered sugar coating and just the right amount of chewiness.

Every bite melts in your mouth with delicious cream cheese flavour and a little festive sweetness from the colourful sprinkles, making it nearly impossible to stop at just one!

If you are looking for a simple but tasty Christmas cookie recipe perfect for your holiday dessert table, then you need to try these Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies!

• Soften Your Cream Cheese and Butter: Make sure both are at room temperature before mixing to create a smooth, creamy cookie dough without lumps.
• Use Full-Fat Cream Cheese: Full-fat, brick-style cream cheese gives these cookies the best rich flavour and soft, gooey texture.
• Use Jimmie Sprinkles: Long, thin jimmie-style sprinkles work best because they're less likely to bleed colour into the dough than nonpareils.
• Fold the Sprinkles in Gently: Avoid overmixing once the sprinkles are added to prevent the red and green colours from streaking through the dough.
• Use a Cookie Scoop: A 1 ½-inch cookie scoop helps keep the cookies uniform in size so they bake evenly.
• Coat Generously in Powdered Sugar: Roll each dough ball thoroughly in powdered sugar for a pretty, crackled finish.
• Don't Overbake: Remove the cookies when the edges are set but the centres still look slightly soft. They'll continue to firm up as they cool.
• Let Them Cool on the Baking Sheet: Allow the cookies to rest for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack so they don't fall apart.
• Chill Sticky Dough if Needed: If the dough is too sticky to scoop and roll, refrigerate it for 15–20 minutes to make handling easier.

Substitutions and Variations

• White Cake Mix: Swap the yellow cake mix for white cake mix for a lighter vanilla flavour and a brighter white cookie.
• Chocolate Cake Mix: Replace the yellow cake mix with chocolate cake mix for rich, fudgy chocolate gooey butter cookies.
• Red Velvet Cake Mix: Use red velvet cake mix for festive red cookies with a delicious cream cheese flavour.
• Spice Cake Mix: Swap in spice cake mix for warm cinnamon and spice flavours that are perfect for Christmas.
• Different Sprinkles: Replace the red and green Christmas sprinkles with pastel colours for Easter, pink and red for Valentine's Day or rainbow sprinkles for birthdays.
• Add White Chocolate Chips: Fold in ½ cup of white chocolate chips for extra sweetness and creamy chocolate flavour.
• Add Almond Extract: Replace half the vanilla extract with almond extract for a subtle nutty flavour.
• Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies: Use lemon cake mix and add a teaspoon of fresh lemon zest for a bright, citrusy variation.
• Peppermint Twist: Add ¼ teaspoon of peppermint extract for a festive peppermint flavour. A little goes a long way!
• Salted Butter: Substitute salted butter for unsalted butter if that's what you have on hand. The cookies will have a slightly saltier flavour.
• Extra Festive Coating: Mix a little red or green sanding sugar into the powdered sugar for an extra colourful holiday finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to chill the cookie dough before baking?

• No! These Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies can be scooped and baked immediately after mixing. However, chilling the dough for 15–20 minutes can make it easier to handle if it's particularly sticky.

How do I know when gooey butter cookies are done baking?

• The cookies are ready when the edges are set and the tops have a slightly crackled appearance. The centres should still look soft, so avoid overbaking if you want that signature gooey texture.

How should I store Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies?

• Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving for the best soft, buttery texture.

Can I freeze Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies?

• Yes! Once completely cooled, place the cookies in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 2 months and thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies

Yield: 24 cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies are soft, chewy cake mix cookies made with cream cheese, butter and festive red and green sprinkles, then rolled in powdered sugar for a sweet, crackled finish.

These easy Christmas cookies are ready in under 30 minutes and perfect for holiday parties, cookie exchanges and Christmas dessert trays!

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Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 box of yellow cake mix
• ⅓ cup Christmas jimmie sprinkles
• ½ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter.
4. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until combined.
5. Fold in the cake mix until well combined.
6. Carefully fold in the sprinkles, careful not to over mix.
7. Use a 1 ½ inch cookie scoop to scoop the dough.
8. Drop the dough into the powdered sugar and roll to coat.
9. Place on the baking sheet.
10. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.
11. Cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
12. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 181Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 194mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 0gSugar: 14gProtein: 2g

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