Quick Gooey Butter Cookies with Yellow Cake and Festive Sprinkles Recipe
These Quick Gooey Butter Cookies with Yellow Cake mix are decadently soft, buttery, and slightly tangy thanks to cream cheese. They’re quick to make, requiring only simple ingredients and a short chill time, resulting in festive, melt-in-your-mouth cookies perfect for holiday gatherings or anytime a sweet treat is needed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: About 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 package yellow cake mix (about 15.25 oz)
- 1 large egg
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
Coating
- Festive sprinkles (optional, for decoration)
- Powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Prepare the Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, vanilla extract, egg, and softened cream cheese together using a hand or stand mixer at medium speed until the mixture is fluffy and well combined.
- Add the Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the yellow cake mix to the wet ingredients, mixing continuously until you get a smooth, consistent dough. The mixture will be thick but fully incorporated.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour to firm up, making it easier to handle.
- Shape and Coat the Dough: Remove chilled dough and roll into 1-inch diameter balls. First roll each ball in festive sprinkles if using, then coat thoroughly by rolling in powdered sugar until completely covered.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place coated dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet spaced 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookie edges are lightly browned, being careful not to overbake.
- Cool and Serve: Remove cookies from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy your soft and gooey holiday cookies!
Notes
- Ensure cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature for easy mixing.
- Chilling the dough is important to prevent spreading during baking.
- You can substitute any cake mix flavor to customize the cookie taste.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For a less sweet version, reduce powdered sugar coating slightly.
Keywords: gooey butter cookies, yellow cake cookies, cream cheese cookies, holiday cookies, easy cookie recipe, soft cookies, festive desserts
