Make irresistibly soft Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies with just a box of cake mix and a few simple ingredients. Perfect for easy desserts, holidays, or cookie swaps!
These Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies made with cake mix are soft, rich, and incredibly easy to make. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create cookies that are perfectly buttery on the outside and deliciously gooey in the center.
They’re the kind of treat that disappear quickly at parties, holidays, or anytime you need a quick homemade dessert everyone will love. If you love Paula Deen Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, this cookie recipe is a must try!
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy – This recipe uses a boxed cake mix, making it simple to prepare with minimal effort and only a few ingredients.
- Soft and Gooey Texture – These cookies bake up with a slightly crisp outside and a rich, buttery, gooey center.
- Great for Any Occasion – Perfect for holidays, parties, bake sales, or whenever you want a quick homemade dessert.
- Easy to Customize – You can switch up the cake mix flavors or add mix-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, or sprinkles.
- Family-Friendly Recipe – The simple steps make this a fun recipe for kids to help make in the kitchen.
- Always a Crowd Favorite – These cookies are so delicious they tend to disappear quickly wherever you serve them.
Ingredients
- Cream Cheese – Softened cream cheese adds richness and helps give the cookies their signature soft, gooey texture.
- Unsalted Butter – Room temperature butter blends smoothly with the cream cheese and adds a rich, buttery flavor.
- Egg – Helps bind the ingredients together and contributes to the soft structure of the cookies.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – Adds a warm, sweet flavor that enhances the overall taste of the cookies.
- Yellow Cake Mix – The base of the recipe that keeps these cookies quick and easy while providing sweetness and structure.
- Powdered Sugar (for rolling) – Coating the dough in powdered sugar creates the classic crackled cookie look as they bake.
- Powdered Sugar (for dusting) – A light dusting before serving adds a pretty finishing touch and extra sweetness.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1. Beat together the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.
Step 2. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Combine wet ingredients.
Step 3. Pour the cake mix into the bowl.
Step 4. Mix until a dough forms. Once combined, cover and refrigerate the for 1 hour.
Step 5. Go ahead and preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a cookie dough scoop to form 1-inch balls and roll in powdered sugar.
Step 6. Next, place on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Step 7. Allow the cookies to bake for 9–12 minutes. The edges should be set and tops lightly crackled. Cool on the baking sheet for several minutes.
Step 8. Finally, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with more powdered sugar before serving on a cookie tray.
Storage
Room Temperature: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Place a piece of parchment paper between layers of baked cookies to keep them from sticking together.
Refrigerator: Because these cookies contain cream cheese, you can also store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Let them come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Freezer: These cookies freeze well. Place them in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Freezing the Dough: You can also freeze the cookie dough balls (before rolling in powdered sugar). When ready to bake, thaw slightly, roll in powdered sugar, and bake as directed.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients – Allow the cream cheese, butter, and egg to sit at room temperature before mixing. This helps them blend together smoothly and creates a soft, even dough.
- Chill the dough before baking – The dough will be quite soft after mixing, so refrigerating it is important. Chilling helps the dough firm up and prevents the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
- Avoid overbaking – Remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. They will continue to firm up as they cool, keeping the cookies tender and gooey.
- Roll generously in powdered sugar – Make sure each dough ball is well coated. This creates the classic crackled look as the cookies bake.
- Use a cookie scoop – A cookie scoop helps keep the cookies the same size so they bake evenly.
- Line the baking sheet – Baking on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier.
More Cake Mix Cookie Recipes
- Cake Mix Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Best Cake Mix Cookie Recipes
- Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
- Carrot Cake Mix Cookies
If you enjoyed these ooey gooey butter cookies, be sure to leave a star rating and a comment below. Your feedback helps others find the recipe and lets me know how they turned out for you.
Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese ($1.78), room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter ($0.86), room temperature
- 1 large egg ($0.17), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract ($0.22)
- 1 15.25-ounce box yellow cake mix ($1.12)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar ($1.20), for rolling
- Powdered sugar ($0.20), for dusting before serving
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, beat 8 ounces cream cheese and ½ cup unsalted butter with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Beat in 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Mix in 1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix until a soft dough forms.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop the chilled dough into 1-inch balls and roll each ball in ¼ cup powdered sugar to coat. Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 9–12 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are lightly crackled.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for several minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust the cooled cookies with additional powdered sugar before serving.
