Christmas Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies
Buttery, pillowy-soft cookies with a magical crackled top, these Christmas Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies bring serious holiday cheer. Made with butter, cream cheese, sprinkles, and boxed cake mix, they’re rich, chewy, and melt-in-your-mouth divine. Easy to make, endlessly customizable, and delightfully festive—these cookies embody cozy, nostalgic holiday baking at its very best.
Equipment
- Hand Mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese full fat, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp almond extract optional, or use vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp orange extract optional
- 1 box white cake mix 15.25 oz or similar
Mix-ins & Coating
- 1/2 cup festive sprinkles use jimmies or nonpareils, divided
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Cream the butter and cream cheese: In a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth, pale, and fluffy.
- Add egg and extracts: Add the egg, almond extract, and orange extract (or extract of choice). Beat to combine well, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the cake mix: Gradually add the cake mix, mixing on low speed. Beat until just combined into a soft, sticky dough.
- Fold in sprinkles: Gently fold in half (about 1/4 cup) of the sprinkles until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
- Chill the dough: Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, or until well-chilled and scoopable.
- Preheat oven & prepare coating bowls: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment. Place powdered sugar in one bowl and remaining sprinkles (1/4 cup) in another bowl.
- Scoop and roll: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of chilled dough. Roll each into a ball, then coat first in sprinkles, then in powdered sugar.
- Bake: Place on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, until set but soft and crackly on top. Do not overbake!
- Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze dough balls before coating, or freeze baked cookies and reheat briefly before serving.
Tips: Chill the dough thoroughly to ensure a thick, gooey cookie. Use white or yellow cake mix—avoid cake mixes labeled 'with pudding' for best texture. Swap extracts and cake mix flavors to match any holiday mood.
For more holiday treats, try this easy Christmas pretzel bark!
Nutrition
Calories: 135kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 97mgPotassium: 18mgSugar: 12gVitamin A: 228IUCalcium: 28mgIron: 0.4mg
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