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Easy Gooey Butter Cookies (Cake Mix Hack)

A stack of five freshly baked gooey butter cookies, dusted with powdered sugar, with one cookie broken open to show the soft center.
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Make rich, melt-in-your-mouth gooey butter cookies using a simple cake mix shortcut. These cookies have a soft, chewy center and a sweet powdered sugar finish.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, plus extra for rolling

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, melted butter, and egg. Mix until just combined to form a thick dough.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract, if using, and mix well.
  4. Gradually add the 1 cup of powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth and creamy. This is your gooey filling.
  5. Place about 1/4 cup of extra powdered sugar into a shallow dish.
  6. Take about 1 tablespoon of the cake mix dough and flatten it slightly in your palm. Place about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese filling in the center of the dough.
  7. Carefully wrap the dough around the filling, sealing it completely to form a ball. Roll the ball gently in the extra powdered sugar until fully coated.
  8. Place the dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  9. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should look set, but the centers will still look soft and slightly underdone. Do not overbake.
  10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. The centers will set as they cool, resulting in a gooey texture.

Notes

  • For a from-scratch base, substitute the cake mix with 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar.
  • If you are planning meals for the week, these cookies are a great make-ahead treat.
  • These cookies are inspired by the classic St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://carlacooking.com/gooey-butter-cookies/