Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies – Soft, Sweet, Melt-In-Your-Mouth Holiday Magic

🎉 Introduction

These Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies are the softest, sweetest, most irresistible holiday cookies you’ll ever bake — a melt-in-your-mouth treat with a crackly powdered-sugar top and a delightfully gooey, buttery center. They taste like the lovechild of a gooey butter cake and a soft sugar cookie, with festive holiday sprinkles baked right in.

Perfect for Christmas cookie platters, dessert boards, gift tins, or cozy evenings with a mug of hot cocoa, these cookies come together quickly and deliver sky-high holiday cheer with minimal effort. If you want a cookie that screams Christmas, this is it.

🧰 Equipment Needed

• Mixing bowls
• Hand or stand mixer
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Cookie scoop
• Cooling rack

🛒 Ingredients

Gooey Cookie Dough

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
• ¾ cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
• ½ cup Christmas sprinkles (jimmies recommended)

👩‍🍳 Directions

Step 1: Beat Cream Cheese & Butter

Beat until smooth and creamy:

• cream cheese
• butter

Mix 1–2 minutes until no lumps remain.

Add:

• egg
• vanilla

Beat again until fully combined.

Step 2: Add Cake Mix

Add the dry cake mix and mix on low until a thick, sticky dough forms.

Fold in:

• Christmas sprinkles

Cover and chill 30 minutes — this helps the cookies stay thick and gooey.

Step 3: Scoop, Roll & Bake

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line baking sheets with parchment.

Scoop dough into 1.5 tbsp balls.
Roll each in powdered sugar generously.

Place 2 inches apart and bake 10–12 minutes until:

• edges are set
• tops crackly
• centers still look soft

Do not overbake — gooey is the goal.

Cool 5 minutes on the tray before transferring.

🍽️ Servings & Timing

• Makes: 20–24 cookies
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Chill Time: 30 minutes
• Bake Time: 10–12 minutes
• Total Time: ~50 minutes

🧊 Storage & Freezing

Room Temperature: 3–4 days
Fridge: 1 week

Freeze Baked Cookies: 2 months
Freeze Dough Balls: 2 months (roll in sugar after thawing slightly)

🥄 Variations

1. Peppermint Gooey Cookies
   Add ½ tsp peppermint extract + crushed candy canes.
2. Red Velvet Gooey Cookies
   Use red velvet cake mix.
3. Funfetti Christmas Cookies
   Use funfetti cake mix + holiday sprinkles.
4. Chocolate Gooey Cookies
   Use chocolate cake mix + chocolate chips.
5. Lemon Christmas Gooey Cookies
   Use lemon cake mix + white chocolate chips.
6. White Chocolate Chip Version
   Fold in white chocolate chips for richness.
7. Gingerbread Gooey Cookies
   Use spice cake mix + extra cinnamon.
8. Grinch Gooey Cookies
   Tint dough green + add one red heart sprinkle.
9. Cream Cheese Frosted Version
   Add a swirl of cream cheese icing on top.
10. Chocolate-Dipped Gooey Cookies
    Dip half of each cookie in melted white chocolate.

❓ 10 FAQs

1. Why is my dough so sticky?
   Gooey dough is normal — chilling solves it.
2. Can I skip chilling?
   Cookies will spread more but still taste amazing.
3. Why powdered sugar?
   Creates the signature crackly, snowy top.
4. Can I use a different cake mix?
   Yes — almost any flavor works.
5. Do these taste like cake?
   More like gooey, soft cookies with subtle cake flavor.
6. Can I double the recipe?
   Easily.
7. Why are my cookies flat?
   Dough too warm — chill longer.
8. Can I make them smaller?
   Yes — reduce baking time.
9. Are they chewy or cakey?
   Soft, gooey, tender — slightly chewy edges.
10. Can I add extract flavors?
    Yes — almond, orange, peppermint, etc.

🏁 Conclusion

These Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies are soft, buttery, festive, and unbelievably addictive. With their gooey centers, powdered-sugar crackle, and colorful sprinkles, they’re the perfect holiday treat — simple to make, beautiful to serve, and guaranteed to disappear fast.

Whether you’re baking for a crowd or whipping up something cozy for yourself, these cookies deliver holiday magic in every bite.

Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies – Soft, Sweet, Melt-In-Your-Mouth Holiday Magic

These Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies are the softest, sweetest, most irresistible holiday cookies you’ll ever bake — a melt-in-your-mouth treat with a crackly powdered-sugar top and a delightfully gooey, buttery center. They taste like the lovechild of a gooey butter cake and a soft sugar cookie, with festive holiday sprinkles baked right in. Perfect for Christmas cookie platters, dessert boards, gift tins, or cozy evenings with a mug of hot cocoa, these cookies come together quickly and deliver sky-high holiday cheer with minimal effort. If you want a cookie that screams Christmas, this is it.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 27 minutes mins

Servings: 20 Cookies

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

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Ingredients

  

Gooey Cookie Dough

• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 box 15.25 oz yellow cake mix
• ¾ cup powdered sugar for rolling
• ½ cup Christmas sprinkles jimmies recommended

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Coming Soon

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Hand or stand mixer
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Cookie scoop
• Cooling rack

Method

 

Step 1: Beat Cream Cheese & Butter

1. Beat until smooth and creamy:
2. cream cheese
3. butter
4. Mix 1–2 minutes until no lumps remain.

Add:

1. egg
2. vanilla
3. Beat again until fully combined.
4. Step 2: Add Cake Mix
5. Add the dry cake mix and mix on low until a thick, sticky dough forms.

Fold in:

1. Christmas sprinkles
2. Cover and chill 30 minutes — this helps the cookies stay thick and gooey.

Step 3: Scoop, Roll & Bake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Line baking sheets with parchment.
3. Scoop dough into 1.5 tbsp balls.
4. Roll each in powdered sugar generously.
5. Place 2 inches apart and bake 10–12 minutes until:
6. edges are set
7. tops crackly
8. centers still look soft
9. Do not overbake — gooey is the goal.
10. Cool 5 minutes on the tray before transferring.

Notes

🧊 Storage & Freezing

Room Temperature: 3–4 days
Fridge: 1 week

Freeze Baked Cookies: 2 months
Freeze Dough Balls: 2 months (roll in sugar after thawing slightly)

🥄 Variations

Peppermint Gooey Cookies
Add ½ tsp peppermint extract + crushed candy canes.

Red Velvet Gooey Cookies
Use red velvet cake mix.

Funfetti Christmas Cookies
Use funfetti cake mix + holiday sprinkles.

Chocolate Gooey Cookies
Use chocolate cake mix + chocolate chips.

Lemon Christmas Gooey Cookies
Use lemon cake mix + white chocolate chips.

White Chocolate Chip Version
Fold in white chocolate chips for richness.

Gingerbread Gooey Cookies
Use spice cake mix + extra cinnamon.

Grinch Gooey Cookies
Tint dough green + add one red heart sprinkle.

Cream Cheese Frosted Version
Add a swirl of cream cheese icing on top.

Chocolate-Dipped Gooey Cookies
Dip half of each cookie in melted white chocolate.

❓ 10 FAQs

Why is my dough so sticky?
Gooey dough is normal — chilling solves it.

Can I skip chilling?
Cookies will spread more but still taste amazing.

Why powdered sugar?
Creates the signature crackly, snowy top.

Can I use a different cake mix?
Yes — almost any flavor works.

Do these taste like cake?
More like gooey, soft cookies with subtle cake flavor.

Can I double the recipe?
Easily.

Why are my cookies flat?
Dough too warm — chill longer.

Can I make them smaller?
Yes — reduce baking time.

Are they chewy or cakey?
Soft, gooey, tender — slightly chewy edges.

Can I add extract flavors?
Yes — almond, orange, peppermint, etc.

🏁 Conclusion

These Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies are soft, buttery, festive, and unbelievably addictive. With their gooey centers, powdered-sugar crackle, and colorful sprinkles, they’re the perfect holiday treat — simple to make, beautiful to serve, and guaranteed to disappear fast.

Whether you’re baking for a crowd or whipping up something cozy for yourself, these cookies deliver holiday magic in every bite.