I stumbled on a clever shortcut for 6-Ingredient Christmas Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies made with cake mix and holiday sprinkles that lets you have them ready in less than 20 minutes.

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I thought I knew every holiday cookie, then I made these Ooie Gooie Butter Cookies that somehow taste like a sugar coma and a tiny present at once. Using yellow cake mix and cream cheese they come out dense, tender and almost wrong in the best way.

They look like a cross between a cookie and a butter cake and they kinda melt when you bite in, which makes them perfect for a last minute tray. Call it my Holiday Gooey Butter Cake experiment that got dangerously popular.

Try not to eat half the batch before you even plate them.

Ingredients

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yellow cake mix gives carbs and sugar, makes cookies cakey and sweet, low fiber
Unsalted butter adds rich fat and flavor, makes them tender, high in saturated fats
Egg binds the dough, adds protein and moisture, helps browning, not much fiber
Cream cheese makes ooey gooey center, tangy flavor, adds fat and some protein
Powdered sugar is main sweetener, super fine texture, all simple carbs no fiber
Sprinkles give color and crunch, almost pure sugar, tiny calories and no nutrition

Ingredient Quantities

1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix

1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened

1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar (confectioners)

1/3 cup holiday sprinkles

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray lightly with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, beat the yellow cake mix, softened butter and the egg together until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms, scraping the sides once or twice.

3. In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and lump free, then stir in the 1/3 cup holiday sprinkles.

4. Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the cake dough into about 1 inch balls, you should get roughly 24 depending on size. If the dough is too sticky, chill 5 minutes in the fridge so it’s easier to handle.

5. Flatten one dough ball into a small disk in your palm, add about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese filling in the center, then top with another slightly flattened dough ball and pinch the edges to seal, roll gently into a ball with the seam on the bottom. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

6. Arrange the filled balls on the prepared sheet about 1 inch apart, gently press each one down a little so they’re slightly flattened.

7. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops look just set but still soft in the center, don’t overbake or they’ll lose the ooey gooey texture.

8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes so the filling firms a bit, then transfer to a wire rack to cool a little more. They’re best slightly warm, so if you want them gooey, serve within 30 minutes.

9. If you want extra color, press a few extra sprinkles onto the tops right after baking while they’re still warm, they’ll stick better.

10. Tip, these keep ok in an airtight container for 2 days in the fridge because of the cream cheese, bring back to room temp or warm a few seconds in the microwave before serving for max gooeyness.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Baking sheet
3. Parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray
4. Large mixing bowl
5. Small mixing bowl
6. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a sturdy whisk)
7. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon
8. Cookie scoop or tablespoon
9. Measuring cups and spoons
10. Wire cooling rack

FAQ

How long and at what temp should I bake these cookies? Bake at 350 F for about 9 to 11 minutes. The edges should look set and the centers still soft. Let them sit on the sheet for about 5 minutes before moving to a rack, they firm up as they cool.

Can I freeze the dough or finished cookies? Yes. Flash freeze unbaked dough balls on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. You can also freeze baked cookies in layers with parchment between them. Thaw at room temp or warm a bit in a low oven before serving.

What if my dough is too sticky to handle? If it is super sticky, chill it for 15 to 30 minutes in the fridge. Slightly softer butter or a warm kitchen makes cake mix dough stickier, so keep the butter just softened not melted. Lightly flour hands or use powdered sugar on your hands when rolling.

Can I swap the cream cheese or use low fat versions? You can use Neufchatel or reduced fat cream cheese, but the cookies will be a bit less rich and not quite as gooey. Full fat cream cheese gives the best texture and flavor.

Why did my cookies spread too much or come out flat? Most likely the butter was too soft or the dough was warm. Chill dough before baking, bake on a cool sheet, and make sure your oven temp is accurate. Also avoid overmixing the cake mix dough or they can turn out cakier than gooey.

How can I make them more festive or keep sprinkles from bleeding? Press sprinkles on right after baking while the top is still slightly tacky, or mix a small amount into the cream cheese filling. If color bleeds, try using light colored sprinkles or add them after cookies are fully cooled with a dab of melted white chocolate to glue them on.

Christmas Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Yellow cake mix: swap for a white cake mix or Funfetti for a different flavor, or use a gluten free yellow cake mix (match the box weight/volume), or make a quick dry mix about 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt.
Unsalted butter (1/2 cup): use the same amount of salted butter just skip any added salt, or 1/2 cup solid coconut oil (gives a light coconut note), or 1/2 cup stick margarine at room temp.
1 large egg: swap with 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water (let sit 5 mins), or 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, or 1 packet commercial egg replacer (follow pkg for 1 egg).
8 oz cream cheese: use 8 oz Neufchatel for less fat but same texture, or 8 oz mascarpone for a richer creaminess, or well drained ricotta whipped smooth for a lighter tang.

Pro Tips

1) Let everything come to room temp but not puddling. If the butter or cream cheese get too soft the filling will squish out when you seal, so leave them out 30 to 60 minutes depending on how warm your kitchen is, then chill the filling briefly if it feels sloppy.

2) Freeze the filled centers for a few minutes before enclosing, or roll the cream cheese into little logs and freeze on parchment for 10 to 15 minutes. It sounds extra, but it makes sealing way easier and cuts down on leaks.

3) Seal the seams good, seam-side down on the sheet. Use a dab of water on your fingertip to moisten the dough edge before pinching, and press the seam flat so it doesnt pop open while baking.

4) Watch the bake time closely and use the middle rack. Cookies keep best refrigerated because of the cream cheese, but warm them a few seconds in the microwave to get that gooey center back, dont overbake or they’ll go cakey.

Christmas Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Sammy Hunter

0.0 from 0 votes

I stumbled on a clever shortcut for 6-Ingredient Christmas Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies made with cake mix and holiday sprinkles that lets you have them ready in less than 20 minutes.

Servings

servings

Calories

329

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Baking sheet
3. Parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray
4. Large mixing bowl
5. Small mixing bowl
6. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a sturdy whisk)
7. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon
8. Cookie scoop or tablespoon
9. Measuring cups and spoons
10. Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar (confectioners)
1/3 cup holiday sprinkles

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray lightly with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat the yellow cake mix, softened butter and the egg together until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms, scraping the sides once or twice.
In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and lump free, then stir in the 1/3 cup holiday sprinkles.
Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the cake dough into about 1 inch balls, you should get roughly 24 depending on size. If the dough is too sticky, chill 5 minutes in the fridge so it’s easier to handle.
Flatten one dough ball into a small disk in your palm, add about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese filling in the center, then top with another slightly flattened dough ball and pinch the edges to seal, roll gently into a ball with the seam on the bottom. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Arrange the filled balls on the prepared sheet about 1 inch apart, gently press each one down a little so they’re slightly flattened.
Bake 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops look just set but still soft in the center, don’t overbake or they’ll lose the ooey gooey texture.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes so the filling firms a bit, then transfer to a wire rack to cool a little more. They’re best slightly warm, so if you want them gooey, serve within 30 minutes.
If you want extra color, press a few extra sprinkles onto the tops right after baking while they’re still warm, they’ll stick better.
Tip, these keep ok in an airtight container for 2 days in the fridge because of the cream cheese, bring back to room temp or warm a few seconds in the microwave before serving for max gooeyness.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.