Thick, moist, and flavorful describe these delicious Gooey Butter Cookies. Made from scratch, but I’ve got a cake mix option if you’re in a pinch!
We’re big fans of cookies around here…I mean who isn’t though. Some of our favorites are these thick carrot cake cookies and these iced oatmeal cookies!
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Is Best
Have a you ever had a gooey butter cake? I’ve got this Gooey Chocolate Butter Cake recipe that is ridiculously delicious. And it just occurred to me I should totally do that as cookies.
I’ve also got this Gooey Lemon Cake Bars recipe, which I made a version of gooey lemon cookies too!
Today it’s the classic with these Easy Gooey Butter Cookies!
- These cookies bake up super thick and very moist.
- Each cookies is rolled in powdered sugar for a delicious sweet coating.
- The recipe makes 36 cookies, so it’s great for serving friends and family. Warning though, they will go FAST!
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Unsalted Butter – We use unsalted butter in all of our recipes. If you only have salted butter, omit the added salt in the recipe. Use our guide on how to soften butter quickly.
- Cream Cheese – Full fat cream cheese will give you the best results for these gooey butter cookies. Be sure to let it soften at room temperature for a few minutes first.
- Almond Extract – This adds a slight almond flavor to the cookies. Use pure extract, not artificial flavoring, for best results.
Easy Instructions
STEP 1. Make the dough. Cream together butter, cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs and almond extract, followed by the dry ingredients. Beat until all ingredients are combined. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
STEP 2. Roll the cookies. Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of chilled dough.
STEP 3. Powdered Sugar. Use your hands to roll each ball of dough in powdered sugar until evenly coated.
STEP 4. Bake then cool. Place the rolled cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Tips and Tricks
- Allow the butter and cream cheese to soften at room temperature before you start making the dough.
- Be sure to chill the dough! It’s hard to be patient, but this is a must. It helps solidify the butter to a chilled state, which allows the gooey butter cookies to stay thick and fluffed.
- Sticky hands? Dip your fingers in powdered sugar before working with the dough. This keeps the dough from getting stuck to your hands as you go.
- Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. This helps the cookies slide right off and allows for easy clean up after the cookies are baked!
Recipe FAQs
Beat the unsalted butter and cream cheese together. Then beat in one egg and the almond extract. Add the cake mix and beat until combined. Chill the dough and proceed with the recipe below as directed.
Yes, they are the same. It’s labeled as one or the other, depending on the brand.
Store these cookies at room temperature in an airtight container. This will keep them soft and fresh for about a week!
Yes! You can freeze gooey butter cookies by letting them cool completely, then transferring them to a freezer-safe airtight container (or ziploc freezer bag). Freeze for up to 3 months.
More Easy Desserts
- Apple Nachos
- Cinnamon Bundt Coffee Cake
- Strawberry Pretzel Salad
- Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins
- Amish Bread
More Easy Cookie Recipes
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Brownies and Bars
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
Cookies
Butterfinger Cookies
Cookies
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Breakfast and Brunch
Chocolate Peppermint Biscotti
Gooey Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 ounce cream cheese softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar until creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Add in eggs and almond extract, beat until fluffy.
- Mix in flour, salt, and baking powder until well combined.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Scoop out cookie dough with a 2 Tbsp scoop. If your hands are sticky, dip them in the powdered sugar first. Drop cookie dough into powdered sugar and roll in sugar until generously coated.
- Place on baking sheet and bake for 11-13 minutes. Remove and cool completely on wire rack. Enjoy.
Notes
- Allow the butter and cream cheese to soften at room temperature before you start making the dough.
- Be sure to chill the dough! It’s hard to be patient, but this is a must. It helps solidify the butter to a chilled state, which allows the gooey butter cookies to stay thick and fluffed.
- Sticky hands? Dip your fingers in powdered sugar before working with the dough. This keeps the dough from getting stuck to your hands as you go.
- Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. This helps the cookies slide right off and allows for easy clean up after the cookies are baked!
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Can I replace the cream cheese with something else. If so what?
I made these a few weeks ago and got rave reviews from everyone who tried them! I didn’t have almond extract so I used vanilla extract, and they were delicious. I have requests to make them again, so I will be busy this weekend!
Can I freeze them?
Sure can!
Very good cookie! Instead of being gooey, they are more cake-like and very light tasting. I like how they look when baked with the powdered sugar. I put some in the refrigerator and when chilled, the almond flavor came out even more.
Can I use a crock pot?
To make cookies?
🤣
Question is 1 Table spoon baking powder correct?
It’s Christmas time I’m going to add dried cranberries maybe some not Meg cinnamon or ginger what do you think all this totally ruin the cookie
Excellent desserts…yumm.
I made these cookies and they were a huge hit. They were gone in less than two days. I made a cake mix version before I saw your recipe and, I have to say, your recipe is much better than using a cake mix. Since we have the option to use vanilla or almond extract, I would like to try using butter flavoring the next time I make these. What do you think? Thank you for such a GREAT recipe.
Butter flavoring could definitely work. Keep me posted 🙂
I’m going to have to make half the serving because I feel like I’m just going to devour all the cookies haha thank you, great recipe!
Can you substitute plain yogurt for cream cheese?
Why do people do this? Just go to the store and buy cream cheese or make a different recipe.
Love that you gave both options to make! These look so yummy!
Mmmmm!!!! These are absolutely amazing! Thank you!
These taste like heaven! So so good.
So buttery and delicious! I could use one of these right now 🙂
These are a family favorite! So easy to make too.
I love soft buttery cookies and have made some cake mix cookies in the past but love your made from scratch ingredients since, like you, I don’t always have cake mixes on hand. Love the addition of the almond extract too. Got to make these the next chance I get.