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These gooey butter cookies are prepped in 5 minutes and have a perfectly addicting chewy texture making them one of our go-to cookies!

Gooey butter cookies stacked on top of each other on white plate.

Cake Mix Cookies!

We love making cookies with the kids, and these gooey butter cookies are a family favorite! This cake mix cookie is pretty much half a cookie and half a cupcake, and you really can’t go wrong with that. You may also want to try our Gooey Butter Cake!

When you need a quick and easy cookie recipe, cake mix cookies are the way to go! They’re so convenient, and you can easily switch up the flavors depending on the mix—like these Frosted Lemon Cookies, or Funfetti Cookies.

WHY WE LOVE IT:

  • Mix it up. Easily change the flavor by using your favorite flavor of cake!
  • Soft and chewy. They are made with cake mix, butter, and cream cheese and are so soft and moist.
  • Easy. Simply dump, mix, roll, and bake. The batter is prepped in only 5 minutes!
Ingredients for gooey butter cookies on white counter.

Ingredients

  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese – softened
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened How to Soften Butter Quickly
  • 1 egg room-temperature incorporates best
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix or another flavor like strawberry or chocolate cake mix
  • 1 cup powdered sugar – plus more for dusting
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How to Make Gooey Butter Cookies

  1. BATTER. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer (or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment) to beat 8 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup butter, 1 egg, and ½ teaspoon vanilla with a hand mixer until fluffy.
    • Add the cake mix powder and mix until combined. Chill for 30 minutes.
  2. PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  3. BAKE. Place 1 cup powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Scoop and roll dough into 1½-inch cookie dough balls then roll in powdered sugar until well coated. Place onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
    • Bake for 10–12 minutes.
    • Let cookies sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.
  4. ENJOY! Sift more powdered sugar on top, if desired.
Gooey butter cookies recipe stacked on top of each other on white plate.
4.99 from 440 votes

Gooey Butter Cookies

By: Lil’ Luna
Made easy with a yellow cake mix, these gooey butter cookies are prepped in 5 minutes and have a perfectly addicting chewy texture!
Servings: 24 cookies
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Chill time: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, egg, and vanilla with a hand mixer until fluffy.
  • Mix in cake mix until combined, and chill for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Place powdered sugar in a bowl. Scoop out and roll dough into 1½-inch balls and roll in powdered sugar until well coated. Place onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 10–12 minutes.
  • Let cookies sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then remove to a rack to cool.
  • Sift more powdered sugar on top, if desired.

Video

Notes

Variations. Other cake mix flavors such as strawberry, chocolate, and Funfetti can be used. 
Store cookie dough. Place the dough in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days or see How to Freeze Cookie Dough.
Store cookies. Place cooled cookies in an air-tight container on the counter for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 57kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 0.3g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 4mg, Potassium: 4mg, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 129IU, Calcium: 2mg, Iron: 0.04mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Recipe FAQ

How to store the dough?

Place the dough in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days or see How to Freeze Cookie Dough.

How to store?

Place cooled cookies in an air-tight container on the counter for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

About Kristyn

Kristyn Merkley is a published cookbook author, wife, mom of six, and major food enthusiast! For the past 15 years, she has been sharing foolproof, family-friendly recipes—each one tested in her kitchen—that anyone can master. As a seasoned recipe creator, she loves making cooking simple, stress-free, and totally doable for everyone!

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4.99 from 440 votes (332 ratings without comment)

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430 Comments

  1. Amanda says:

    So these are just like Paula Deen’s gooey butter cookies, huh?

  2. Deb says:

    Okay, I do not bake much. I need to take cookies to church carnival. I assume you do not mix the cake mix up as the directions on the package. Do you add it dry to the cream cheese mixture?

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Yes, you add it dry. 🙂

  3. Caitlin says:

    5 stars
    Just made these! Sooo yummy. Thanks for the recipe. One of my new favorites ☺️

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      So glad they were a hit. It’s definitely in our cookie rotation. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  4. mindy says:

    5 stars
    I know this post was a long time ago but I just had to comment that this is really a great recipe. We have used different flavor cake mixes and added different things in the middle of the cookies (peanut butter, marshmallow fluff, nuts, chocolate chips etc. depending on the cake mix we choose) I love that this recipe is super easy for my 7yr old to make as it doesn’t use tons of liquid ingredients. We use the recipe exactly as written and just change up the cake mix for a different flavor each time. Our grocery store was out of cream cheese last time so I grabbed the Neufchâtel cheese and it still came out perfect! Thank you so much for a great recipe that has become a family favorite!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Your comment totally made my day. So glad I could share a family favorite recipe that could become a family favorite for you too!! Thank you for stopping by!!

  5. Maddy says:

    5 stars
    Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! These are so good!! I love that they are easy. My daughter who is 3 loves to make cookies. I love that she want to bake but I am legally blind so most of the time it is had for me to measure out everything that is needed. We made these without any trouble!! So thank you again!!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      SO glad you liked them. They are one of our favorites. 🙂

  6. Rachel says:

    5 stars
    HI! I wanted to tell you I made these cookies this weekend and they are to die for! I made them with gluten free cake mix, though. You would never know it is gluten free. They are still soft and gooey. Thank you so much for this recipe. I will be reblogging this recipe with the gluten free changes this week.

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      So glad it was a success. You will have to send me the link when you’ve posted your gluten free version so that I can add it to the post and direct people your way for the recipe. 🙂

  7. Becky Turk says:

    5 stars
    Made these last week for work, huge hit! They taste just like old fashioned glazed doughnuts! When you bake them with the powdered sugar it turns into a glaze like texture! Making them again this week, and the chocolate rolo ones! Thanks for a great recipe!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      You’re welcome, Becky! So glad they were a hit. You’ll love the chocolate version too!

      1. Laura says:

        Which brand of cake mix and cream cheese do you use?

      2. Lil' Luna says:

        I’ve used all different brands of Yellow cake mix, but almost always use Philadelphia Cream Cheese. 🙂

  8. Rachel Harper says:

    Do you use pure vanilla or vanilla extract? Just checking because it just says vanilla. Thanks! 🙂 I’m excited to make these!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      I use vanilla extract. 🙂