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It’s hard to believe it’s already that time of year again: time to pull out the Christmas decor, shop for gifts, begin the holiday baking, and stress-eat cookie dough straight out of the stand mixer.
Actually, I love holiday baking. Every year my tiny galley kitchen turns out cookies of different varieties, homemade pumpkin pies (with fresh pumpkin), special treats like biscotti, and lots of sweet breads, like zucchini and pumpkin bread, pound cake, and coffee cake.
Today I will be sharing with you one of my favorite cookies to bake for my friends and family for Christmas, the easy and delicious Gooey Butter Cookie. I’ll show you how I make Gooey Butter cookies and decorate them especially for Christmas. (Scroll down to the bottom for a printable version.)
I’m not sure where this particular recipe originated. I first had these cookies a few years ago when a friend of mine made them for a bake sale, where I proceeded to spend all my cash and eat every last one. (I’m exaggerating. I didn’t eat all of them…)
I’ve since requisitioned the recipe for Christmas use for when I want to make something other than my family kiffle recipe (which, unfortunately for you, I’m not allowed to share, on pain of death – says my mother). I use vintage Christmas sugar sprinkles to dress them up for the holidays, and they are always a big hit.
My favorite Christmas sprinkles to use are these Vintage Christmas Sugar sprinkles by Pepper Creek Farms. I purchase them at World Market, but it looks like you can buy them here at their website, peppercreekfarms.com.
If you can’t find sugar sprinkles like the ones I’m using here, any kind of sprinkle will do! Wilton always has a fantastic selection of holiday sprinkles. I especially like this assortment of holiday sprinkles and this three pack of silver, gold, and white sprinkles.
This post is extra special because it is a collaboration as part of a Virtual Cookie exchange with several other bloggers. We will be sharing recipes for our favorite Christmas cookies today and tomorrow, so be sure to check out the links to their blogs for some amazing cookie recipes! I’m part of a group that is posting recipes today; a second group will be posting their cookie recipes tomorrow (Tuesday, November 27). Scroll to the bottom of the post for the complete list of bloggers.
Gooey Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1 (18.25 oz) box butter recipe cake mix*
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Powdered sugar, for dipping
- Optional: sprinkles
* Note: You can have similar results if you use a boxed cake mix that isn’t butter recipe, but the resulting cookie will be denser.
Directions:
- Beat butter, cream cheese, egg, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
2. Mix in dry cake mix. Cover and chill for 30-45 minutes until cool.
3. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly coat baking sheets with cooking spray (you’ll need at least two baking sheets – I generally fill up three with one batch). Put about 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a small bowl, set aside. If using sprinkles, pour some onto a small plate, set aside.
4. Drop dough by tablespoons into a bowl of powdered sugar, roll into balls. If you’re using sprinkles to make them festive, leave one side of the dough ball uncovered in sugar, then press the sticky side into the sprinkles.
5. Set the dough balls sprinkle side up on the baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly golden brown. If cookie tops are yellow, you can also check the bottoms for doneness. If the bottom is golden brown, then they are done.
You can also make these with the butter recipe fudge cake mix! It makes the most delicious chocolate cookies.
What is your favorite Christmas cookie? Do you bake anything special for the holidays? Leave a comment below!
Printable Recipe:
Gooey Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese softened
- 1 (18.25 oz) box butter recipe yellow cake mix
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Powdered sugar, for dipping
Instructions
-
Beat butter, cream cheese, egg, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
-
Mix in dry cake mix. Cover and chill for 30-45 minutes until cool.
-
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly coat cookie sheet with cooking spray. Drop dough by tablespoons in a bowl of powdered sugar, roll into balls.
-
Bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly golden brown. (If cookie tops are still yellow, check the bottom for done-ness.)
Equipment Used:
Baker’s Secret Nonstick Cooling Rack, Set of 2
Nordic Ware Aluminum Baker’s Half Sheet Pans
KitchenAid Classic Stand Mixer
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Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers who are posting fabulous cookie recipes!
Monday, November 26 Posts:
Jennifer’s Chocolate Coconut Macaroons at Yellow Rose Jenny
Amy’s Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies at Essentially Handmade
Jersey’s Molasses Cookies at Farmhouse Basic Collection
Dana’s Sugar Cookies at St. Martha’s Lens
Gabrielle’s Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies at Life with the Correas
Anja’s Healthy Classic Cinnamon Star Cookies at Our Gabled Home
Tuesday, November 27 Posts:
Brianne’s Best Sugar Cookies at Homemade on our Homestead
Rachael’s 100 Cookies at Australian Working Mama
Lyndsy’s Christmas Krumkake at Treasured Oak Springs
Missy’s Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies at Rambling Rose Farmhouse
Callie’s Checkerboard Cookies at This Corbett Life
Misty’s Pepparkakor Gingersnaps at Our Grace Filled Journey
Kelly’s Cream Cheese Cookies at The Willow Mama
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The cookies look delicious. But I saw the k word and my mouth watered. I’m smart enough to never ask though. Family traditions like that are precious and dear. Besides, I know what a labor of love they are and I’d hate for the wrath of Lisa to be upon you. ; )
I’m not sure if I’ll get around to making kiffles this year, but if I do, I’ll mail you some. 🙂
And that there is just one of many, many reasons why I love you.
These cookies look delicious! Thanks for sharing!!
You’re welcome! They really are delicious.
These sound amazing!