Christmas Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies are cookies that will melt in your mouth and are full of colorful sprinkles to get you in the holiday spirit! Check out my Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies for a classic ooey-gooey cookie.
Christmas Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies
These cookies are inspired by ooey gooey butter cakes. The recipe for the original ooey gooey cake was actually a mistake! In a St. Louis Bakery, John Hoffman made a mistake by using the wrong amounts of sugar and flour. Since the cakes have become so popular, it’s easy to see (and taste) how they can be a delicious cookie.
Although my Ooey Gooey Butter Cake recipe is made with cake mix, I wanted to try a from-scratch version for the cookies. I tested quite a few recipes and was troubled by the flavor and consistency that they produced. So after a lot of tweaking and a lot of eating (no complaints here!), I finally settled on a cookie that everyone loved. And, with a few added sprinkles, they are perfect for Christmas!
How to Make Christmas Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies
To make the Christmas Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies, beat together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Make sure you use room temperature ingredients. (Most refrigerated ingredients can get to room temperature in about 30 minutes.) Room temperature ingredients allow for more even baking and fewer lumps!
Next, add in the egg and vanilla. Add in flour, baking powder, and half of the confectioners’ sugar. With the mixer on low, gradually beat everything into a creamed mixture. Finally, gently fold in the Christmas sprinkles. Once the dough is made, it’s time to get the cookies baked!
Ooey Gooey Butter Cookie Dough
You may have noticed that I did not refrigerate the dough. Most recipes call for this so I, of course, tested that. What exactly does refrigerating do for cookies? Well, when you chill cookie dough, it solidifies the fat. Then, when you are ready to bake the cookies, the chilled dough takes longer to melt and remains solid longer, meaning the cookies spread less.
For this recipe specifically, that meant the cookies were much more puffed up and tall, which also meant I had to bake them a bit longer to make sure they were actually baked through. The edges browned and didn’t look as pretty as I would like.
Those cookies actually tasted less ooey-gooey when the dough was chilled, so I opted to delete that instruction and use the dough immediately after preparing. The cookies are a bit flatter, but they are still just as ooey-gooey and delicious!
How to Bake the Cookies
To bake the cookies, use a two-tablespoon cookie scoop to create balls of dough. Roll each ball in the remaining half cup of confectioners’ sugar and place each on a parchment-lined baking sheet. I put about 6 cookies on each sheet. Use the bottom of a glass or your hand to flatten out the dough a bit.
Bake for 8-11 minutes, or until they no longer appear wet on top. Let them rest on the baking sheet for about five minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
How to Freeze Christmas Cookies
The very best way to freeze these cookies is to freeze the dough. I like to scoop out my individual cookies, place them on a baking sheet (they can be close together), and then place them in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Once they are chilled through, I place them in an airtight bag and then label it with the cookie name and date.
If you want to freeze the cookies after they are baked, allow them to cool completely. Then, lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place them in the freezer. Once the cookies are frozen, store them in a freezer-safe zipped bag, labeled and dated. They will keep for up to four weeks.
Looking for More Holiday Treats?
Peppermint Patty Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
Ugly Christmas Sweater Cookies
Christmas Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies are cookies that will melt in your mouth and are full of colorful sprinkles to get you in the holiday spirit!
- ½ cup (1 stick or 113g) salted butter, softened
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups (282g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (126g) confectioners' sugar, divided
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅓ cup Christmas sprinkles
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat butter, cream cheese and granulated sugar until blended.
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Add in egg and vanilla.
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Add in flour, baking powder, and 1/2 cup confectioners sugar. With the mixer on low, gradually beat into creamed mixture.
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Gently fold in the sprinkles by hand. The more you fold, the more likely the sprinkles will bleed, so fold until just incorporated.
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Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough, and then roll in the remaining 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar. Place approximately 6 dough balls on each of the lined baking sheets.
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Bake until they no longer appear wet on top, 8-11 minutes. After about 5 minutes, place on wire racks to cool.
Cookies yum
I have made these cookies several times and they are a family favourite! Question: if I don’t have the “Jimmie’s” on hand can I use other sprinkles like sanding sugar, or will they bleed and ruin the look?
They might bleed, but I think the overall look will be pretty. 🙂
Hi Amanda,
I have been making a nearly identical recipe for years, using yellow cake mix in place of the dry ingredients. I like the texture of yours better….but they just don’t quite have the flavor as when I use the cake mix. Should I just increase the vanilla? Not sure what is in the cake mix to give it the extra flavor oomph. and in that recipe I only use 1/4t. of flour. Thank you! I still love this recipe!
oops I meant 1/4t of vanilla not flour
I plan on freezing the dough. Would you thaw the dough completely before baking or bake the frozen balls for a little longer? Thanks.
Bake twice as long
Tried these today…had to bake them twice as long as recipe says. Also, could’ve gotten twice the number of cooked as they are HUGE as written.
Is the dough supposed to be rillavle in balls mine came out sticky