These from-scratch Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies were inspired by my Ooey Gooey Butter Cake! They are sweet and satisfying and super fun to make! I even added some orange zest to this recipe to make my Orange Creamsicle Cookies that you will definitely want to try! Don’t miss my 50 Best Cookie Recipes if you want more great cookie options!
Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies
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. This version is inspired by the Ooey Gooey Butter Cookie from Taste of Home, only I removed the dry milk powder (oh my word NO ONE liked how that tasted) and replaced it with confectioners’ sugar. I also have Ooey Gooey Browned Butter Cookies you will want to try!
What Are Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies?
Basically one of the sweetest cookies known to man! When my husband tried one his response was, “I don’t think I have tasted anything like this before.” (and he has tried every cookie I’ve ever made!) I presented him with this challenge. Try a bite, and if you can’t help but go for a second bite (as in, you’d fight me if I tried to take the cookie away) then I know they are a winner. He absolutely wanted a second bite and finished off that cookie quickly!
Do I Have to Refrigerate the Dough?
Now, 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 were 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 Freeze Butter 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, 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 them with the cookie name and date.
If you want to store baked cookies, grab a large flat plastic container and place a layer of parchment or wax paper on the bottom. Set cookies down, place another layer of wax or parchment, then another layer of cookies. Set a slice of bread in the container and close.
Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) salted butter, softened
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups (282 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (63 g) confectioners' sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, for rolling cookie dough in
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat butter, cream cheese and granulated sugar until blended.
- Add in egg and vanilla.
- Add in flour, baking powder, and ½ cup confectioners' sugar. With the mixer on low, gradually beat into creamed mixture.
- Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough and then roll in confectioners’ sugar. Place approximately 6 dough balls on the lined baking sheets.
- Bake until they no longer appear wet on top, 8-11 minutes. After about 5 minutes, place on wire racks to cool.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
So u bake for 8-11 minutes but do u pull them out after 5? I am confused by last direction
Love what you do
Made these cookies today but they did not flatten out like in the picture. What went wrong?
So far, my biggest problem is keeping the batter away from my family. These cookies are AMAZING
lol! So glad you like them!
Classic Southern Recipe I love… curious though what kind of AP flour do you use. Alot of online baking blogs are nonspecific as to brand- I ask bc the shape and consistency is hard to replicate unless your using exact same brand. APs like most other things come in various percentages and types of flour with various protein % even in just the AP category 🤪 so just curious because i have never posted but followed you for years and not a blogger- maybe 1 day LOL ,… 💗🍪
Hi Lindsay! I use Gold Medal flour mostly but have used King Arthur’s. Thanks for the kind words!
These cookies were very good I’ve made them several times would like the recipe for lemon ooey gooey cookies
Thank you for these wonderful recipes, looking forward to trying them! I’m a baker and love to bake, me and my fsmily loves to bake! God bless you, and thank you!
I cannot wait to try these.
Do you have a recommendation for freezing all ready baked cookies? The are delicious and I’m so pleased with how they came out! After they were all baked I realized that the party is a week away and now feel I should freeze them ? Thank you!
Sure… After baking, allow cookies to cool completely. Place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet to freeze them, then store them in a freezer-safe zip-top storage bag labeled with the name and date. Squeeze out extra air and place flat in the freezer. To save space, you can flat-stack freezer bags.
When ready to eat, take them out and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Amanda, The recipe ingredients do not list baking soda, but when I watch the video it shows baking soda being added.I need clarification please.
Please follow the written recipe.