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.
In your ingredients it says baking powder. But in your video it says baking soda..so which ingredient is the one you use?
Hi, Aida! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. Follow the written recipe. Have a wonderful day!
Love these cookies. I made this recipe without any sprinkles and they were exceptional. Moist and butter tasting. They are definitely going into the rotation. Yummy! I would suggest making a double batch. Sent to my sister and she is now addicted also.
The taste was a amazing. And chewy. However, they were flat as a pancake. I was baking at altitude, but that didn’t seem to be an issue when I made the red peanut butter kiss cookies. I’d love to make these again bc they tasted great, and welcome suggestions to solve for the flat pancake factor.
I Love your recipes ❤️
Perhaps it’s my cold kitchen, but these cookies came out surprisingly tall! Rich, buttery, and delightful; this recipe will absolutely return with adjustments to flatten them out a bit. I’ve missed these so dearly!
Can cookie dough be frozen?
Hi, Patti! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. Yes, you can freeze the dough. Scoop out individual cookies, place them on a baking sheet and then place them in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Once they are chilled through, place them in an airtight bag and then label it with the cookie name and date. I hope this helps, and have a great day!
Can you please explain to me after freezing the dough how you defrost and bake????
Recipe called for 3 teaspoons of Baking Powder but the Video called for Baking Soda 😳 I’m using the baking powder!
Does it really only make 6 cookies? With how much flour, sugar and cream cheese is used wouldn’t it make more cookies?
Hi, Estela! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. We made 24 cookies with this batch. Have a wonderful day!
Mine didn’t flatten at all. Any ideas?
Tastes great! My batch didn’t flatten very well, so I think it was because my baking powder was old and maybe my house was a little chilly. I flattened the dough a little before baking and that helped make them spread 🙂