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
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I literally just made these. My cookies didn’t spread much, just like I read in some of the other comments. I’m cooking in a tropical country with high humidity. It wasn’t my baking powder, as I tested mine out before I used it. Good thing I did a single test cookie before baking a full batch. I flattened them out a bit before baking so they wouldn’t be domed. I also found rolling the cookies in confectioner’s sugar made them way too sweet for our taste. We dusted them with confectioner’s sugar instead. PERFECT.
I made this recipe today . Probably won’t make them again. one reason it is a rather messy recipe. I do not like messy recipes . My Husband thought they were really good and said to tell you. They were a little to gooey for me . I like them Chewy but not Sticky. Even baked them a little longer. You do have a great website with a lot of Good recipes
Thank You for Sharing your recipes my mother-in – law always made these for her grandkids and never got a chance to ask for the recipes. Thank You again.
This only makes 8 cookies?
The recipe states that it makes 24.
I hand a handful of raspberries so I added one to several cookies when I removed them from the oven. Took them to work yesterday and they vanished!
Great idea, love it!
These cookies are the best ever! The only difference I made was to use a sugar substitute (splenda) because my husband is diabetic but still has a sweet tooth. They turned out amazing and both the kids and grandkids did not notice a difference. Thank you for the recipe ❤
I’m not sure how your oven is making them in that time? I am making them as we speak and they have been cooking almost 20 minutes and are still raw inside?
Hi Ashley! If you are making them the size I suggested and they are raw inside after 20 minutes, there may be an issue with your oven! So sorry.
I made these exactly as the recipe stated and they are delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
I made these cookies last night! OMG! They are so easy to make and taste DELICIOUS!!! Thank you for the recipe!
Love these! Can’t wait to make them again for a Christmas party. Thanks for another yummy, easy-to-follow recipe!