Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies

Five simple ingredients come together with ease for these Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies. Minimal measuring, simple prep steps, and a little patience are all you need to enjoy these colorful, cake-like cookies.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Cake Mix Cookie, Gooey Butter Cookies, Red Velvet Cookies, Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Chill Time 2

Total Time 2 30

Servings cookies

Calories 116kcal

Author Cara Harbstreet

Equipment

large mixing bowl
hand mixer or stand mixer
large baking sheet
parchment paper
cookie scoop optional, but helpful to have

Ingredients

1 box red velvet cake mix see notes below
8 oz cream cheese full fat, softened
1/2 cup butter softened (one stick)
1 large egg
powdered sugar

Instructions

Make sure the cream cheese and butter are very soft at room temperature. Scrape them into a large mixing bowl, then add the egg. Use a hand mixer or strong whisk to mix the wet ingredients.
Add the cake mix and stir it in to form a sticky dough. Once the cookie dough is smooth, cover and chill for 1-2 hours.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a cookie scoop to portion out a scoop and use clean hands to roll into a dough ball, about 1" in diameter.
Add a scoop (1/2 to 1 cup) of powdered sugar to a small bowl and roll the dough ball in it to fully coat the outside. Place it on the prepared baking sheet but do not press down.
Repeat with the remaining dough, leaving two inches between each cookie. The recommended yield is 20 cookies. Bake for 12-13 minutes for an extra gooey cookie, or 15-17 minutes for a crispier crust. Once baked, place on a cooling rack to firm up before serving.

Notes

Boxed cake mixes vary in volume by brand. I used a 13.25 oz mix for the cookies photographed for this post. If using a 15.25 oz mix, the texture of the dough may be thicker or more sticky. Adjust the yield accordingly, but bake time will be similar (~15 minutes).

The longer you chill the dough, the more firm it will be and the less the cookies will spread while baking. Adjust according to how much time you have, but I recommend a minimum of 30 minutes in the fridge.

If necessary, bake in two separate batches or use two baking sheets (if available). If baking in two batches, adjust total cooking time accordingly. For best results, chill the remaining dough while the first batch is batching and allow the baking sheet to cool before preparing the second batch.

To store, seal in an airtight container and store for 2-3 days on the countertop or in the pantry. Note that the crispy crust will soften over time due to the moisture in the cookies.

Keep in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. If storing longer, seal tightly and freeze for up to six months, thawing before serving.

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